You know that moment when you finally admit you need a storage unit? You’ve tripped over the same box of college textbooks for the last time. The garage is a Tetris game you lost. So you start looking.

And immediately, you hit this weird, small decision that nobody warns you about. It feels silly, but it matters more than you think.

Do you get the unit five minutes from your house? Or do you get it by your job?

I’m not a corporate blog. I’m Mike. I’ve managed a 3D Self Storage facility for eight years. I’ve had this exact conversation leaning against my counter more times than I can count. People stand there, keys in hand, and say “I never thought about the location like this.”

So let’s talk it out. Man to man. Woman to woman. Like you’re asking a friend who knows the inside scoop.

The “Near Home” Crowd: The Weekend Warriors

Most folks go this route. It makes sense on paper. Your stuff should be near your other stuff, right?

Here’s the real, unfiltered truth of the “near home” life.

The good? It’s unbeatable for spontaneous needs. It’s 8 PM on a Tuesday and you suddenly remember you have the perfect serving platter for tomorrow’s potluck… it’s in storage. If that unit is down the street, you’ll go get it. If it’s across town, you’ll make an excuse. That’s human nature.

It’s also for the schedulers. The Saturday warriors. You block off a morning, you get coffee, you hit the storage unit, you swap out winter coats for beach towels, you feel productive. It’s a domestic task, folded into your domestic life. It works.

But here’s the pitfall I see. The Long Commute. If you drive 45 minutes to work, that unit near your house is dead to you from Monday to Friday. You are not coming home, eating dinner, and then driving back out to rummage through boxes. It becomes a weekend chore. And if your weekends fill up (whose don’t?), you start paying for a closet you never visit.

The “Near Work” Crew: The Secret Efficiency Experts

This crew is smaller, but man, are they devoted. They figured out a hack.

Imagine this. You’re already at work. Your unit is a 3-minute detour on your way home. You sold an old bike on Craigslist? Tell the guy to meet you at your storage unit at 5:15. You’re already there. You need to drop off the returns you’ve been hauling around in your trunk? Lunch break. Done.

You’re not making special trips. You’re piggybacking. It turns storage from a daunting “to-do” into a seamless pit stop. It psychologically removes the burden.

This is also the move for the side-hustlers. The people who sell vintage clothes on Depop, or make candles, or have a band. Their storage isn’t for family archives; it’s for active inventory. Keeping that hustle near their workplace keeps it separate from family time. It’s business.

The trade-off? Saturday. If you wake up and need your camping gear, you’re driving to your office on a day off. That can feel… wrong. Like you’re going in to do paperwork.

How to Decide: The Mike Method (No B.S.)

Stop looking at the map for a second. Ask yourself these questions. Be brutally honest.

• What’s in the boxes? Be specific. Is it “deep archive” (baby clothes, tax records) you’ll touch once a year? Or “active inventory” (ski gear, holiday decor, hobby supplies) you’ll grab every few months? Archive = less frequent trips. Active = easier access wins.
• What’s your actual energy like? Are you the person who runs errands at 7 PM? Or are you on the couch, spent, by 6:01 PM? If you’re in the latter group (no shame!), putting the unit on your commute path might be your only hope of ever seeing it.
• Play out the scenario: Seriously. Close your eyes. It’s a rainy Thursday. You need the power drill. Is it easier to swing by the unit near work before you get on the highway? Or do you see yourself going back out after you’re already home in sweatpants? Your gut answer tells you everything.

Why This Choice Shaped Our Business at 3D Self Storage

Look, I could give you the sales pitch about clean drives and 24/7 access. But the real reason we picked our locations? Because of this exact conversation. We have facilities in neighborhoods where you live, and we have them in business districts where you work. We did that on purpose. We saw people struggling with this choice and thought, “Let’s just be in both places.”

My job isn’t just to rent you a space. It’s to make sure the space you rent actually works for you. If you’re storing with us and it’s a pain to get to, I’ve failed. I want you to have a good experience. I want you to pull in, get what you need, and get on with your life. That’s it.

The Final, Real-Talk Conclusion

If your storage is an extension of your home—for family stuff, for seasonal life stuff—keep it near home.

If your storage is an extension of your projects or your logistical brain—for your hustle, for streamlining errands—keep it near work.

It’s not about miles. It’s about the rhythm of your life. Pick the spot that matches the rhythm of the stuff inside.

Now, what’s your rhythm?