5 Storage Tips for College Students

The college years, for as fun as they can be, come with a lot of stress. Balancing social life and studying, keeping your parents off your back, and maybe most difficult of all, not letting your dorm room or college housing become too cluttered. Self-storage can do wonders for your living area, doubly so if you plan a little bit ahead of time. Check out these five tips for storing smart. 

If you get a unit, might as well use it. Chances are you’re going to be in a smaller living space than you’re used to, so it’s best to store anything and everything that isn’t involved in your daily routine. This may mean seasonal sports equipment, super fancy clothes, or that Dreamcast you never use.

Let’s say you have a family heirloom or collectible that’s near and dear to you. Is it really something you want to be readily available during a hangout at your place? It could get stolen, misplaced, spilt on, or (depending on the company you keep) thrown out of a window. Short of any tech equipment you use for school, it might be best to store more expensive things until you’re on your own.

Once you know the dimensions of your storage unit, you can formulate a loose plan for how and when your things will be moved into it. Measure out your larger pieces of furniture and plan to use any functional pieces to store smaller items. If you’re going to be in and out of your unit, make sure you plan to put the regular rotation items near the front so they don’t get boxed in.

Parents have a tendency to clean out their college kid’s room pretty quickly after they move out. They’ve been planning how to use your room since you were a high school freshman, so they’ll toss anything they come across as soon as they can. While you know that your volleyball trophies are irreplaceable, they might assume you’re over it. Move anything you really want to keep into storage to keep their hands off of it.

Teaming up with a classmate or a roommate means a larger unit that’s easier to afford on a college student budget. Talk with your trusted friends about joining forces and splitting a large unit for both of your things. Not only will this cut down on costs, but it will make move-in day a heck of a lot easier.