A few facts about storing items in shipping containers

Shipping Container units at Storage Carlisle® are simply the best! And choosing the right size is easy,

smiling man surrounded by family


Unsure about what size of unit you require?

ⓘ Let us help you with your storage.

Storage Carlisle ® are here to help, but generally speaking a standard size 20 foot container unit is enough to hold the contents of a three bedroom home, and possibly up to a four bedroom. It really is quite amazing how much contents our self storage units can hold.

We have smaller units, such as 10 foot long units which can hold in excess of a one bedroom flat. But if you are in doubt, speak to a member of staff prior to booking in a unit - we are glad to help and advise or click here to view our container sizes page.

interior of a shipping container

Clean modern units
Furniture grade storage units

a close up of three shipping containers with a vehicle beside it
van at a storage unit

Ease of access
Drive a van right up to your unit 24/7

Front of a shipping container

Sturdy and strong
Units designed for harsh conditions

padlocks on a shipping container

Secure, but easy to operate
Container units are easy to operate

interior of a shipping container

Container information | All you need to know about storage in shipping containers

self storage depot full of shipping containers with a car in the foreground

Our shipping containers make perfect storage. All our units are sub floor vented - this is simply essential for the long term storage of furniture. Secondly, our furniture units are brand new or one trip container unit meaning they are correctly and sufficiently trickle vented with polished floors suitable for storing even bedding, clothing and housewares etc.

 

These units are sited on our own purpose developed sites and weigh approximately two tonne each and we're originally designed to be transported across the world in harsh climatic conditions.

 

Storing furniture makes them an ideal choice. Infact, did you know you can store up to a three bedroom house worth of contents in a standard 20 foot shipping container unit.

 

With prices from around £20+ per week and less, its an ideal self storage choice! Storage Carlisle will provide all your storage requirements with one phone call.

An ISO container as they are often referred to is a large standardized shipping container designed for intermodel freight transport meaning they can even be used across different types of transport - for example, from a ship to a truck without unloading and reloading their cargo. The reason they were invented was because prior to them, goods had to be unloaded and re-loaded. Therefore, by the 1970's, standards were set to enable more consistent loading and transporting of goods around the world. This of course, was a time saving measure.

 

There are many sizes of shipping container on the market - Storage Carlisle have a various range of sizes, though the 20 foot ones are a common and popular choice.

 

We could ramble on all day about shipping containers, but if you click on the link here, more information on the history of containers can be found on Wikipedia which discusses Intermodal Containers. A very interesting read indeed ....

container size guide

Our units are easily accessed, even by larger removal type vehicles. The fact we have no stairs or lifts to negotiate is a major factor in why so many customers happily use our facility, and entrances suitable for heavy goods vehicles. One of our entrances, see below, has easy entry by way of pin code.

Storage Carlisle entrance on Rome Street Depot
Carlisle city centre landmarks

Above: A few of the local landmarks - both historical and modern.

How do you open and close a shipping container? We explain.

It is quite easy to open and close storage container doors. Shipping containers have a right and left hand door. The right hand door is the first to open and last to close. We will show you exactly how to do this with this very short nienty second on-site video footage. Shipping container doors contain rubber seals all around the doors to keep contents watertight. Video contains audio. Press to PLAY.

How do you lock a shipping container?

a combination type padlock fixed to a shipping container

Do you want to know how a shipping container is locked? Storing goods in them is one thing, but security is of primary importance. It's quite straightforward to lock a shipping container unit.

Shipping containers for the self storage industry have "lock boxes" which is a special steel plate where a large heavy duty padlock can be attached and hidden from view, thus preventing the container door from being opened. Secondly, the right hand door of a shipping container has a minimum of one handle, but many have two handles. On these handles are sections where additional padlocks can be attached easily. Not only can heavy duty padlocks can be inserted into the lock box, but also onto the handle mechanism.

There is actually no need to place locks on the left hand door of the shipping container, as once the right hand door is padlocked, the left door is effectively locked due to the fact it is impossible to open until the right hand door is in the open position. This is due to the clever design of a shipping container which follow an international design specification used in the shipping industry.

Some shipping containers also have a padlock section at the very base of the unit. 

lock box on a shipping container
a very strong padlock on a shipping container
a heavy duty padlock on a shipping container

Above photos: The Lock Box on a shipping container with padlock showing slightly underneath it. The Lock Box protects the padlock. Next photo down, a second locking point for an additional padlock.

Below: Additional padlocks can be placed if required on the handles on the shipping container. Most container units have two handles side by side.

padlock on a shipping container
two padlocks on a shipping container
a cylinder type padlock locking a shipping container

Above: This container has two handles and therefore two locking points, plus the Lock Box to ensure contents are locked away safe. 

 

 

shipping containers being cleaned
car about to unload goods into a storage unit
container storage units on a depot

All rights reserved. Hansford Ltd. STORAGE CARLISLE ® SELF STORAGE & SHIPPING CONTAINER STORAGE. 24 hour access, low cost self storage services | Carlisle City Centre.  "Storage Carlisle", "Your Lock Your Key" & the Storage Carlisle logo are registered trademarks. Telephone 07739 103165. Storage Carlisle, Rome Street Depot, Carlisle.

Self storage Carlisle | Furniture Storage | Shipping container storage, Removals, Household, furniture, business, car park, vehicle, caravan and Storage in Carlisle, Cumbria | Railway luggage and Station baggage service | Student storage and document storage solutions | Locations: CA1, CA2, CA3, CA4, CA5, CA6, CA7, CA8, CA9, CA10, CA11, CA12, CA13, CA14, CA15, CA16, CA17, CA18, CA19, CA20 | Yards & industrial / commercial property | Work space | Work shops, industrial and business units. Rome Street Depot, Carlisle, CA2 5AQ. 

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