Storage

Secure Storage in Barbican by Man With a Van Barbican

At Man With a Van Barbican, we provide safe, flexible storage solutions for homes and businesses across Barbican and the surrounding Central London areas. Whether you need short-term storage between moves or a longer-term option while you travel or renovate, our professional, local team can collect, store and return your belongings with care.

Barbican Storage Services You Can Trust

Our storage service is designed to be straightforward and stress-free. We collect your items from your property, carefully wrap and load them, transport them to a secure storage facility, and return them when you are ready. Everything is handled by a trained, experienced team, and your goods are protected by goods in transit insurance and public liability cover.

Based in and around Barbican, we understand the challenges of narrow streets, loading restrictions and busy city living. We plan each collection and return carefully so you lose as little time as possible on moving day.

Who Our Storage Service Is For

Homeowners

If you are selling, renovating, decluttering for viewings or downsizing, our storage service gives you a secure place to keep furniture, boxes and seasonal items. We can coordinate storage with your home move so you only move items you actually need into your new property.

Renters

Between tenancies, on a short contract, or moving into a furnished place? Storage is often cheaper and less stressful than repeatedly moving belongings from flat to flat. We collect from your Barbican or nearby rental and return to your next address when the time comes.

Landlords

For landlords, we store furniture and appliances between lets, during refurbishments, or when changing from furnished to unfurnished. We can collect directly from your property, work around contractors and keys, and return when the work is complete.

Businesses

Local businesses use our storage for documents, stock, event equipment and spare office furniture. We can schedule regular collections and deliveries, or one-off clearances and returns, helping you keep expensive Barbican floor space clear while staying organised.

Students

Students at nearby universities and colleges often need storage over the summer or during a year abroad. We offer compact, cost-effective storage for boxes, bikes, suitcases and small furniture, with collection and return timed around term dates.

What We Can Store

We handle most typical household and office contents, including:

• Sofas, beds, wardrobes and other furniture (flat-packed or assembled)
• Boxes of clothes, books, kitchenware and personal items
• Office desks, chairs, filing cabinets and IT equipment
• Artwork, mirrors and fragile items (properly wrapped)
• Bicycles, sports equipment and hobby items
• Archive boxes, marketing stands and event kit

What We Cannot Store

For safety and legal reasons, we cannot store:

• Perishable food or anything that may attract pests
• Flammable, explosive or hazardous materials (e.g. gas cylinders, paint thinners, fuel)
• Illegal items of any kind
• Live plants or animals
• Cash, jewellery or other high-value portable items best kept in a safe or bank
• Unboxed liquids that could leak and cause damage

If you are unsure about a particular item, ask us in advance and we will advise.

How Our Storage Process Works

1. Enquiry & Quote

Contact us with a rough list of what you need to store, your collection address in or around Barbican, and how long you expect to store for. We will provide a clear, no-obligation quote explaining collection costs and weekly or monthly storage charges. Where possible, we will offer options so you can choose what suits your budget and timescale.

2. Survey (Virtual or Onsite)

For larger jobs or where access is tight, we may suggest a short video call or onsite visit. This allows us to check parking, lifts, stairwells and item sizes. By understanding the job properly in advance, we can allocate the right van size, team members and materials, avoiding delays and surprises on the day.

3. Packing & Preparation

You can pack your own boxes, or we can provide a professional packing service. Our team can bring boxes, wrapping paper, bubble wrap and tape, and will protect furniture with covers and blankets. Fragile items are wrapped and labelled clearly. We create an inventory or label system so you know what is in storage and can request specific items back later if needed.

4. Loading & Transport

On collection day we arrive on time, protect floors and walls where required, and load your items carefully into our clean vans. Everything is secured for transport to our storage facility. Our fully insured vehicles and trained team ensure your belongings are handled correctly from door to door.

5. Storage, Unloading & Return

At the storage facility, items are unloaded safely and stored in a dry, secure space. When you are ready to have your items back, simply contact us to arrange a delivery date. We will load your belongings from storage and deliver them to your new address, placing furniture and boxes in the rooms you specify.

Transparent Storage Pricing

We know how important it is to understand costs upfront. Our pricing typically includes:

• A collection charge based on the time, team size and distance involved
• A weekly or monthly storage fee based on the volume of goods
• Optional packing materials and packing service, if required

There are no hidden extras; any parking, congestion or access-related costs will be discussed in advance. We will always try to suggest the most efficient way to pack and store your items, so you only pay for the space you truly need.

