Benefits of Self-Storage for College Students
How to Choose the Right College Storage Solution as a Student
Life in your college years is usually a constant series of transitions. You might move into a dorm at the start, but soon enough, you’re switching apartments, heading home for summer break, studying abroad, or taking an internship in another city. Along the way, it’s easy to accumulate a lot of stuff: furniture, clothing, textbooks, electronics, sports equipment, knick-knacks, and other items that might not always fit in your current (and often small) living space.
That’s where college storage can help. Instead of transporting all your belongings back and forth every semester, you can use storage solutions to keep your belongings organized and accessible throughout the school year. In this guide, we’ll cover the benefits of self-storage for college students, help you choose the right storage option, and answer a few common questions about college student storage.
Benefits of Self-Storage for College Students
Why do students use self-storage? Most college students are constantly dealing with changing schedules, semester breaks, internships, and new housing arrangements, which means their storage needs can regularly change, too. Self-storage units for college students can help with managing the chaos and offer a convenient, organized one-stop shop for storage during all those transitions. That way, instead of moving everything home during every break or every move, students can keep most of their items close to campus and retrieve them easily when they need them again.
While more space is one of the biggest advantages of self-storage, it’s far from the only one. It can also simplify the hassle of moving, cut transportation expenses, and act as an easy, flexible solution if your housing plans change unexpectedly.
Here are some of the most common reasons why college kids could use extra storage.
Summer Break Storage
At the end of the academic year, most university dorms require students to move out completely, even if they plan to return in the fall. And if you attend school far from home, transporting all your furniture, clothing, and school supplies can be both expensive and time-consuming.
In cases like these, getting a storage unit over the break could be an obvious choice. Summer storage for college students lets students leave all their nonessential items conveniently close to campus until school is back in session, so they don’t have to drag them home for a few short months.
The cost savings of this approach can be pretty significant, too. You won’t have to pay to rent a truck or ship boxes across the country, and you won’t have to spend extra time sorting out the logistics of moving everything you own.
Even if you’re a student taking summer classes or working locally, summer storage might still be a great option if you’re staying off-campus for a few months until the fall semester starts.
Pro tip: If you’re preparing to leave campus, using a college move-out checklist can help you stay organized and avoid last-minute packing stress. Creating a checklist ahead of time can also help ensure that important items don’t get lost in the shuffle of finals, packing, and move-out deadlines.
Moving Between Places
Most college students change housing every year, or at least every other year. There’s a good chance that at some point, you’ll move from a dorm to an apartment, switch dorm rooms, or even relocate closer to campus.
Students who are moving from a dorm to an apartment often discover they need a place to store their belongings while coordinating move-in dates and transportation schedules. The timing of all this can be tricky. It’s common for an existing lease to end before the next one begins, and other delays happen all the time. You may find yourself waiting on paperwork, roommates, utility setup, or other holdups.
Regardless of the situation, a storage unit can serve as a temporary place to store your furniture, boxes, and other personal belongings during those awkward gaps. Having access to a unit can also give you more flexibility and help prevent your belongings from becoming a source of added stress.
Temporary Relocations
Not every college experience happens on or near campus. Plenty of students spend a semester (or longer) living somewhere new for academic, professional, or personal growth reasons.
Opportunities like study abroad programs, temporary internships, co-op programs, and even gap years can be exciting and provide incredible new experiences, but they also create a storage challenge. Bringing all of your belongings across the country or overseas is rarely practical, which means students taking time away from their college town often need a temporary solution while they’re traveling.
If you’re planning to be away from campus for a while, storing all your belongings in a unit can be a more convenient option than moving everything home or maintaining a fully furnished apartment while you’re away. Many college student storage services also offer month-to-month or flexible rental terms, which can be particularly valuable if you aren’t exactly sure when you’ll be back, or if your schedule changes at the last minute.
Limited Space
It’s well known that most dorms and college apartments are pretty tight on space and have less-than-convenient storage solutions. Plus, when multiple people share closets, cabinets, and common areas, finding room for everything can become even more of a challenge.
If you own more items than your current space can comfortably hold, a storage unit can be another great fix to prevent overcrowding and keep all your items organized. Instead of cramming every possession into a small dorm room, you can store any of your seasonal or rarely used items out of the way while keeping your main living space cleaner and more functional.
