Moving From a House to an Apartment? Here's What to Store

Downsizing from a house to an apartment is a big shift — especially in southeast South Dakota where homes tend to come with garages, basements, and outbuildings. Suddenly all that space disappears. Here’s what to keep, what to store, and how to make a smaller place work without giving up the things you care about.

Why People in South Dakota Are Making the Switch

It’s not always by choice. Some people move from a house to an apartment because of:

• Divorce or separation — one household becomes two, and neither has as much space
• Job relocation — moving to a new town and renting first while you figure out the area
• Financial changes — a smaller place means smaller bills
• Retirement — the big house doesn’t make sense anymore when the kids are gone
• Temporary situations — selling a house before the new one is ready

Whatever the reason, the math is the same: you had 1,500-2,000 square feet plus a garage and basement. Now you have 700-900 square feet and a coat closet. Something’s gotta give.

The Sorting Process: Keep, Store, Sell, Donate

Before you start packing, sort everything into four categories. Be honest with yourself.

Keep (Moving to the Apartment)

These are daily essentials and items that fit your new space: - Furniture that fits (measure the apartment first — that sectional probably won’t work) - Daily kitchen items (one set of dishes, not three) - Current-season clothing - Electronics and work equipment - Important documents

Store (Going to a Storage Unit)

These are things you want to keep but don’t need daily: - Off-season clothing and gear - Extra furniture you’ll want when you move again - Holiday and seasonal decorations - Sentimental items and family heirlooms - Collections, hobby equipment, and sporting goods - Power tools and yard equipment (you won’t need a lawn mower in an apartment)

Sell

Be realistic. If you haven’t used it in two years and it’s not sentimental, sell it. Facebook Marketplace, Yankton classifieds, or a good old-fashioned garage sale before you move.

Donate

Goodwill, Salvation Army, church thrift stores in Tyndall, Springfield, and Freeman — they all need donations. What’s clutter to you is useful to someone else.

What Most People Store When Downsizing

Based on what we see at our facilities, here’s what typically goes into storage when someone moves from a house to an apartment:

Furniture

• Dining room table and chairs (apartments often don’t have formal dining rooms)
• Guest bedroom furniture
• Bookshelves and display cabinets
• Patio furniture and outdoor sets
• Extra dressers

Tip: Disassemble what you can to save space. A bed frame in pieces takes up a fraction of the space of one assembled.

Seasonal and Outdoor Gear

This is the big one for southeast South Dakota residents. When you lose your garage and shed, all this stuff needs a home:

• Hunting gear — guns, decoys, blinds, clothing
• Fishing equipment — rods, tackle, nets
• Camping and outdoor gear — tents, coolers, camp stoves
• Winter sports equipment — snowshoes, ice fishing gear
• Lawn and garden tools — mower, trimmer, garden supplies

Workshop Tools

If you had a workshop in your garage or basement, those tools need somewhere to go. Table saws, drill presses, hand tools, workbenches — none of that fits in an apartment.

Holiday Decorations

Christmas alone can fill several large bins. Add Halloween, Thanksgiving, Easter, Fourth of July, and you’re looking at a significant amount of stuff. A small storage unit handles this easily.

Collections and Hobbies

Vinyl records, sports memorabilia, sewing supplies, craft materials, photography equipment, musical instruments — whatever your thing is, it probably needs more space than an apartment provides.

Documents and Records

Tax records, business files, family archives, photo albums. These take up more space than people realize. A few file boxes add up fast.

What Size Storage Unit Do You Need?

For a house-to-apartment downsize, most people need a 5x10 or 10x10 unit:

• 5x10 (50 sq ft): Handles seasonal gear, holiday decorations, a few furniture pieces, and boxes. Good for someone who’s being selective about what they store.
• 10x10 (100 sq ft): The most popular size for downsizers. Fits a bedroom set, several large items, boxes, and seasonal gear. Room for an aisle down the middle.
• 10x15 or 10x20: If you’re storing the contents of multiple rooms, a workshop, and large outdoor equipment.

Check our storage unit size guide for a visual breakdown.

Tips for Making the Transition Smoother

Measure Your Apartment First

Don’t assume your furniture will fit. Measure doorways, rooms, and hallways. That king-size bed frame might not make it through the bedroom door. Know before moving day — not during.

Pack Strategically

If you’re using a storage unit, pack it so seasonal items are accessible. Winter gear near the front in fall, summer gear near the front in spring. Organization matters.

Give Yourself a Buffer

Rent the storage unit a week or two before your move date. This lets you move items gradually instead of everything at once. It also gives you a place to put things that you realize don’t fit after the first load into the apartment.

Think About Climate Control

If you’re storing wooden furniture, electronics, leather items, or anything moisture-sensitive, a climate-controlled unit is worth the extra cost. South Dakota winters and summers are not kind to sensitive materials.

Keep an Inventory

Write down everything in the unit. When you need something six months from now, you’ll know exactly where it is — and whether it’s actually in storage or if you left it at your sister’s house in Freeman.

The Financial Math

Let’s be honest about the numbers. A storage unit in southeast South Dakota typically runs:

• 5x10: $35-55/month
• 10x10: $55-85/month
• 10x15: $75-110/month

Compare that to the cost difference between a bigger apartment and a smaller one. In many cases, a smaller apartment plus a storage unit costs less per month than renting a larger place. And when you eventually move back into a house, your stuff is waiting for you.

This is especially true in small-town South Dakota where apartment options are limited. You might not have the choice of a bigger apartment in Tyndall or Springfield — but you do have the choice of adding a storage unit.

The Emotional Side

Downsizing is hard. It’s not just about square footage — it’s about letting go of a lifestyle, at least temporarily. The garage workshop, the big kitchen, the backyard.

A storage unit helps because it removes the permanence of the decision. You’re not getting rid of dad’s tools or selling the patio set you bought last summer. You’re storing them. They’ll be there when you’re ready for a bigger place again.

Give yourself permission to store things that matter to you, even if they’re not “practical.” The point of self-storage is to give you flexibility during transitions — and moving from a house to an apartment is one of the biggest transitions there is.

Make Your Downsize Easier

Lock N’ Leave It Storage has units available in Tyndall, Springfield, and Freeman — the right sizes for house-to-apartment transitions at prices that make sense for southeast South Dakota. Whether you need a small unit for seasonal gear or a larger one for furniture and tools, we’ve got you covered.

Contact us today or stop by any of our three locations to find the right unit for your move. Downsizing your home doesn’t have to mean downsizing your life.