University can be one of the best times of your life, but it can also be pretty stressful, and having to move every year can be a pain.
Did you know there’s an easy way to keep your belongings safe between moves? If you’re a student in the UK, you can store your belongings in a storage unit.
Read on to find out which items you can put in storage, what to consider before hiring storage for students, and how to hire a storage unit.
Do you need to put your items into storage?
Whether or not you need to put your items into storage depends on your circumstances. Here are a few instances where student storage can come in handy:
- You have a gap (e.g. over the summer) between residences.
- You aren’t able to store your items with your family.
- You’re studying a long way from home or are an international student.
- You have a lot of stuff, and you need storage while you figure out what to do with it.
What should you put into storage
Storing things in a secure storage unit – instead of having to haul them from one place to the next constantly – can make your university experience a lot easier.
What you’ll need to store over the summer (or during term time) will depend on what you’ve decided to bring with you and if your accommodation is furnished or unfurnished.
Here’s what you might want to store:
1. Books
Books can – literally – pile up when you’re at uni. You could store your books in storage facilities in-between moves, or even during term time if you don’t have space for them all.
2. Desk & chair
Your uni accommodation might come with a desk. If not, it’s a good idea to get one so you can study comfortably in your apartment and store it during the summer break.
3. Kitchen appliances
Student kitchen essentials range from kettles and cutlery to pans and mini-fridges. You won’t want to replace these things from year to year, so consider keeping them in storage.
4. Wardrobe
5. Bike
Cycling can be a fantastic, eco-friendly way to get around campus and the city. Instead of locking it outside during summer, keep it safe in a student storage unit.
6. Printer
Printers are essential, but they take up a lot of space. Your printer might be another item to add to your storage list when you run out of space or need to move.
7. Clothes
Like books, clothes can also pile up over your three years (or more) of life at uni. You can also store these in dedicated storage for students after donating the items you don’t want.
8. Linen & duvets
Bedsheets, duvets and pillows are items you’ll want to keep hold of because they can be expensive to buy. Store these in July and pick them up again in September.
9. Electricals
Bedsheets, duvets and pillows are items you’ll want to keep hold of because they can be expensive to buy. Store these in July and pick them up again in September.
10. Miscellaneous items
Most students end up accumulating random bits and bobs over the course of the year, things they might want to store instead of throwing away – for sentimental reasons!
Things to consider before putting items into storage
So, you’ve decided that a storage solution is for you. What’s next?
1. Do some decluttering first
There’s no point storing items you don’t want to keep (or items that no longer work, for that matter). Spend half a day decluttering and recycling items you can’t donate.
2. Pack boxes smartly
Use the right packing materials to avoid breakages or injuring yourself while lifting. Put heavy items like books in smaller boxes and light ones like linens in bigger ones. If combining items, put the heavier ones at the bottom of the box for storage.
3. Label your boxes
If you find yourself throwing things into random boxes: stop! Be organised, keep similar items together and label each box, so you know what’s in them when you get them back.
4. Vacuum pack fabrics
Vacuum packing is a huge space saver. You can vacuum pack clothes, towels and bedding to reduce the storage space you need and free up storage space.
5. Decide what size storage unit you need
The next step is to pick a storage service. At Storage X, we have storage units ideal for students’ belongings and personal items. They can fit 15 medium-sized boxes, a couple of suitcases, a chair – even a guitar!
Book your student storage now
Storage X has dedicated storage solutions for students. We’ll even pick up your items from your student accommodation and return them to your new one when you need them back, so there’s no need to collect your items. Use our hassle-free online booking system to reserve your spot today.