There are several advantages to the van over a storage unit for me:
1. I don't have to handle my daughter's stuff multiple times nor carry it as far with another vehicle. The van is outside her window, stuff goes in and stays until needed.
2. There is no driving across town to store and get her stuff. Once her room is finished and the stuff she wants right now is back in her room, the van goes in the backyard. She can then grab stuff as required without a drive and without additional cost.
3. My daughter is a pack rat. This van is part of the solution. Once she gets what she needs now and I put the van in the backyard, that's where it will stay for a while. She will have to go get stuff as needed. The vast majority will never be needed. By next fall, I plan to take the van down to my dad's old diesel shop building, where a bunch of other stuff is stored. I will just leave all her unused stuff there. And that's likely where it will stay, forever. It will not be in my house and it will not be in a storage unit costing me money.
4. Once finished with the van, I can most likely resale it and actually make a small profit.
