Episode Summary
Modern Storage® dives into one of the most relatable debates in the self storage world: do millennials or baby boomers hold onto more stuff? This episode breaks down the generational hoarding habits that drive storage unit rentals, from sentimental keepsakes and good china to phone boxes and junk drawers overflowing with mystery cables. The conversation reveals that no generation has the moral high ground when it comes to clutter.
Key Takeaways
Both millennials and baby boomers accumulate clutter at comparable rates, just in different categories — boomers tend toward sentimental and inherited items while millennials collect tech accessories, packaging, and fast-accumulating household goods.
Self storage demand is fueled in large part by generational accumulation patterns, and understanding those patterns helps facility operators and marketers speak directly to their most active renter demographics.
Recognizing your own storage habits is the first step toward deciding whether you need a larger unit, a decluttering strategy, or simply a more honest conversation about what you actually use versus what you keep.
Episode Notes
Modern Storage® tackles a question that resonates across kitchen tables and storage facilities alike: which generation is actually keeping more stuff? Episode 89 pits millennials against baby boomers in a lighthearted but genuinely revealing comparison of storage habits, clutter tendencies, and the rationalizations both generations use to justify holding onto things they never touch. The episode uses humor as an entry point but lands on some real observations about why people rent storage units and what that behavior looks like across different age groups. Baby boomers built a reputation for holding onto heirlooms, complete dish sets, furniture from three households ago, and the kind of sentimental items that feel impossible to discard. Their relationship with physical objects often reflects a post-war abundance mindset and a cultural value placed on keeping things that might someday be useful or meaningful. This translates directly into self storage usage, where longer-term rentals and larger unit sizes are common among older renters managing estates, downsizing from family homes, or storing items inherited from their own parents. Millennials, meanwhile, grew up in the age of unboxing videos and digital consumerism. The stereotype of keeping every phone box, charging cable, and plastic grocery bag is not entirely unfounded. This generation also came of age during economic instability, which created a competing impulse to hold onto things rather than replace them. The result is a different kind of clutter — smaller, more varied, and often organized just enough to feel manageable until a junk drawer becomes three junk drawers and a storage unit becomes necessary. For self storage facility operators, understanding generational renter behavior is more than a fun topic for conversation — it is a legitimate business insight. Millennials are now the largest adult demographic in the United States, and they are entering the life stages that historically drive storage demand: buying homes, having children, moving more frequently, and dealing with the physical weight of accumulated possessions. Marketing to this group requires a different tone and different value propositions than marketing to baby boomers who may be downsizing or managing an estate. This episode also touches on the universal truth that runs beneath the generational debate: almost everyone keeps more than they consciously realize. The mismatched food containers, the bags of bags, the cables for devices long since discarded — these are not exclusively millennial or boomer behaviors. They are human behaviors. Modern Storage® uses this episode to explore those behaviors in a way that is entertaining and self-aware, while also pointing toward the practical role that self storage plays in helping people manage the physical reality of their lives regardless of when they were born. Whether you are a renter trying to figure out what size unit you actually need, a facility owner thinking about how to segment your marketing, or someone who just wants to feel seen about the fact that you cannot throw away a perfectly good zip-lock bag, this episode delivers. The generational framing is the hook, but the underlying conversation about accumulation, attachment, and the psychology of keeping things is what makes it worth watching.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the topics covered in this episode.
Do millennials or baby boomers use self storage more?
Both generations are significant self storage users, but for different reasons. Baby boomers often rent units during downsizing, estate management, or retirement transitions, while millennials tend to use storage during frequent moves, life changes like starting families, or simply to handle the accumulation of goods that outpaces their living space. As millennials age into peak life stages for storage demand, their share of the renter market is growing.
Why do people keep so much stuff even when they know they should declutter?
Attachment to objects is often emotional rather than logical — items carry memories, represent past investments, or feel too useful to discard even when they go unused for years. Generational factors also play a role, with some people conditioned to save things out of scarcity mindsets and others accumulating through habitual consumption. Self storage often serves as a middle ground, allowing people to remove clutter from their living space without making the permanent decision to get rid of something.
What size storage unit do I need if I am clearing out a parent's home?
Clearing out a baby boomer or older parent's home often involves furniture, appliances, dishware, and decades of accumulated belongings, which typically requires at least a 10x20 unit and sometimes larger depending on the volume of items. A 10x10 unit works for a moderate amount of furniture and boxes, while a 10x30 handles full household contents. Most facility operators can walk you through sizing based on the number of rooms you are clearing.
How can self storage facility owners market to millennial renters?
Millennials respond well to transparent pricing, online booking, and digital-first experiences — they are unlikely to call ahead and prefer to research, compare, and reserve a unit entirely online. Messaging that acknowledges life transitions like moving, growing families, or home renovation tends to resonate more than generic storage pitches. Reviews and social proof also carry significant weight with this demographic, so a strong presence on Google and visibility in short-form video content matters.
Is it worth renting a storage unit just for household overflow, or should I just declutter?
Renting a unit for overflow makes sense as a short-term solution during a move, renovation, or life transition, but it becomes costly if it turns into long-term storage for items you are unlikely to use. A practical test is to ask whether the monthly rental cost is worth having access to those specific items — if the answer is no for most of what is in the unit, decluttering is the better financial decision. Many people find that renting a unit temporarily gives them the breathing room to sort through belongings without pressure.
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