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Decluttering Your Home

Lock-up Garage Alternatives to Rent

Time to read: 3 minutes

Contents
  1. Alternatives to renting a lock-up garage
  2. Enhanced security
  3. Increased accessibility
  4. Ideal conditions

Being right next to your home, storing things in your garage is certainly convenient. But what happens if you run out of room? Or maybe you think you could put your garage to better use. You may want to use it for a hobby, for instance, or even convert it into an extra living space.

If this is the case, what are the options open to you? Well, you could look for lock-up garages to rent, which can usually be found on industrial sites or at the rear of residential property.

If you’re thinking ‘are there any garages to rent near me’, you’ll find plenty of adverts from private landlords on classified advertisement and community websites. A lot of councils also have lock-ups to rent, although there may be a long waiting list.

Alternatives to renting a lock-up garage

An alternative option to lock-up garages to rent is a self storage space. At Ready Steady Store, we have more than 40 different sizes of storage units. And, if you’re looking for the same features you’d get if you were to rent a lock-up garage, the majority of our stores also have exterior drive-up units.

These drive-up units are available on a long-term or short-term basis and will give you direct access to the items you’ve stored, without you having to enter the building. So they’re ideal for business or household customers wanting easy access to their items.

So let’s look at the advantages of our self storage units over lock-up garages for rent.

Enhanced security

Security is something we take very seriously. So much so that our security measures, designed by leading industry experts, exceed levels set by the UK Self Storage Association.

The majority of our stores operate CCTV on a 24/7 basis. During office hours, cameras are monitored closely by our own team, who then hand over to our surveillance partners outside of these hours.

We have high perimeter fencing too at most of our stores, with electronic entrance gates operated by our Ready Steady Store App. Most of our buildings are also fitted with smoke and fire detection equipment.

So, compared with a lock-up or garage to rent, we can give you complete peace of mind when it comes to security and the safety of your stored items.

Increased accessibility

If you’re worried that you’ll have less access to your stuff than with garages to rent, you’ll be pleased to learn that you’ll have 24-hour, 7-day access to your drive-up unit, just like a lock-up.

As our drive-up units are located outside, you can bring a vehicle right up to the door, which will make unloading and loading heavier items a whole lot easier.

With day and night availability, you can visit your unit any time you want. And, as you’ll be the only keyholder, you’ll be the only one with access to your stored items.

Ideal conditions

When considering the difference between a garage to rent and our self storage units, you’ll want to know that your goods are stored in the best conditions. Because they were built to house cars, and are not airtight, this can’t be guaranteed with a rented lock-up or your own garage.

Some privately rented lock-ups may be susceptible to damp, for instance. Or, extreme heat or severe cold could very well be a problem. Far from ideal conditions for any items of value.

Our rented drive-up units have been especially built to withstand the elements. They are also maintained and serviced regularly to ensure the perfect storage environment at all times.

As you can see, there are many advantages to choosing a drive-up storage unit instead of a traditional lock-up garage. Our modern, secure facilities make accessing your belongings simple and convenient – whenever you need them.

With stores across the UK, including Lincoln, Aylesbury, Manchester, and Leeds, our friendly storage experts are here to help you find the perfect space.

Get in touch today to discuss pricing, unit sizes and any other questions you may have, or request your free self storage quote now to get started.

Karishma Darji

Head of Central Operations & Marketing, Ready Steady Store

Karishma is Head of Central Operations & Marketing at Ready Steady Store, bringing over 10 years’ experience in the UK self storage industry. She oversees central operations, process strategy, customer experience, and digital performance across multiple self storage locations nationwide, ensuring customers have access to affordable, secure, and easy-to-use storage solutions.

Her work is closely informed by real customer behaviour and day-to-day store operations, helping ensure all advice and guides are practical, transparent, and relevant.

Making it as easy as possible

Exclusive Enterprise Van Hire for our customers

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We've teamed up with Enterprise to bring our Ready Steady Store customers an exclusive deal. Book via our link and enjoy a 5% discount on live prices for van hire, making your move easier and more affordable.

  • Exclusive customer savings - 5% off live Enterprise hire prices
  • Flexible 24-hour hire periods to suit your schedule
  • Convenient pick-up and drop-off from your nearest Enterprise branch
Find out more

Secure storage for your belongings, around the clock

At Ready Steady Store, security is built into everything we do. Our stores are designed to help protect your belongings while giving you complete peace of mind, whether you're storing for the short or long term.

These measures are in place to help deter unauthorised access and provide safer storage for our customers.

Our security features typically include:

  • 24/7 CCTV monitoring
  • Smart locks for controlled, secure unit access
  • App-controlled entry, so only authorised users can enter

Expert insight from our store teams

Customers often underestimate how important access control and good lighting are when choosing self storage. Our teams regularly highlight these features as key reasons customers choose Ready Steady Store.
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  • 24/7 CCTV
  • Smart locks
  • App-controlled entry

Here's what our storage customers are saying

Our sustainability commitment

With climate change now at the forefront of most people’s minds, action needs to be taken. At Ready Steady Store we’re already taking steps to reduce our carbon footprint, a major factor in combating climate change.

Our latest tree planting initiative will see us reduce our footprint even further. That’s because trees absorb CO2, so they’re a great way to minimise the harmful effect of CO2 emissions on the environment. And with more trees planted, the closer we’ll be to achieving a carbon-neutral Britain, along with our goal to become a carbon-neutral business.

We’re doing everything we can to help create a sustainable future for the planet, and now you can help too. All you have to do is leave us a Google Review, and for every one posted we’ll plant a tree with our partner more:trees.

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Help Us Raise Money for the Alzheimer’s Society

This year, we’re proud to support the Alzheimer’s Society—our chosen charity partner—by committing to raise £5000 to help fund vital research and support services for those affected by dementia.

We’ve made fantastic progress with cake sales, sponsored walks, and other team-led activities. You can follow our journey and check in on our progress via our JustGiving page.

Want to help?

You can make a difference by donating just 50p Or feel free to give more, share the link, and encourage friends and family to get involved.

Together, we can make a real impact for people living with dementia.

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Moving house? Making space? We’ve got you covered for all the essentials you’ll need in our box shop.

Page last updated: February 18th, 2026

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