Courtesy of Storage 101, here are some tips on moving into self storage for College Students and their families:
If you’re a college student, you’ve probably either just moved away from home for the first time or else you’ve moved around quite a bit during your, ahem, matriculation. Which means that you’re actually one step ahead of most people who are in the process of packing things up and moving.
But keeping things in self-storage is a little bit different than just packing everything into the back of your Jetta. It’s better to use boxes instead of duffel bags or garbage bags (like Angelina on the first season of Jersey Shore, can you believe her?) because bags will make stacking and packing your unit more difficult.
As far as rules, double check with the facility if you have anything that might be considered hazardous or dangerous. In general, don’t store things like food, scented candles, fireworks, firearms, or leftover whip-its.
Speaking of packing a unit, it isn’t too tough but you’ll want to maximize the use of your space because you’re paying for every square inch. This means you’ll want to stack your boxes as high as you can (while still be able to access them safely). Put heavier boxes on the bottom and try to fill them up so that they don’t collapse under the weight of the boxes you stack on top. You can also fill empty nooks and crannies (like shelves on an empty bookcase or drawers that used to be full of clothes) with smaller boxes or items that you didn’t box up. This way you’ll be able to get as much stuff as possible into your unit. You’ll also want to keep some general packing & storage tips in mind like allowing air circulation (not sealing your things in airtight plastic) so as not to promote condensation and mold. If you’re storing a mini-fridge make sure it’s clean & empty and leave the door slightly ajar so as to keep it dry.
Since you’re in college you might not have 24 hour access to a car which can make moving a bit more challenging. However, many self storage facilities offer trucks – either for a fee or for rental. In some cases, facilities will even offer a driver with their truck which means you won’t have to worry about maneuvering a large vehicle through campus or city streets. (This particular StoreRight location does not have trucks or rental trucks, but our location across from Hobby Lobby is offering U-Haul truck rentals).
You’re going to need a 5×5 or a 5×10, plain and simple. Unless you’ve somehow managed to pack and entire house full of big things like bookcases, bedframes and sleeper sofas, you won’t need anything bigger than either of these. 5 by 5 is the perfect size if you’re moving out a dorm room. Maybe you’ve go a floor lamp and a microwave, but the bed and desk belong to the school. You don’t want to take home your heavy winter coat and Uggs for the summer, so you can pack those things up too. But ultimately you don’t have a lot of stuff.
A 5×10 is a great size if you had your own room and you’ve got a bed to store for the summer or any other kind of small piece of furniture.
If you’ve never rented self storage before, prices and specials can seem kind of confusing. Luckily, most self storage facilities and especially the ones located near major campuses offer college student specials just for summer storage. This usually means for one low price, you can pay for the 2 or 3 months that you need storage and not have to worry about recurring payments or falling behind while you’re out of town.
