Looking for an inexpensive way to store some of your stuff? Finding anything cheap in San Diego seems like a tall order, but we’ve done the homework for you so you can pick the best option for your storage needs.
Let’s jump right into it.
- Door-to-door service means you won’t have to visit a storage unit. We have yet to meet someone who gets excited about having to go to a storage unit. Generally, the location of the storage units isn’t in the safest of areas either, which means with Juujbox, you can store and retrieve what you need from the safety of your home.
- Juujbox is storage on-demand. You only pay for the space you use. If all you need to store is a closet worth of items, you’ll pay far less than you would for the smallest available storage unit. It’s the perfect solution for people who want to declutter their homes.
- Prices start at $14.95/month. To use closet space as an example, if you need a 5x5 worth of storage space, you’ll pay about $60/month to Juujbox vs. the average of $110/month with the other storage providers.
- Juujbox will pick up your stuff. No need to rent a truck, ask friends for a favor, or have to make that dreaded call to your ex-boyfriend. Pickup is free; delivery is a flat fee of $25 for all your items.
- Need to have your stuff picked up after business hours? No problem. As you’ll see on our list, one of the cons all of the other storage providers have is the business hours that they’re available for you to access your stuff. You have to set an appointment in advance for pickup in some cases.
- Free storage bins. Juujbox will provide you with everything you need to store your stuff.
- Easy retrieval. Do you need your Christmas decorations delivered to your door? You can ask for individual boxes back from the Juujbox team, and they’ll deliver them right to your door and pick them back up once you want them stored again.
Cons
- Need to store furniture, T.V.s, and other large items? Juujbox is not the ideal solution for you. Unfortunately, Juujbox offers storage for the predefined box sizes we provide to our customers.
- Juujbox has a secure storage facility that is not accessible by customers. Suppose you like accessing your storage unit to add and remove items as needed. In that case, you’ll want to consider a traditional storage facility.
Pros
- Compared to the other available options in San Diego, Big Box has very competitive pricing for its portable storage solution.
- Big Box is convenient because they’ll drop off their storage box near your home for you to fill up. Like Juujbox, you can avoid a trip to a storage unit using their portable storage solution.
- They have a straightforward pricing methodology, and their rates are available on the website minus the final delivery cost.
- Local San Diego-based support. It’s a family-owned company which is always a plus for us.
- They can ship your boxes to another city at a cost.
Cons
- The cost of final delivery is unclear. Big Box has an initial delivery and pickup fee of $99 (when they first drop the box off with you), but you can waive that fee with a 3-month commitment. They do not list the final delivery cost back to your home, and reviews suggest it can be subjective.
- The “Big Box” needs to be dropped off in your driveway or somewhere close. Having the space necessary for the box to sit somewhere is a challenge for people living in Downtown San Diego. You’ll have to go back and forth from your condo to your Big Box, which will be dropped off on the street downstairs, requiring you to lock it each time you go in and out.
- Security is an issue as your box has a door with a lock, but it also has a large canopy covering it that says Big Box Storage. Depending on your neighborhood, I would try to have the box dropped off and picked up the same day.
- Boxes only come in one size, and you might need several of them if you’re storing a lot.
Pros
- The Public Storage phone app allows you to enter the facility without getting out of the car (if you’re close enough to the gate). It’s a bit fussy, and the app isn’t the best, but it makes entry and exits convenient when it works.
- This self-storage facility is one of the few located in downtown San Diego. There is a parking lot that you can use after entering through a secure gate.
- They are the cheapest traditional storage provider in the local area. A small 5x5 storage unit runs about $125 a month, depending on the month and time of the month you book.
- They provide flatbeds for you to use onsite to take your stuff into your storage unit.
- Public Storage does sell boxes and has some supplies available for purchase onsite.
Cons
- Security is something to worry about here. There are homeless encampments around this facility, including the facility’s entry and exit. It feels a bit old and runs down on the inside, and from personal experience, the units aren’t spotless.
- Most people don’t know that the pricing changes throughout the month and even in particular months. At month’s end, the cost of their larger storage units will go up by as much as $150. If you wait a few days into a new month, those prices will decrease. The time of the year also plays a role in your price. You’ll pay more during Spring and Summer months than waiting for winter.
- Cancellations aren’t very easy. Public Storage is a big company, and a quick Google search will show you what others have had to share.
- They are only open during business hours which makes it difficult for customers to access them after work unless they decide to spend their weekend doing so.
- Most available units are located on the second and third floors, requiring elevator access.
Pros
- The location of this facility makes it an excellent option for people who need to store more oversized items living in the East Village of San Diego.
- Ballpark / StaxUPStorage provides a U-Haul rental service to help reduce the number of places you need to visit before moving.
- Feedback on customer support seems to be generally positive.
- They offer quite a few discounts to get you in the door, like 50% off your 1st full month.
- They’re the only self-storage facility that offers an x-small storage unit starting with a 3x7 for around $80 a month.
- Flatbed carts are available to haul your stuff into your storage unit.
- The onsite store at the facility sells boxes and packing supplies.
Cons
- Like Public Storage, Ballpark Self Storage has had a challenge with homeless people around the business.
- During baseball season, or if any significant events are happening at Petco Park, getting in and out of this area will be incredibly difficult.
- Most of their units are small or medium-sized, so if you need a lot of storage space, you’ll probably have to opt for a different facility.
- Hours of access are limited to 8:00 am – 4:45 pm each day.
- Most available units are on the 3rd and 4th floors.
Pros
- This storage facility is the safest and most well-kept in the downtown San Diego area. Entry and exit into the facility are safe and easy.
- They are one of the only facilities that can provide vehicle storage. The number of spaces available for vehicle storage is limited, so you have to act fast when you find an open spot.
- They have the best hours of any self-storage facility in the area, with access from 6:00 am – 10:00 pm 7 days a week.
- The floor plan of this self-storage facility is excellent. You’ll find that there is plenty of lighting, great views of the ocean (if that matters to you), and secure doors and gates to your unit. You can tell this is a newer building than the others.
- They have an entire store where you can buy boxes and packing supplies. They also provide flatbed carts for you to use while on-premise.
Cons
- Cleanliness and safety come at a bit of a cost. A1 comes in higher priced than the other two downtown self-storage facilities mentioned above.
- Most available units require elevator access.
That sums up our top 5 cheapest storage options for Downtown San Diego. Are you looking for storage in Downtown San Diego? Email us at hello@juujbox.com or call us at (858)328-2898.
