diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 4edd216..7f550ce 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ app.use('/messages', service({ storage, id, startId, name, store, paginate }));
 __Options:__
 
 - `storage` (**required**) - The local storage engine. You can pass in the browsers `window.localStorage`, React Native's `AsyncStorage` or a NodeJS localstorage module.
-- `throttle` (*optional*, default `200`) - The minimum time (ms) before in-memory data is written to `storage`. Data is only written if changed since last write.
+- `throttle` (*optional*, default `200`) - The minimum time (ms) before in-memory data is written to `storage`.
 - `id` (*optional*, default: `'id'`) - The name of the id field property.
 - `startId` (*optional*, default: `0`) - An id number to start with that will be incremented for new record.
 - `name` (*optional*, default: `'feathers'`) - The key to store data under in local or async storage.
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ __Options:__
 - `whitelist` (*optional*) - A list of additional query parameters to allow.
 - `multi` (*optional*) - Allow `create` with arrays and `update` and `remove` with `id` `null` to change multiple items. Can be `true` for all methods or an array of allowed methods (e.g. `[ 'remove', 'create' ]`).
 - `reuseKeys` (*optional*, default: `false`) Allow duplicate keys i.e. last definition wins. Mostly useful for demonstration and testing purposes.
+- `strictStorage` (*optional*, default false) - When false, all storage data is held in memory after initialization. When true, the storage data is get/set on each method.
 
 ## Example
 
diff --git a/lib/index.js b/lib/index.js
index 85da79c..5c02f75 100644
--- a/lib/index.js
+++ b/lib/index.js
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ class LocalStorage extends Service {
     this._storageKey = options.name || 'feathers';
     this._storage = options.storage || (typeof window !== 'undefined' && window.localStorage);
     this._throttle = options.throttle || 200;
+    this._strictStorage = options.strictStorage || false;
     this._reuseKeys = options.reuseKeys || false;
     this.store = null;
 
@@ -49,6 +50,9 @@ class LocalStorage extends Service {
       this._timeout = setTimeout(() => {
         this._storage.setItem(this._storageKey, JSON.stringify(this.store));
         delete this._timeout;
+        if (this._strictStorage) {
+          this.store = null;
+        }
       }, this._throttle);
     }
 
@@ -61,11 +65,13 @@ class LocalStorage extends Service {
   }
 
   find (...args) {
-    return this.execute('find', ...args);
+    return this.execute('find', ...args)
+      .then(data => this._strictStorage ? this.flush(data) : data);
   }
 
   get (...args) {
-    return this.execute('get', ...args);
+    return this.execute('get', ...args)
+      .then(data => this._strictStorage ? this.flush(data) : data);
   }
 
   create (...args) {
diff --git a/test/index.test.js b/test/index.test.js
index 0fdf2a1..06dec19 100644
--- a/test/index.test.js
+++ b/test/index.test.js
@@ -205,6 +205,33 @@ describe('Feathers Localstorage Service', () => {
     done();
   });
 
+  it('clears memory when using strictStorage', () => {
+    const name = 'test-storage-8';
+
+    storage.setItem(name, '{ "0": { "id": 0, "text": "test 0" } }');
+
+    const app = feathers()
+      .use('/messages', service({ name, storage, strictStorage: true }));
+
+    return app.service('messages').find()
+      .then(() => {
+        return new Promise((resolve) => {
+          setTimeout(() => {
+            assert.notStrictEqual(app.service('messages').store, null);
+            resolve();
+          }, 100);
+        });
+      })
+      .then(() => {
+        return new Promise((resolve) => {
+          setTimeout(() => {
+            assert.strictEqual(app.service('messages').store, null);
+            resolve();
+          }, 150);
+        });
+      });
+  });
+
   testSuite(app, errors, 'people');
   testSuite(app, errors, 'people-customid', 'customid');
 });
diff --git a/types/index.d.ts b/types/index.d.ts
index 34866fc..e092096 100644
--- a/types/index.d.ts
+++ b/types/index.d.ts
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import { Service as MemoryService, MemoryServiceOptions, MemoryServiceStore } fr
 export interface LocalStorageServiceOptions extends MemoryServiceOptions {
   name: string;
   throttle: number;
+  strictStorage: boolean;
 }
 
 export class Service<T = any> extends MemoryService<T> {