Losing someone is hard, and at the same time an entire home has to be emptied and an estate settled. There is a great deal to deal with all at once, and often the house or flat has to be cleared faster than your feelings can keep up with. Storage can give the family a little breathing space: instead of dividing everything straight away, you can move the belongings somewhere safe and go through them at a calm pace when you are ready. The furniture, the photographs and the memories are kept securely, and you avoid making hasty decisions about what to keep, give away or sell.
When can storage help with an estate?
- The home must be vacated: when a house or flat is to be sold, given notice on or taken over, but the belongings have not yet been divided.
- The heirs live apart: when the family lives in different towns and needs time before everyone can meet to go through things together.
- Feelings need time: when it is simply too soon to decide what should happen to the belongings.
- Interim storage before dividing: when you want to gather everything in one place and share it out gradually, without time pressure.
How long should you rent for?
There is no single right answer, nor should there be. With us there is no binding period — you rent month to month with no notice period. Some need the unit for a few weeks while the home is prepared for sale; others leave things in place for several months while an estate is settled and the heirs work out how to divide it. You only pay for the time you actually use, and you give notice when you are finished. Should you need less — or more — space along the way, you can switch unit size at no extra charge.
What size do you need?
The contents of an estate range from a few boxes to a whole home. As a rough guide:
- 2–5 m²: a few boxes, documents, photographs and smaller items you want to keep.
- 5–10 m²: the contents of a smaller flat — a sofa, a bed, some furniture and boxes.
- 10–20 m²: a typical flat or a smaller house with furniture and white goods.
- 20–50 m²: a whole house with furniture, tools and everything gathered over a long life.
If you are unsure, choose a little more room — you can always switch to a smaller unit later at no fee. See sizes and up-to-date prices to find what suits you.
Calm to divide the inheritance at your own pace
The hardest part of an estate is rarely the things themselves — it is everything they carry of memories. When the belongings are kept safely in storage, the time pressure disappears. You can take one box at a time, talk together about what means something to whom, and let the decisions settle. No one is forced to throw anything away during a stressful clear-out, and no precious memories end up in the bin simply because it all had to be done quickly. The unit is yours for as long as you need it, and you decide for yourselves when the time is right to close it.
Tips: Arrange a fixed time when the family meets at the storage unit to go through things together. That way the dividing becomes a shared, calm process rather than something one person has to carry alone. If several family members need access, get in touch with us and we will arrange an extra entry.
Practical advice for clearing and storing an estate calmly
- Sort into three categories: keep, divide later and dispose of. Most things can safely wait in the second category.
- Label the boxes clearly: write the room or the person on each box, so it is easy to find again and divide later.
- Look after the fragile items: pack photographs, glass and china carefully, ideally in their own clearly marked boxes.
- Keep documents together: letters, papers and valuables are best kept gathered and easy to reach.
- Take photos as you go: a quick photo of rooms and boxes makes it easier to remember what is where.
How to get started
- Choose a branch in Bergen or Haugesund and a size to suit the belongings — if you are unsure, call us on 55 25 95 90 for a calm chat and some advice.
- Reserve the unit here — it takes only a few minutes, and there is no binding period.
- You receive your own electronic access code and can come and go whenever it suits you, every day between 07:00 and 23:00.
- Borrow a trailer and trolley from us free of charge for the move, and take the time you need to divide the inheritance.