Items that students commonly store include things like:
- Seasonal clothing
- Small furniture
- Decorations
- Hobby supplies
- Musical instruments
Storing Rec Equipment
Beyond items like seasonal clothes and books, college students often own recreational equipment that can take up a considerable amount of room in a living space, especially if they don’t have access to a garage.
This might include things like:
- Bicycles
- Skis and snowboards
- Surfboards
- Camping gear
- Sports gear (e.g., golf clubs, bats, gloves, and helmets)
If you have a lot of outdoor gear, rather than leaving it exposed to the elements or squeezed into a crowded apartment, storage can help keep it out of the way and organized until it’s needed again for your next outing.
How to Choose the Right College Storage Solution as a Student
Before renting a unit, students should do their homework by comparing options to decide what unit makes the most sense for them. Make sure to consider factors such as convenience, size, features, location, and budget.
Consider Location and Accessibility
Chances are, you want easy access to your belongings. That’s why picking a good location is so important.
Look for a college storage facility that is convenient to:
- Your campus
- Your apartment or dorm
- Major highways
- Public transportation routes
Students attending school in large cities may have unique storage needs. For instance, a college student living in NYC may want to prioritize a location that’s conveniently located by public transit and close to campus housing. Either way, easy access is what you want, which is why checking the facility’s access hours is important, too. Getting to your storage unit easily will be especially helpful if you’re balancing classes, your work schedule, and moving.
Evaluate Facility Features
When comparing storage units, it’s also worth paying attention to the facility’s features that help manage access to the property.
These features can provide additional peace of mind while your belongings are in storage:
- Gated access
- 24-hour video recording cameras
- Individual unit locks
- On-site management
Save Money with Shared Storage
Worried about cost? Many students opt to rent a larger storage unit with roommates or friends to save money. Shared storage can be a practical option if you and others need temporary storage at the same time, perhaps during a break or between moves.
Sharing storage can help:
- Lower monthly costs
- Reduce transportation expenses
- Simplify group move-outs
- Maximize available unit space
Organizing a Shared Storage Unit
To avoid confusion, establish a simple system with whoever you’re sharing the unit with before moving items into the unit.
To keep your storage unit organized and prevent any mishaps or miscommunication:
- Label every box clearly (what’s inside and who it belongs to).
- Assign designated areas for each person.
- Use vertical shelving to maximize space.
- Keep a digital inventory list.
- Store frequently used items near the front.
College Storage FAQs
What Size Storage Unit Do I Need?
The right storage unit size will depend, of course, on how much you plan to store.
Students storing a few boxes, clothing, and small personal items may only need a storage locker, which is about the size of a standard small closet. Students storing bulky furniture, mattresses, desks, and appliances will need a larger storage unit to fit one or two bedrooms’ worth of stuff.
Before renting a storage unit:
- Make a list of everything you plan to store.
- Measure your larger items.
- Consider future storage needs.
- Reference our self-storage unit size guide.
Do I Need Climate-Controlled Storage?
You may need climate-controlled storage if you’re storing items that are sensitive to temperature.*
Common examples include:
- Electronics
- Musical instruments
- Photographs
- Wooden furniture
If you’re unsure, review our guide on things that need climate-controlled storage before choosing a unit.*
What Should I Do Before Storing My Belongings?
Before putting your items in storage, take the time to prepare them properly and consider when you’ll use them next. A little planning at the start can help keep everything organized and easier to find later.
We recommend you do the following:
- Clean and dry all your items before packing them.
- Back up important electronic data.
- Double-check that boxes don’t contain any food or perishables.
- Label each box clearly.
- Create an inventory list.
- Use sturdy packing materials.
- Disassemble any larger furniture (if possible).
- Place more frequently used items within easy reach at the front of the unit.
Make College Storage Simpler This Semester
As your living situation changes throughout your college years, your storage and space needs can change right along with it. Whether you’re looking for summer storage, preparing for a move, studying abroad, or simply trying to stay organized in a smaller living space, CubeSmart can help. We offer convenient college self-storage solutions for students with flexible rental options designed to fit your lifestyle. Find a CubeSmart storage facility near you.
*Storage unit sizes are approximate and subject to availability. Temperature and humidity levels within any storage space, including climate-controlled spaces, may vary.
