Renting a Self-Storage Unit Between College Semesters
Posted on: 2 February 2021
Does anyone move more often than college students? From semester to semester, and from year to year, it can feel like you're constantly relocating. And it can be a struggle to figure out what to do with your things when you're moving from the dorms to an apartment, and then back into your parents' house all within a few years. For many students, renting a self-storage unit between semesters is the ideal way to stash your things when you're between residences. Here are some tips to help ensure this experience goes smoothly for you.
Make sure you can rent the unit month-to-month.
Some storage facilities want their renters to sign a longer-term contract or lease for six months or even a year. This works well for people who plan on keeping things in storage long-term, but it is not the right option for you. Look for a facility that rents month-to-month and lets you pay by the month. This way, you are under no obligation to keep paying if you find a new apartment earlier than you'd previously planned, or if your plans otherwise change.
Choose a climate-controlled unit in case your plans change.
You might think you're only going to store your items for a month or two, and that they'll be fine in a garage-style unit. But what if your plans change and you end up leaving things in storage for a whole semester because the next apartment you rent is pre-furnished? It's worth paying a little bit more for a climate-controlled unit so that if temperatures and humidity do vary while your items are inside of the unit, your things won't become moldy and musty. As a college student, you probably don't have the funds to replace everything you're putting in storage, so you need to make sure your things are protected.
Consider sharing with a friend.
Chances are, you have friends and fellow students who also need somewhere to stash their things while they move home or to a different city for an internship for a few months. Ask them if they are interested in sharing a storage unit. You will generally pay less to split a larger storage unit than to rent two smaller ones. Just make sure the storage company is comfortable putting both of you on the contract and giving you both access codes.
Renting a self-storage unit is a way to stash things between semesters in college. With the tips above, you should be set to go.
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