The Storage Glossary: 36 Terms in Plain Language

Self storage (التخزين الذاتي)

Self storage means renting storage space and managing it yourself: you choose the size, load your things, lock it with your own padlock and reach it when you need to. It differs from a warehouse in that you pay for the space only, not for labour and inventory management.

At WheeKeep: The space comes to you instead of you going to it, because WheeKeep’s self storage is portable.

Portable or mobile storage (التخزين المتنقل)

Portable storage, also called mobile storage, is a service in which a storage unit is delivered to your location, you load it where you are, and it is then moved as it is to a storage facility or left with you. Belongings are loaded once and not unloaded until they come back.

At WheeKeep: This is the portable storage WheeKeep offers: we deliver, you load and lock, and we collect the unit and store it sealed with your key.

Warehouse (المستودع)

A warehouse is a large building for storing goods in volume, usually rented on an annual lease and run with labour, forklifts and systems. It suits businesses that move goods daily.

At WheeKeep: Units are stored sealed at WheeKeep’s facilities in Jeddah (An Nahda) and Riyadh (Tuwaiq), and the company does not lease warehouse space.

Storeroom (المخزن)

A storeroom is a small room or space for keeping things, often inside the building itself, such as a guard’s room or a basement. It usually has no temperature control and no insurance on its contents.

At WheeKeep: Unlike a storeroom, a WheeKeep unit is insulated, sealed against dust and pests and stored at a facility under 24/7 CCTV with guards and fire detection, and your belongings are insured while they are with WheeKeep.

Storage container or pod (حاوية التخزين)

A storage container, also called a storage pod, is a closed, movable unit of fixed size used as a standalone store for household goods or stock. Its purpose differs from a shipping container’s: a storage container keeps belongings, while a shipping container moves cargo between ports.

At WheeKeep: The units at WheeKeep are steel and come in three sizes: Small 2.4 × 1.5 × 2.35 m, Medium 3.6 × 1.5 × 2.35 m and Large 3.6 × 2.4 × 2.5 m, each carrying up to 1,500 kg.

On-site storage (التخزين في الموقع)

On-site storage is a storage unit that stays at the customer’s location, such as the yard of a home, a project site or an event, instead of being moved to a storage facility. It gives the customer an extra store without building one.

At WheeKeep: On-site storage with WheeKeep uses the same units, and the key stays with you.

Climate-controlled or air-conditioned storage (التخزين المكيّف)

Climate-controlled storage, also called air-conditioned storage, keeps a unit within a fixed temperature range, sometimes with humidity control too, to protect sensitive items such as fine wood, leather, instruments, art, electronics and paper.

At WheeKeep: The air-conditioned unit at WheeKeep runs at 18–28 °C for 1,999 SAR a month before VAT, and the ordinary insulated unit stays under 29 °C in summer, which is enough for most things.

Cold storage (التخزين المبرّد)

Cold storage is low-temperature storage for goods that must stay cool. It covers chilled storage above zero and frozen storage below zero.

At WheeKeep: The refrigerated unit at WheeKeep holds 0–20 °C for 5,999 SAR a month and the freezer unit stays below zero for 6,999, before VAT, both on the Large unit’s footprint.

Insulated unit (الوحدة المعزولة)

An insulated unit is a storage unit whose walls and roof are lined with insulating material that slows heat coming in from outside, so its inside temperature stays steadier and rises less than an uninsulated unit’s in the sun. Unlike an air-conditioned unit, it has no cooling equipment and does not hold a set temperature range.

At WheeKeep: Every standard WheeKeep unit is insulated, stays under 29 °C in summer and is weatherproof.

Square metre and cubic metre (المتر المربع والمتر المكعب)

A square metre (m²) measures floor area and is length times width, while a cubic metre (m³) measures volume and is length times width times height. Storage space is usually quoted in square metres, but what a unit actually holds depends on its volume, so height matters too.

At WheeKeep: A WheeKeep unit has 3.6 m² of floor for Small, 5.4 m² for Medium and 8.6 m² for Large, with a height of 2.35 m for Small and Medium and 2.5 m for Large, so you can stack upward.

Afsh (عفش)

Afsh is the word commonly used in Saudi Arabia for a home’s furniture and belongings, from sofas and beds to appliances and boxes. So when people ask for afsh storage («تخزين عفش»), they mean storing the contents of a home, in full or in part.

At WheeKeep: For afsh and furniture storage, WheeKeep delivers a unit, you fill it with your home’s contents, and it is stored locked with your key.

