A Guide to Summer Storage for College Students

Coming home after the semester is one of the things that most - if not all - college students look forward to the most. It's the time of the year when you can turn off your alarm clock for a few weeks, chill, and just do as you please. But the summer break can also bring about challenges such as moving, packing, and of course finding the perfect storage facility.

Don't fret though. There are options you can consider such as renting a mini storage unit and thankfully, they are easy to find and affordable. With these pointers in mind, you can now get excited knowing you can pack up your dorm room efficiently!

The Why
Renting a mini storage unit is a smart choice for college students since you still do not have an entire household to pack. These affordable storage units are ideal and offer the perfect amount of storage space for your dorm room or apartment-size belongings. Another good reason is that you will be able to store your stuff near campus, making it practical and easy to move in and out whenever you wish. Since you can simply drop them off at a storage unit for safe-keeping during those hot summer months when you're away, you can thus remove the hassle from hauling all your belongings home every summer. This will not just make your move off campus a lot smoother, but will also prevent you from temporarily clunking up your parent's garage!

The Benefits
Students who live far from home or are studying abroad will greatly benefit from renting a self-storage unit. It is a smart thing to do while you are gone because this will help you save up hours of packing and shipping your stuff across the country. Besides, most colleges don’t allow students to leave their stuff in the dorm during breaks. It will also come in handy during school days to keep your valuables out of sight and out of high-traffic dorms if you’ll be away for a weekend.

Next Steps...

Once you decide to avail of a self-storage unit, you can now proceed to the next steps…

Declutter
Set aside the things you need for next year and start sorting out your bedroom, bathroom, and kitchen. Be ruthless with the items you no longer need nor use since there is no sense in moving or storing them. Streamline the packing, organizing, and unpacking process by paring down your belongings. If it's something you haven't used in a year which includes shoes, clothes, school supplies, and toiletries, then get rid of it.

Sell, Give, or Donate
Everything that didn’t make it into your “keep” pile you can set aside to sell, give out, or donate unless of course if it is no longer in decent condition. There are niche groups online that allow you to sell second-hand items or if you opt to donate, you can choose among those local organizations or shelters.

Organize and Don't Forget to Use Lists and Labels
It's crucial to organize your stuff before you start loading up your luggage. For starters, group your things into categories such as clothes, kitchen tools, etc. This will make it easy for you to see exactly what you need and what you don't during the summer break. Set aside only what you plan to use regularly when you’re at home like gadgets, toiletries, and warm clothes. You can then pack your necessities into one or two suitcases. Those items you don't need access to during the break like textbooks and winter coats can go into a series of labeled boxes. Number those boxes and make a general list of what is in each one and then make sure to keep a copy of the list in your phone for easy reference. It will also serve as a handy guide when you need to figure out what items you need to purchase for the new school year.

Ready, Set, Store!
Indeed, renting an affordable self-storage unit is a great option for students to safely house everything they don’t immediately need for the summer. Once you're set, you can now start organizing and packing your stuff for storage, otherwise, that rented space will just turn into a dumpsite of all the items you can’t bear to get rid of but don’t know what to do with yet.

Safe, secure, and affordable mini storage units benefit both students and parents in California. Looking for one in Stockton? We can help. Feel free to get in touch with our friendly storage managers at Arco’s Storage by calling 800-789-STOR for more information about our business storage solutions.