Starting college comes with plenty of exciting changes: new classes, new friends, and maybe your first real taste of living on your own. Whether you’re fresh out of high school or starting your senior year, one thing is certain. Self storage for college students becomes essential fast, because you’ll have more stuff than you have space.
Dorm rooms and student apartments fill up fast. Then, when summer break, winter break, a semester abroad, or a housing change comes around, you have the problem of packing and moving all of your things back home. This can be painful, but leasing a self storage unit can ease the pain.
Instead of loading your car to the roof, shipping boxes across the country, or asking your parents to make another long drive to campus, you can keep your belongings in a convenient self storage unit. My Storage Plus locations offer a variety of unit types and sizes that are the perfect fit for college students. Give us a call or stop by during office hours, and we can walk you through your options.
If you’re still not convinced, here are the top five reasons that self storage is a smart choice for college students and their families.
1. Give Yourself More Living Space
College housing isn’t known for having tons of extra space. Many dorm rooms are smaller than your bedroom at home, and if you’re sharing, space gets tight fast.
Whether you’re living in a dorm, sharing an apartment with roommates, or moving into a small off-campus place, you probably won’t have room for everything you own. Seasonal clothes, sports equipment, extra furniture, decorations, luggage, and other items can quickly make your room feel crowded.
Don’t worry — you don’t have to dispose of your favorite royal blue bean bag chair. A storage unit gives you a place to put the things you don’t need right now. You can save the chair until you move into a bigger place.
That means more room to study, relax, and actually enjoy your space instead of stepping around boxes every time you walk across the room.
For parents, it can also mean fewer college belongings slowly taking over the garage, basement, or spare bedroom at home.
2. Make School Breaks and Moving Easier
Whether your college is a few hours, or a few states, away from home, moving everything back and forth can become a major project.
At the end of the semester, you’re already dealing with final exams, travel plans, and move-out deadlines. The last thing you want to worry about is fitting a mini fridge, furniture, and clothes into a vehicle.
Keeping your belongings in a self storage unit near campus gives you the freedom to store what you’ll need again next semester and take home only the essentials. When it’s time to return to school, your belongings are waiting for you.
Self storage can be especially useful if you’re:
- Going home for summer or winter break
- Moving between dorms or apartments
- Studying abroad for a semester
- Taking an internship in another city
- Instead of moving everything hundreds of miles twice a year, you can leave most of your belongings in a secure self storage unit near campus.
3. Help Protect Your Belongings
Moving your stuff regularly creates more opportunities for loss or damage.
Storing college belongings wherever there happens to be extra room isn’t always ideal either. A damp basement, hot attic, or outdoor shed can expose certain items to temperature changes, humidity, dirt, or pests.
A climate-controlled self storage unit — available at select My Storage Plus locations — gives you a safe, dedicated place for your belongings.
If you’re storing items such as electronics, wooden furniture, books, photographs, or important papers, ask the manager at your nearest location whether climate-controlled units are available.
Climate-controlled self storage can provide additional protection from extreme heat, cold, and changing humidity levels for your temperature-sensitive items. It may be a bit more expensive, but in the long run it can save you the cost of replacing damaged items.
4. Keep Everything Organized and Secure
College moves can get chaotic fast.
One box ends up at your parent’s house. Another goes to a friend’s apartment. Your desk chair is in someone’s garage, and no one remembers where the box with your kitchen supplies went.
A storage unit gives you a dedicated space.
You can label your boxes and containers, organize items by category, and know exactly where your belongings are when you come back for the next semester.
Strong security features are not optional. Most modern self storage facilities offer gated access, electronic entry systems, perimeter fencing, professional lighting, and video surveillance. Security varies by location, so it’s a good idea to ask the facility manager what security measures are available before renting.
While you’re discussing options with the manager, ask about tenant protection or insurance options. A tenant protection plan gives you an added level of protection and mitigates the risk of major losses.
It’s a good idea to create an inventory of your stored items. Keep that list somewhere safe, away from the unit. A few minutes of organization now can save you a lot of searching later.
Take Some Stress Out of College Life
College gives you plenty to think about. You have classes, exams, projects, work schedules, internships, activities, friendships, and, of course, a crazy social life. There’s enough to keep you busy without having to figure out where to put your belongings. This is where self storage can be a major advantage.
Instead of spending finals week planning a complicated move home, you can pack up your room, store the things you won’t need until next semester, and focus on finishing the school year.
Your parents will love the convenience as well. Fewer long-distance moving trips can mean less driving, less loading and unloading, and less space needed at home.
Is Self Storage for College Students Worth It?
It can be, especially if you attend school far from home or move frequently during your college years.
A storage unit makes sense if you need:
More space in your dorm or apartment
- Temporary storage between leases
- A place for furniture during summer break
- Storage while studying abroad
- Space for sports equipment or seasonal items
- An easier alternative to transporting everything home
Before renting, think about what you’re actually storing. You might not need a large unit, so choosing the right size can help you avoid paying for unnecessary space.
Make Your Next College Move a Little Easier
College life comes with enough transitions. Moving your belongings doesn’t need to be one of the hardest parts.
With a self storage unit near campus, you can keep your living space less cluttered, protect the belongings you want to keep nearby, and avoid hauling everything back and forth from home to school.
Whether you’re preparing for summer break, moving into a new apartment, heading abroad, or simply running out of space, self storage gives you a safe, reliable, and convenient place to keep your things until you need them.
Find a My Storage Plus location near your campus and give us a call. We’ll help you choose the right unit size before move-out week sneaks up on you.
