Why Self-Storage is a Student Must-Have

As a student living away from home, you’ve probably brought many belongings to make your space feel more comfortable. However, if you’re returning home for the holidays, and/or space is a little tight in your accommodation, why not invest in a self-storage unit? Think of it as a spare room where you can store your items securely while you’re away, or somewhere to help you declutter, for a more spacious and organised studying environment. Read on to find out why student self-storage is a must-have – and if you’re away for the summer, read our six tips on summer storage here.

Storage for Students on Holiday

If you’re privately renting a student house for the entire year, you probably won’t have to move out at the end of each term – but when you go home for Christmas, Easter, or the Summer, you’ll only want to take the essentials with you, leaving other items like bedding, pictures, TVs, and soft furnishings at uni. However, unoccupied homes, especially for a duration of several weeks or more, are far more vulnerable to burglaries, so you’ll want to find a more secure solution, like a self-storage unit, to keep them safe – especially for valuable or irreplaceable items.

Alternatively, you may be in term-time-only accommodation, which although reduces costs, means you’ll need to vacate your room for the holidays. This also means that you’ll need to find a temporary home for your belongings while you’re away.

By opting for a secure self-storage unit, your personal items will remain in a safe, monitored environment – with CCTV, burglar alarms, and fire alarms. This will give you peace of mind to enjoy your time-off from studying, without a worry about your items’ safety. At the end and start of each term, all you’ll need to do is drive to your storage unit, and drop off or collect your belongings, so you don’t have the hassle of taking them home with you (especially if home is overseas). Alternatively, your storage provider may also offer collection of items if you have a fixed UK address.

Student Self-Storage to Declutter

As student accommodation can be notoriously small, you might want to consider additional storage to make your room(s) feel more comfortable. Although basic essentials like clothes, books, stationery will need to be at close hand, if you feel like your room is getting a little cramped and you need to free up more space, you could store the non-essentials in a unit for safekeeping.

Items you might not need every day (especially if they’re seasonal), could include:

• Sports equipment, such as football boots, helmets, protective wear, and training kit
• Tents and camping gear for festivals or weekend getaways
• Bulky winter clothes like hats, coats, and scarves, which aren’t required during the warmer summer months
• Or on the flipside, fans etc. during the cooler winter months
• Christmas trees, and other seasonal decorations

Student Storage Unit Options

Student self-storage units come in a range of sizes to suit your needs – usually from 10 sq. ft for a couple of boxes of clothes and books, to 35 sq. ft for the contents of small flat. In most, you can also store your items for as long as you need, whether that’s for a week, a month, or longer. If you do have a considerable amount of belongings, it might be more cost-effective to split the cost of a larger unit with a few trusted friends – but make sure each of you has access, and that you have a clear layout for who is using each section of storage space, to avoid items getting waylaid.

You can also ask your storage provider to provide a variety of boxes, which will fit a multitude of items from laptops and electricals to books and clothes. If you’re unsure of the best way to pack your belongings, you could even ask them for assistance – and they may take items which haven’t been boxed, like suitcases. Make sure you check insurance options for additional security, the price of which will likely be based on the value of your goods, and whether or not the storage team packed the items, or you packed them yourself.

In short, student self-storage is a must-have, whether that’s during the holidays, or to provide extra space during term-time. It offers flexibility, convenience, and security, allowing you to focus on your studies stress-free, and to enjoy your holidays with friends and family. Contact Andrews Shipping to find out more today.