Storage units hold more than just furniture…

When most people think of storage units, they picture boxes of clothes, furniture, or seasonal decorations. But the reality? People use storage for all sorts of reasons—and some of the things they tuck away might surprise you.

We’ve gathered a list of some of the most unusual storage ideas and items that have found a temporary home behind a shutter. Some are clever, some are strange, and a few are downright hilarious.

1. A Life-Sized Model of a Dinosaur

Yes, really. Someone once stored a full-size fibreglass dinosaur they’d used as a film prop. Too big for the house, too sentimental to toss—it ended up wrapped and boxed like any old piece of furniture.

2. An Inflatable Pub

Popular at Irish weddings and stag parties, inflatable pubs are large, expensive, and too bulky to keep at home. Some creative party planners store theirs between events—because nothing says “I’m ready for the weekend” like a deflated bar.

3. A Collection of Mannequins

Window dressers, art students, and vintage collectors often use storage for things the average person wouldn’t expect. Mannequins are useful—but also eerie when stored in groups. Walk into a unit like that at night, and you might not walk back out.

4. A Personal Archive of Love Letters

Not every item is strange for its shape—some are unusual because of their meaning. One customer stored thousands of handwritten letters from a long-distance relationship that spanned decades. A private treasure, safely kept away.

5. A Homemade Robot

Engineers and hobbyists need space too. Several DIY inventors have stashed parts, schematics, and full experimental builds in storage while they work on upgrades. Some robots even come with names—and their own shelving.

6. An Entire Halloween Maze

Some people take spooky season seriously. One storage unit became home to fog machines, skeletons, black curtains, motion sensors, and an animatronic witch—all part of a reusable home-built Halloween maze.

7. A Canoe (and the Gear to Go With It)

Dublin may not seem like canoeing central, but plenty of outdoor enthusiasts store their kayaks, paddles, and waterproofs during the winter. Canoes don’t fold up neatly—and city living means garages are rare. Problem solved with a unit.

8. Vintage Arcade Machines

Some collectors go big—literally. Storage units have played host to old-school arcade cabinets like Pac-Man, Street Fighter, and pinball machines. Heavy, loud, and glorious, they don’t exactly belong in a hallway.

9. A Set of Wedding Dresses

Not just one—but multiple. A dressmaker stored dozens of vintage and handmade wedding gowns between fittings and fairs. Properly hung, boxed, and protected, the unit looked more like a boutique showroom than a dusty shed.

10. A Replica Medieval Sword Collection

We’re ending strong. One collector used storage to house swords, shields, and bits of costume armour from years of reenactments. Neatly labelled, polished, and not remotely dangerous… unless you’re a cardboard dragon.

Final Thoughts

Storage may sound dull on the surface, but open enough doors and you’ll find more than just dusty chairs. From sentimental collections to life-sized surprises, people use storage to keep their stories safe. Whether practical, peculiar, or just plain fun, these weird things people store remind us that behind every locked door, there’s a human tale.