Why Use Professional Storage Instead of DIY?

Using a professional removals and storage service is usually safer and more efficient than trying to manage it all yourself. We handle the heavy lifting, protect your belongings properly, and know how to load and stack items to avoid damage. With goods in transit insurance and public liability cover, you have protection that casual man-and-van options often lack.

By letting us manage collection and return, you avoid repeated trips to self-storage, van hire costs, and the risk of injury from moving large, awkward items without the right equipment or training.

Insurance and Professional Standards

As an established local removals company, we operate to clear standards:

• Goods in transit insurance to cover your belongings while they are being moved
• Public liability cover for work in and around your property
• Trained moving teams experienced with fragile, bulky and high-value items
• Clean, well-maintained vehicles and equipment

We treat every item as if it were our own, and we are always happy to talk through how best to protect particularly delicate or sentimental pieces.

Care, Protection and Sustainability

Our focus is on careful handling and sensible use of materials. We use durable protective blankets and reusable furniture covers as standard. Where we use boxes and wrapping, we aim to source recyclable materials and encourage customers to reuse or recycle them after use. Efficient planning means fewer journeys and less wasted space, which in turn reduces fuel use and emissions.

Real-World Storage Use Cases in Barbican

Between Moves

When completion dates do not line up, we store the contents of your home for a few days or weeks, keeping everything safe until you get the keys to your new place.

Office Refits and Relocations

Businesses use our storage to hold furniture, IT equipment and files while their office is refurbished or relocated. We can phase collections and deliveries to match your project schedule, reducing disruption.

Urgent and Short-Notice Storage

Sometimes you need storage quickly: an unexpected move, last-minute tenancy change or emergency works. Subject to availability, we can often arrange same-day or next-day collection across Barbican and nearby areas, getting your items into secure storage without delay.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does storage with collection cost?

Costs depend on how much you are storing, access at your property and how long you need storage. We charge a collection fee based on time, team size and distance, plus a weekly or monthly storage rate calculated on the volume of your goods. As a guide, a few items and boxes will be far cheaper than a full flat or house. We will always provide a clear, written quote in advance, with any potential extras (such as parking or extra packing) explained before you book.

Can you offer same-day or urgent storage in Barbican?

Yes, we can often arrange same-day or short-notice storage collections in Barbican, depending on our schedule and the size of the job. If you are facing an urgent situation, call us as early as you can with details of your items and timings. We will check van and crew availability and offer the quickest suitable slot. In some cases, we may propose a part-load collection or an evening slot to make sure your belongings are safely removed and stored that day or the next.

Are my belongings insured while in storage?

Your items are covered by our goods in transit insurance while being moved between your property and the storage facility. The storage facility itself also has its own insurance arrangements. We recommend you tell us about any particularly high-value items so we can confirm appropriate cover. For complete peace of mind, some customers also choose to notify their own home or business insurer that items are in professional storage. We are happy to provide documentation if your insurer needs confirmation of our cover.

What is included in your storage service?

Our standard service includes collection from your address, careful loading, transport to storage, and unloading into a secure unit or area. We provide blankets and basic protection for furniture as standard. On return, we load from storage, deliver to your new address and place items in the rooms you specify. Optional extras include packing materials, a professional packing service and dismantling or reassembly of furniture. All inclusions will be clearly set out in your quote so you know exactly what you are getting.

How is this different from a basic man-and-van?

A casual man-and-van usually offers transport only, with limited or no insurance, planning or support. Our service combines professional removals with organised storage. You benefit from trained staff, goods in transit insurance, public liability cover, proper packing and protection, and a clear process from enquiry to final delivery. We also coordinate directly with the storage facility, so you do not have to manage access or paperwork yourself. This reduces risk, saves time and offers a more reliable, accountable service.

How far in advance should I book storage?

For the best choice of dates and times, we recommend booking at least one to two weeks in advance, especially during busy periods such as month-end and summer. However, we understand that storage needs are not always predictable, so we keep some flexibility for short-notice jobs. Even if you are unsure of your exact move or return date, it is worth contacting us early so we can outline options, reserve a provisional slot if needed, and help you plan around key dates such as tenancy start or completion.