Furniture storage (تخزين الأثاث)

Furniture storage is keeping furniture in a closed, protected space for a set period, such as during a move, a renovation or time away. Keeping the pieces safe depends on good packing, protection from heat, humidity and pests, and arranging them so they do not scratch or break.

At WheeKeep: Furniture storage prices at WheeKeep start at 599 SAR a month for a Small unit before VAT, and your furniture is loaded once and not unloaded until it comes back to you.

Household moving (نقل العفش)

Household moving is the transfer of a home’s furniture and belongings from one residence to another, and usually includes packing, dismantling, loading, transport and unloading. If the new home is not ready, the belongings need somewhere to be stored in between.

At WheeKeep: With WheeKeep moving, the unit you load is the unit that is stored, and it is not unloaded until it is back with you.

Furniture dismantling and reassembly (فك وتركيب الأثاث)

Furniture dismantling and reassembly means taking large pieces such as beds, wardrobes and tables apart before they are moved or stored, then putting them back together at their destination. Dismantling reduces the space the pieces take up and protects them from breaking in transit.

At WheeKeep: Dismantling is an optional paid extra at WheeKeep, and you can dismantle and load your furniture yourself at no charge.

Packing (التغليف)

Packing is protecting belongings before they are moved or stored by wrapping them and boxing them in suitable materials such as cartons, bubble wrap, stretch film and tape. Good packing prevents scratches, breakage and dust, and makes things easier to arrange inside a storage unit.

At WheeKeep: Packing and loading are optional paid extras at WheeKeep, and you can do both yourself at no charge, with packing supplies sold separately.

Bubble wrap (ورق الفقاعات)

Bubble wrap is a clear plastic sheet filled with small air bubbles, wrapped around fragile items such as glass, plates and screens to absorb knocks during moving and storage.

At WheeKeep: Bubble wrap is sold with WheeKeep’s packing supplies, and you can wrap anything breakable in it before it goes into the unit.

Stretch film (الاستريتش)

Stretch film is a thin plastic film that stretches and clings to itself, wrapped around furniture, boxes and pallets to hold drawers and doors shut and keep surfaces free of dust and scratches. It should not be wrapped directly onto leather or wood for long periods, because it can trap moisture.

At WheeKeep: Stretch film is sold with WheeKeep’s packing supplies, alongside cartons, bubble wrap and tape.

Moving boxes (كراتين النقل)

Moving boxes are cardboard cartons used to pack small and medium belongings so they are easy to carry and stack. Heavy items go in small boxes and light items in large ones, so the boxes do not split or collapse when stacked.

At WheeKeep: A Small WheeKeep unit holds about 60–80 boxes, a Medium 150–200 and a Large 300 or more, and the space calculator works out what you need.

Relative humidity (الرطوبة النسبية)

Relative humidity is the amount of water vapour in the air as a percentage of the maximum the air can hold at the same temperature. When it stays high for long, wood, leather, paper and fabric can swell, grow mould and deteriorate.

At WheeKeep: A WheeKeep unit is sealed and weatherproof, but moisture that goes in with your belongings stays with them, so load everything dry.

Mould (العفن)

Mould is a fungus that grows on surfaces in damp, poorly ventilated places, leaving stains and a musty smell and damaging wood, leather, fabric and paper. It usually starts from things stored wet or dirty.

At WheeKeep: Before you lock a WheeKeep unit, clean your things and let the fridge, the washing machine and any washed furniture dry fully, because mould starts from trapped moisture.

Pests (الآفات والحشرات)

Pests are insects and animals that attack stored belongings and damage them, such as termites that eat wood, moths that make holes in fabric and rodents that gnaw boxes and cables. They usually get in through gaps or with belongings stored without cleaning.

At WheeKeep: A WheeKeep unit is sealed against dust and pests, and cleaning your things before loading completes the protection.

Lock and key (القفل والمفتاح)

Lock and key, in self storage, means the renter locks the unit with their own padlock and keeps the key, so access stays in their hands. This differs from a warehouse run by staff that several people enter.

At WheeKeep: You lock the WheeKeep unit with the free padlock we give you, or your own, and keep the only key, and visits to it at the facility are by appointment.

Storage insurance (التأمين على الأغراض)

Storage insurance is cover that compensates the owner of stored belongings for damage or loss in the cases its terms define. The amount of cover depends on the value and type of the belongings.

At WheeKeep: Your belongings are insured while they are with WheeKeep, and for high-value items you can ask for extra insurance cover, priced by value.

