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Storing Your Dorm Items

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Posted on December 9, 2014

Back to School Storage


For many college students, living on campus is their first big chance to live as independent adults.  It’s an exciting time for young adults to break free of the restraints of living at home.  Some lucky students will have well off parents that will pay for an off campus apartment, but most students will have to settle for college dorms.
College dorms can be hard to find, and at that, the dorms available are generally quite tight and cramped, only allowing space for the bare minimum of items – bed, book shelf, and desk.  So what’s a student to do with all the things they’ve accumulated over their lifetime to date?
Well, most students will still have a room available back home at mom and dad’s house.  Kids will set out for college with a few suitcases and boxes, but leave behind most of their ‘stuff’ so it will still be available to them during breaks and summer vacation.
However, for some parents, when the kids leave the nest, it’s renovation time!  We’ve all seen the commercial where the kid goes off to college only to return home to find that his bedroom has been converted into more kitchen space for mom! So what’s the solution?


Self-Storage/Portable Storage
There are a couple of options available.  Both involve the use of self-storage.  Start by deciding where you think the best location for the storage unit will be – close to home or close to campus.  Then, decide on the type of unit you’ll need.  Of course, Big Box Storage is a portable storage service, so we bring the storage unit right to you.
 

Close to Campus
If you are planning to live on campus for all or most of the year, it’s best to choose a storage facility that is close to campus.  The size and type of unit will depend on how much of your belongings you’ll want to have close at hand during school.  Obviously you won’t want to be bringing things like childhood keepsakes, toys, clothing or collectibles.  Choose items that you will need throughout the year but simply won’t have enough space for throughout the school year.

If you’re storing belongings close to campus, you’ll want to consider price, contract, and storage unit type.  Many storage facilities will offer monthly rentals that don’t require a long-term contract.  This may be a good option for you if you’re in your first year of living off campus – after all, you may find that you don’t like living away from home right?  It’s best to have the option to remove your items from storage at any time without having to pay any extra fees, since you will most likely be on a tight budget.

Close to Home
If you are planning to live on campus only part time, you may want to choose a storage facility that is loser to your family home.  This way, your items will be safe and secure and available to you for when you come home on vacation or summer break.
If you choose a storage facility that’s closer to home, an additional option is for you to get a larger locker that your parents can also use to store items from your childhood that they can’t let go of, such as awards, photo albums, clothing etc.

With a storage facility that is closer to home, your parents will also be able to check in on your belongings from time to time, ensuring that they are stored safely. With the Big Box Storage service though, we bring the container right to you!
 

Contents to Consider
Regardless of where your storage facility will be, there are important factors to consider, that include the following:
•    Price
•    Security
•    Accessibility
•    Safety
 

Price
Price is important because as a student on a budget, you will need to include the cost of monthly storage in your college budget.  Some storage facilities will offer a discount for students.  Look for a facility that won’t require you to sign a long term contract, just in case you change your mind about living off campus and wish to cancel storage of your belongings.
 

Security
Security is a very important factor in choosing a facility.  If you are storing valuable childhood mementos such as sports or other awards, photo albums that cannot be replaced, electronics, or really anything that you consider valuable, ensure that you choose a storage facility that offers excellent security.  This includes things like fire and smoke detectors and alarms, video monitoring, and/or on-site security guards 24 hours per day.  Additionally, choose a facility that is well lit with a high perimeter fence or solid building and doors that will deter thieves from gaining access to the facility.
 

Accessibility
Accessibility is an important factor, because as a student, you may have odd hours of availability should you need to access your belongings.  Some students take day classes, others night classes.  And perhaps with a part time job on top of classes, it can be difficult to find extra time.  Therefore, it’s important that whatever storage facility you choose offers convenient access to your belongings.

Safety
Safety is very important in a storage facility.  As noted, you may need to access your belongings during off-peak times.  It’s imperative that any time you are on the premises of the storage facility, you are safe.  Again, choose a facility that has on-site security guards available for when you need to access your unit.  Always choose a facility and unit location that is well lit and visible.  

Summary
Self-store can be a very valuable and convenient way to bridge the gap between campus and home.  Most students living on campus will not have adequate space in their dorm room to store all of the items they’d like to bring with them to school, so a storage facility close by is a great option.  And for those items that the student will not need during school, a storage facility closer to home can take care of space issues for ‘empty nesters’!

Big Box Storage Makes It Easy!
If you’re moving in our out of your college or University dorm, Big Box Storage can make it easy. We bring one or more containers right to your campus! If you live off campus in a nearby apartment or condo, that’s ok, we’ll bring our storage containers right to your doorstep!

Big Box Storage offers the following student special: click here to learn more!

Also, if you're living in a dorm, odds are, your room is limited in square footage. If so, check out these great storage ideas