Moving things into and out of storage is already enough work without adding hallways, elevators, shared loading docks, and long walks with a dolly. Drive up storage exists for one straightforward reason: to eliminate the distance between your vehicle and your unit. b.Mac's Self Storage offers drive up access units in Des Moines across a range of sizes, from compact units for a few boxes to large vehicle bays built for trucks and trailers, all on a single ground level so there is no workaround needed to get a load in or out.
At a Glance
Every drive up unit at b.Mac's is ground level with a roll up door, so a vehicle pulls directly to the entrance and loads or unloads without any interior corridors or elevators involved.
Select drive up units are also climate controlled, so choosing drive up access does not automatically mean giving up temperature and humidity protection for items that need it.
What Actually Happens When You Pull Up to a Drive Up Unit
In a drive up storage facility, the unit door faces an exterior drive aisle rather than an interior hallway. A customer pulls their vehicle up to the door, opens the roll up, and loads or unloads directly between the vehicle and the unit. There are no shared lobbies to pass through, no freight elevators to wait for, and no interior hallways to navigate while carrying furniture, boxes, or equipment. At b.Mac's, the drive aisles are wide enough for large trucks and trailers to maneuver without tight turns, which matters most when a customer is working with a moving truck, a trailer load of furniture, or a vehicle being stored rather than just visited occasionally. The facility at 5652 NW 2nd Street is built on one level end to end, which means multiple customers can load and unload at the same time without getting in each other's way.
Who Actually Benefits Most From Skipping the Hallway
Drive up units are the practical default for anyone moving heavy, bulky, or frequently accessed items, and the difference from interior access storage becomes obvious on the first load in.
Households in the Middle of a Move
Furniture, appliances, mattresses, and large boxed items can go directly from a moving truck into the unit without any intermediate steps, and the same holds true in reverse at move out. When time and physical effort matter, the distance that drive up access removes is a real, felt difference rather than a marketing point.
Businesses That Need to Get In and Out Fast
Contractors pulling tools in the morning, retailers rotating seasonal inventory, and small businesses storing materials between jobs all benefit from a unit they can pull a truck up to without a building check in or an elevator wait. b.Mac's commercial storage options serve exactly this need with the same month to month flexibility available to individual customers.
Anyone Storing Something Heavy or Awkward to Carry
Hobbyists, collectors, and outdoor enthusiasts with bulky equipment, boats, ATVs, seasonal gear, and sports equipment find drive up access close to essential. Items that are heavy or awkward to maneuver do not get any easier to handle after a long interior hallway, so removing that hallway is the whole benefit.
Does Drive Up Mean Giving Up Climate Control
A common assumption about drive up storage is that choosing it means giving up climate control entirely. At b.Mac's, that is not the case. Select drive up units are also climate controlled, maintaining regulated temperature and humidity year round while still offering the convenience of pulling directly to the door. Anyone storing furniture, business inventory, or other items that need both protection and easy access has that option without trading one for the other. Standard drive up units without climate control remain well suited for items that do not need temperature regulation: tools, equipment, vehicles, seasonal gear, and anything that can tolerate Iowa's normal temperature swings without damage.
What Ground Level Access Means for Accessibility
b.Mac's drive up units include ADA accessible options for customers who need ground level, obstacle free storage between their vehicle and their unit. The ground level, drive up design of the facility naturally accommodates accessibility needs in a way that a multi story, interior access facility cannot replicate, since there are no stairs, elevators, or long interior paths to navigate in the first place.
Matching Unit Size to What You Are Actually Moving
Drive up units at b.Mac's range from compact sizes for household overflow up to large bays built for vehicles and oversized loads. Mid range sizes work well for household moves and business inventory, and the larger end of the range fits vehicles that need enclosed indoor storage with the convenience of drive up access still intact. Anyone unsure which size fits their specific load is better off confirming with the team before moving day rather than guessing from a general size chart, since a couch that measures fine on paper can still be an awkward fit once a hallway or a tight turn is involved. This is one advantage drive up units have here too, since there is no hallway or turn to worry about in the first place.
Reserve a Drive Up Storage Unit in Des Moines
Anyone who has hauled furniture through a shared hallway once does not want to do it again. b.Mac's Self Storage built its entire Des Moines facility around avoiding that problem from the start, with drive up access as the default rather than an upgrade. Reservations can be made online or at the on site kiosk at any time, with no deposit and no long term contract required. Anyone comparing this option against interior storage for household goods specifically can also read our piece on what you can store in drive up units for a closer look at what fits best.
Ready to skip the hallway? Reserve a drive up unit at b.Mac's Self Storage in Des Moines online, sized for exactly what you are moving in.