Damage report (تقرير الضرر)

A damage report is a document that records damage to belongings with a description, photos and the date it was found, and is used to claim compensation from the party responsible or from an insurer.

At WheeKeep: If WheeKeep causes damage to your belongings, it compensates you on the basis of a damage report.

Delivery and collection (التوصيل والاستلام)

Delivery and collection, in portable storage, mean bringing the storage unit to the customer’s location, taking it to the storage facility once it is loaded, and bringing it back when needed.

At WheeKeep: The first delivery and the first collection are free at WheeKeep, and an extra round trip during your stay, delivering the unit and collecting it again, is 99 SAR before VAT.

Crane truck (الشاحنة بالرافعة)

A crane truck is a truck fitted with a hydraulic crane that lifts heavy loads, such as storage units, and sets them down where they are needed. In Saudi Arabia it is often called a «ونش» (winch).

At WheeKeep: The unit reaches your door on a WheeKeep crane truck, which lifts it and sets it down at your place.

Short-term and long-term storage (التخزين قصير المدى وطويل المدى)

Short-term storage keeps belongings for weeks or a few months, such as during a move or a renovation, while long-term storage keeps them for a year or more. Long-term storage calls for more careful packing and more protection from heat, humidity and pests.

At WheeKeep: The minimum term at WheeKeep is one month, and the discount grows with the term, up to 30% for 12 months.

Month-to-month rental (الإيجار الشهري)

Month-to-month rental means paying for storage space one month at a time, with no long commitment, and ending it when you no longer need the space under the provider’s notice terms. It suits people who do not know in advance how long they will need storage.

At WheeKeep: Rental at WheeKeep is month to month: 599 SAR for Small, 899 for Medium and 1,289 for Large before VAT in both Jeddah and Riyadh, with no deposit and no setup fee.

Term discount (خصم المدة)

A term discount is a reduction on the monthly price in return for choosing a longer storage term, and it usually grows with the length of the term.

At WheeKeep: The term discount at WheeKeep is 10% for 3 months, 20% for 6 months and 30% for 12 months, and payment stays monthly.

Value added tax (ضريبة القيمة المضافة)

Value added tax (VAT) is an indirect tax added to the price of most goods and services, charged at 15% in Saudi Arabia. A tax invoice shows it separately from the price before tax.

At WheeKeep: Listed prices at WheeKeep exclude the 15% VAT, which is charged on top.

Small warehouse for rent (المستودع الصغير للإيجار)

A small warehouse for rent is a limited storage space that a business rents to hold stock, equipment or archives, usually on an annual lease.

At WheeKeep: Instead of a small warehouse for rent on an annual lease, WheeKeep rents units by the month for stock, equipment and archives, so you can add a unit for the season and return it afterwards.

Pallet (الطبلية)

A pallet is a flat wooden or plastic platform on which goods are stacked so they can be lifted and moved in one go by forklift or pallet jack. In Saudi Arabia it is called «طبلية», plural «طبالي» or «طبليات».

At WheeKeep: Pallets count toward the weight limit along with the goods on them, and every WheeKeep unit carries up to 1,500 kg.

Overflow stock (فائض المخزون)

Overflow stock is inventory beyond what a shop or warehouse can hold, or beyond near-term sales, that needs a temporary place until it is sold or used.

At WheeKeep: Overflow stock can go into WheeKeep units delivered to your site or stored at the company’s facilities, at a monthly price per unit, and inventory management is an extra by agreement.

Seasonal stock (المخزون الموسمي)

Seasonal stock is goods whose demand peaks in particular seasons, such as Ramadan, the Eid holidays and back to school, so it is built up before the season, needs extra space for a while and shrinks afterwards.

At WheeKeep: With WheeKeep business storage, you add units for the season and get a tax invoice for each period.

Archive (الأرشيف)

An archive is the files, documents and records an organisation keeps for a long time, for reference or because regulations require it. A paper archive needs a place away from humidity, heat and pests.

At WheeKeep: You can keep your company’s archive at WheeKeep in a unit locked with a padlock only you hold the key to, and for heat-sensitive paper there is the air-conditioned unit at 18–28 °C.

Prohibited items (المواد الممنوعة من التخزين)

Prohibited items are goods a storage provider will not accept because they put the units or people at risk or break the law.

At WheeKeep: Flammable, hazardous, perishable and illegal goods cannot be stored with WheeKeep, and if you have anything unusual, ask before booking.