Drive-Up vs Indoor Storage Units: Which Should You Choose?
Choosing a storage unit isn’t only about finding the right size. How you access your unit can make a big difference too.
Two of the most common options are drive-up storage and indoor storage. Both have their advantages, and the best choice usually comes down to what you’re storing, how often you’ll need access and whether convenience or covered access is more important to you.
Here’s how they compare.
What is a drive-up storage unit?
A drive-up storage unit is located on the ground floor with its own external roller door. You can drive your car, van or moving truck directly up to, or very close to, your unit.
The biggest advantage is convenience. Instead of carrying furniture and boxes through corridors or using a lift, you can unload them almost straight from your vehicle into your storage space.
Drive-up storage can be particularly useful for:
- Moving house
- Large or heavy furniture
- Tradespeople storing tools and equipment
- Businesses that regularly collect stock
- Customers who need frequent access
- Vehicle storage, where the unit is suitable
If you expect to be coming and going from your unit regularly, being able to pull up nearby can save a lot of time.
What is an indoor storage unit?
Indoor storage units are located within a storage building and are accessed through internal corridors. Depending on the facility and floor, access may be via a loading area, stairs or lifts.
One of the main advantages of indoor storage is protection from the weather while you’re loading and unloading. This can be particularly handy in Auckland, where a perfectly dry moving day can turn into a wet one fairly quickly.
Indoor units are a good option for:
- Household belongings
- Boxes and personal items
- Bedding and clothes
- Furniture
- Longer-term storage
- Business stock or archived documents
- Anyone who prefers covered access
Drive-up vs indoor storage: what’s the difference?
| Feature | Drive-Up Storage | Indoor Storage |
|---|---|---|
| Access | Directly from outside | Through the storage building |
| Loading & unloading | Very convenient | May involve corridors or lifts |
| Large/heavy items | Excellent | Good |
| Wet-weather loading | Less protected | More protected |
| Frequent access | Excellent | Good |
| Business stock | Excellent | Excellent |
| Vehicle storage | Possible in suitable units | Not suitable |
Neither option is necessarily better — it depends on how you intend to use your storage space.
Which is better when you’re moving house?
If you’re storing the contents of a home, a drive-up unit can make moving day considerably easier.
Large items such as couches, dining tables, beds and appliances can be moved straight between the vehicle and the storage unit without navigating corridors or lifts. This can also make things easier if you’re using professional movers.
Indoor storage has its own advantage: covered access. If the weather is poor, being able to unload inside or under cover can help keep furniture, mattresses and boxes dry.
If your belongings will stay in storage for several months and you won’t need to access them often, the convenience of a drive-up unit may also be less important than it would be for a short-term move.
Which is better for business storage?
Both can work well, but how frequently you need your stock usually makes the difference.
For a tradesperson or business that needs to collect tools, equipment or stock regularly, a drive-up unit can effectively act as an easily accessible storeroom. Pull up, grab what you need and carry on with your day.
Indoor units can be a good choice for businesses storing excess stock, equipment, promotional materials, documents or other items that aren’t being collected every day.
Self storage can also give a growing business extra room without needing to move into larger commercial premises simply to gain more storage space.
What about Auckland weather?
This is one area where indoor storage has a clear advantage.
With an indoor unit, more of the journey between your vehicle and your storage space can be protected from the elements. That can be useful when you’re moving cardboard boxes, upholstered furniture, mattresses and other belongings you’d rather not carry through the rain.
Drive-up units trade some of that weather protection for maximum convenience. On a dry day, being able to park directly outside your storage unit is hard to beat.
Can you store a car in a drive-up storage unit?
Some larger drive-up storage units may be suitable for storing cars or other vehicles.
You’ll need to check the dimensions of the unit, door opening and facility requirements before booking, as not every drive-up unit is designed for vehicle storage.
If vehicle storage is what you need, talk to the storage facility first so they can recommend an appropriate unit.
Can you get the best of both worlds?
Yes. All Safe Store locations offer both drive-up and indoor storage options, although the mix varies between facilities.
- Safe Store Westgate is predominantly indoor storage, with a number of large drive-up units around the perimeter. This gives you plenty of indoor options while still catering for customers who need direct vehicle access or larger spaces.
- Safe Store Papatoetoe has a fairly even mix of drive-up and indoor units. Its newer indoor storage block also offers protected, all-weather access, while the drive-up units make loading larger or heavier items particularly easy.
- Safe Store Pakuranga is predominantly drive-up storage, making it a great option if convenient vehicle access is a priority. Indoor units are also available.
- Safe Store Tauranga has more indoor storage units overall, but still offers a good selection of drive-up units for customers who prefer direct access.
This means you don’t necessarily need to choose a facility based on access type alone. Tell our team what you’re storing and how you plan to use your unit, and we can help you find the right combination of size, access and location.
So, should you choose drive-up or indoor storage?
As a general rule:
Choose drive-up storage if you have large or heavy belongings, expect to visit regularly, are storing business stock or simply want loading and unloading to be as quick as possible.
Choose indoor storage if covered access is important to you, you’re storing belongings for a longer period or you don’t expect to need frequent access.
And if you’re still not sure, there’s no need to guess. Tell us what you’re storing and our Safe Store team can help you work out the right unit size and access type for your needs.
Request a quote today or see our live pricing on our booking platform here.