With students across the country moving home for the summer, they must consider what to do with the belongings they’ve accumulated throughout the year. Whether you’re planning on storing furniture or lighting fixtures, you should review the full range of storage options at your disposal. In this new post, we’ll explore things to look out for when choosing summer storage services for students.
Select a Local Company
One mistake many students make is choosing a company in a location that doesn’t offer convenient access. You might find a storage facility several miles away from your school but this can often make it difficult for you to find time to pick up your belongings when you’re headed back to school in September. Choose a company with a local presence and convenient proximity to your school and nearby traffic routes.
Temperature Control is a Priority
When reviewing the marketplace for storage facilities, the company you select should have some form of climate control within their facility. For example, they should be able to mitigate the level of humidity in their units as well as be able to control spikes in temperature. This can help you to protect items that are sensitive to the environment. Your books and other study resources might be damaged if they’re not stored effectively within a climate controlled space.
Consider the Size of Storage Area Required
When planning your summer storage, make sure you take into consideration the full area of storage required for your belongings. You should have enough space in the unit to fit at least one room’s worth of furniture. The majority of students will be fine renting a 5-feet-by-5-feet space within a local storage facility.
Review the Total Cost
Before moving into the unit, makes you consider the total cost of renting a storage space for the summer months. Most facilities will be able to provide you with a clear idea about the total cost of the rental investment. The fee will range from anywhere between $50-to-$100 or more depending on the type of storage space you require. You might also be able to reduce your costs by extending the storage period throughout August, so make sure that you consider the potential value in signing longer contracts with the storage firm.
Call the Storage Company Before Visiting
Before you visit the storage company, you should call their team and find out as much as possible about the total investment required for their services. Ask the company about the level of security within their facility. Do they have security cameras protecting the facility 24/7? Are they able to provide you with a warranty that covers any damage to your belongings while in storage? Call the company and address these questions before moving forward with the process.
Organize Your Belongings for Storage
Now that you have a little more information about the types of information you should consider before selecting a storage firm, let’s review how to organize your belongings. Use the following organizational tips to ensure items remain in ideal condition ready for the beginning of the next semester.
Separate Unnecessary Items
One key error that students make when storing their belongings for the summer season is keeping items in storage that might be useful during the summer. Before packing your storage boxes, ensure you remove any summer clothing or jewellery pieces you wish to wear during the warmer months. Ensure you also remove any study materials you’ll need for the summer if you plan on keeping up with your studies while home from school over the coming months.
Organize Books and Delicate Items Carefully
If you don’t take care when organizing your stored items, you may return to find they’ve been irrevocably damaged. For your study books, you should store them flat in boxes to avoid damaging the spine of the book. When storing and organizing your clothing, ensure all items are packed in clear plastic or new cardboard boxes to protect them while in storage. You should also find wardrobe boxes for any large winter clothing such as coats that you wish to store. Plates and cutlery should be placed in bubble wrap with a filler material such as newspaper between each item for security.
Clean All Appliances
When you place an item in storage that hasn’t been cleaned in a while, mould growth and other forms of degradation can occur. Appliances can also rust if they are not cleaned effectively before being placed in a storage unit for several months. It’s important that items such as refrigerators and microwaves are cleaned inside and out before you put them into storage.
Make an Inventory
While packing, you should make an inventory of all of the items that are stored within the unit.. This can not only help you when placing items in storage, but it will also be beneficial when you retrieve your belongings at the start of the next school year. You can check off each item individually and review its condition ready for the move-in process.
To learn more about our summer storage options for students, call Jiffy Self Storage at or 416-745-4339 contact us here.
