Biggest Players in the On-demand Moving and Storage Space
It seems that almost every moving company now offers storage. However, only on-demand companies offer the technology-driven services which have made life much easier for many of us. For the ones who are not very familiar, this means that you will schedule a time and then the company will come to pick up your things. They will then store it at one of their warehouses. When you need your things back, they will drop them off at your requested time.
So, who are the big players? Well, we have made your life a bit easier by listing 4 of the most reliable companies in the industry.
1. Double Space
With the aim to be the solution to the innumerable nuisances people face when moving, Double Space commenced their journey in 2020 with the promise to “take the ‘rage’ out of storage”. Double Space is a dedicated on-demand moving and storage company, which means that they will come to pick up your stuff, store it safely, and return it in the same condition you handed it over. And they will do it whenever you want- even on the weekends.
Currently, they operate in locations within Toronto, Scarborough, Etobicoke, North York, York, East York, Vaughn, Richmond Hill, and Markham. If you do not reside within these areas, do not worry- they promise to expand their operations to more locations soon.
If you visit their website, you will find that, for such a high-quality, reliable service, Double Space’s prices are astonishingly low. For an average-sized walk-in closet amount of space of 100 cubic feet, you will need to only pay $89 per month. What’s more, is that you’ll never have to worry about any hidden or uncertain charges with them. You will know what you would need to pay before their team of movers even arrive at your door.
No outsiders are allowed in their climate-controlled warehouses to ensure that your things stay 100% safe. You will also get a digitized inventory list as they keep photographed track of everything.
Double Space is the cool new kid on the block and by the looks of it, they are here to stay.
2. Second Closet
Second Closet is another player in the moving and storage space. Like Double Space, they also operate within the GTA, among other cities of our great country.
For 100 cubic feet, Second Closet charges $95 per month.
Second Closet has a rating of 3.5 out of 5 on Yelp. Nevertheless, there were some complaints on Yelp about lost precious possessions, being billed even after picking items up. One even talked about being overcharged. Thus, it seems that their billing and storage services are far from flawless.
Although their prices might not be the cheapest, Second Closet is a company that tries to relieve their customers of all moving-related issues. However, ratings suggest that operationally they need to improve a lot.
3. Make Space
Make Space has been here for a long time. Atleast in North America that is! Originating as an American company, MakeSpace serves multiple locations across the USA. In Canada, they cater to the Toronto residents as well as other cities.
For a 100 cubic feet plan, which is one of their more popular plans, MakeSpace will charge you $108 per month. You will be required to pay the charges for a minimum of 3 months if you avail any of their plans.
This means that, although you can get your things back earlier if you want, you will still be charged for the 3-month period. So, if you choose MakeSpace, you’ll need to have slightly deeper pocket.
Despite being such a large-scale company, MakeSpace Toronto’s online reviews are unfortunately not as reassuring. There have been several instances of lost and damaged goods. MakeSpace has also been said to not show up in a few reviews. Multiple customers have also complained about the poor and unresponsive customer service.
Overall, MakeSpace has a rating of 1.6 stars out of 5 on Sitejabber and 3.5 out of 5 on Trustpilot.
4. Alluster
Alluster initially started out in Vancouver in 2015 and later on, expanded to Calgary and Toronto. They also serve Ottawa.
Alluster sends two professional movers for every appointment. They also have 24/7 video surveillance set up at their storage facilities to ensure that your things remain secure. Alluster also claims to have “guaranteed pricing”, which means that they will never raise prices on your stored items. They also offer an online inventory, but you will have to take pictures and update information yourself.
For 100 cubic feet of space, Alluster will charge you $99 per month plus labour charges. The labour charges start at $100 per hour for pick-up and return. For every additional meeting, $166 is charged.
Also, if you want to store in a 100 cubic feet space, you will be charged for at least 30 minutes. Hence, the convenience of a flat rate is missed out here as you can never be sure how much time will be needed to load your things on to their truck.
They have a rating of 3 out of 5 stars on their Facebook page, and 4.5 out of 5 on Google. Although many users liked their experience, a few did not recommend Alluster Storage.
A Final Tip
Before you decide on a company, be sure to compare the prices and reviews. It is better to go for companies with a flat rate like Double Space where you’ll know, right off the bat, if they fit your budget and avoid unpleasant surprises.
Oishee Eerada Maudud is an avid blogger with deep interests in technology driven logistics
