Just this week, while running errands, I struck up a conversation with Mr. Wong, a lifelong Lai Chi Kok resident. He couldn’t stop raving about ministorage at Lai Chi Kok. “It’s like finding extra space in your shoebox apartment!” he laughed. His excitement made me curious. How has mini storage sneaked its way into our daily lives here? read more?
Let’s start with convenience. Our neighborhood is notorious for cramped apartments. Storage, subsequently, is always at a premium. Margie, my neighbor from down the hall, swears by her mini storage unit. She uses it for her seasonal decorations and bulky winter clothes. “Before this, those things practically lived in my living room,” she claims. Now, she has room to swing a cat—or, more practically, her yoga mat.
Then there’s the practicality. Don’t we all have keepsakes we can’t bear to part with but have no earthly use for? Uncle Chan, the local shopkeeper, stores his old shop signs and memorabilia in a mini storage unit. He grins as he reminisces about the old days. “It’s a walk down memory lane each time,” he says, “without tripping over the past in my living room.”
What about safety, you ask? Mini storage facilities are usually equipped with high-tech security systems. Take Mrs. Lee, for example. She’s been more at peace since transferring her family heirlooms out of her apartment. “I feel like I’ve moved Fort Knox,” she jokes. “Now I can breathe knowing my treasures are safe.”
Cost is another factor that makes mini storage appealing. Consider Tom, a young professional who recently moved out of his parents’ place. He’s got furniture he isn’t ready to let go of yet and no space in his current shoebox apartment. Mini storage rents are generally budget-friendly and a relief in an otherwise costly city.