Student storage can come in handy if you need somewhere to keep your stuff over the summer or Christmas period. Not all landlords allow you to store your possessions in their property when you’re not paying rent, as they may be renting the space out to other short-term tenants. Equally, you don’t want to take everything home either – you’ll only have to bring it all back again in a few weeks.
It’s no surprise, then, that many students opt to keep their stuff safe in a storage unit, but how easy are they to move out of? Let’s take a look at the convenience of student storage.
What to take when moving out of university?
Moving out of your university accommodation can be tricky if you don’t know what to prioritise. You will have undoubtedly brought a large number of items to university with you, but what should you take back?
First things first, unless something awful happened to your bedding while you were at university, there should be no reason not to bring that with you. There’s no such thing as a surplus of duvets and pillows – more just make things cosier, no matter where you’re moving out to!
The same principle applies to other useful items like hangers, cleaning products, medicine and everyday bathroom products like shampoo and body wash, kitchen essentials, towels, etc. You can never have too many of any of these.
Just view every item through the lens of “Is this useful? Will I use this wherever I take it next? Or will I throw it away when I unpack everything later?” If it seems useful to you and you will use it in the future, take it with you.
What to leave when moving out of university?
Now that we’ve considered what you should take with you when you move out of university, it’s time to review what you may want to leave behind. While everything in your student accommodation will have memories attached to it, there will be some things that might be better going into the bin instead of a packing box.
Unless you’re into scrapbooking or have a plan of how you’re going to display them, keeping ticket stubs, receipts and wristbands from festivals and events you’ve attended might not be the best idea. While these are small, they can take up a lot of space since they’ll need to be stored in something.
Other items of clutter can also take up space – don’t bring anything home with you that’s broken unless you plan to fix it. If you’ve got clothing that doesn’t fit, is marked or damaged, or that you no longer like, it’s better to get rid of it, rather than holding onto it for sentimental reasons.
Ask yourself the same questions as above and, if you can’t think of a use for the item, and it isn’t a memento or sentimental in some way, we’d recommend getting rid of it.
If you’re struggling with this step, why not try the KonMari method from Marie Kondo to help you declutter.
How to move out of your student storage
Once you know the date on which you’re moving back into your student accommodation, you must let your storage provider know that you plan to move out. At Titan Storage, we require at least 14 days’ written notice – either pop in and fill out a form or send us a quick email.
A few days before your move-out date, contact the store and double-check they are aware when you’re terminating your storage contract. Prepare for the move out date by ensuring you have a vehicle which will fit all of your possessions in. If you don’t have a car yourself, try asking a friend or parent for help. Alternatively, enquire at the store and we will recommend a local removal company.
Once you’ve moved everything out, a member of staff at the store will check the space to ensure it’s clean and nothing has been left behind. You will then be asked to sign a form stating you have moved out and the storage contract has been terminated. All in all, the process should take around five minutes!
If you wish, you can arrange to move out during the night. You will, however, need to return during opening hours to sign the necessary paperwork and end the contract.
Tips for unpacking your storage items
Moving into any property, new or old, can seem like a daunting task. There are so many boxes to unpack – you’re probably tempted to find all the fun items first and sort out the boring ones later. Do this, though, and you may end up with a room full of half-unpacked boxes for a whole year!
Here are our tips for unpacking efficiently and painlessly:
- Unpack one room at a time – Sort your boxes out according to what’s inside them (hopefully you will have labelled them appropriately) and put them in the room they belong in. This way you can unpack one room at a time, inside of darting all over the house trying to find a space for everything.
- Put time aside to do it properly – Don’t move all of your stuff in on a day you’ve got more important things to do, otherwise you’ll only get halfway through the task.
- Unpack the ‘fun’ things last – Leave that games console/computer/TV in the box until you’ve unpacked everything else first! Your electronics could prove to be a big distraction if you take them out and set them up straight away.
- Get a friend to help you – If you really hate unpacking, bribe a friend with the promise of a free pint if they put all your pots, pans and dishes away for you. The job will be finished a lot quicker with two pairs of hands.
For more tips on student storage, check out our other handy guides. Alternatively, get in touch with us today for a student budget-friendly quote.
Student storage: Storing your stuff when moving guide
1) Pack up your possessions
This will give you a good idea of how much space you need to rent, and therefore a more accurate quote when it comes to price. If you need any packing tips, check out our guide.
2) Reserve a storage space
You can do this quickly and easily online after you’ve requested a quote. Alternatively, you can give Titan Storage a ring on 0800 644 0018. Let us know your requirements, when you’d like to move in, and a few other personal details. We’ll then take a £10 deposit (which will be refunded once you’ve moved in).
3) Bring your possessions down to the store
Don’t forget to bring ID – we need photographic ID, such as a passport or driver’s licence, as well as a proof of address, like a bill, dated within the past three months. Once all the paperwork is out of way, you can move your items in!
4) Access your space at any time
Unlike some other storage providers, Titan provides you with free, unlimited access to your possessions. You can access your space whenever you need to, so if have to get something out of your storage urgently, you can.
5) Cancel your contract when you’re ready
When you’ve found a new student house, you can cancel your contract and move your possessions out. Please note that we need at least 14 days’ notice, which must be provided in writing. Either send us an email, or come into the store and fill out our cancellation form.
Top tips for saving money on student storage
Student storage doesn’t have to be expensive, in fact, it’s cheaper than you might expect! To cut down the price even further, check out our top tips below.
Be brutal when it comes to deciding what to store
Go through all of your possessions and decide what you definitely want to, and need to, keep. You’re bound to have picked up stuff from Fresher’s Week you no longer have any use for, and are you really going to need all of the books that were on your reading list in first year? Donate, throw out or sell anything you don’t need. Use our handy infographic if you’re having trouble deciding what to do with your possessions.
Chip in for storage with a friend
If you only have a few things you wish to store, then it may be more cost-effective to split a storage space with a friend. When you rent a space with Titan, you can choose to give additional people access. They will be given their own access codes, so they can go in and get their possessions at their leisure. Just make sure you can trust whoever you’re choosing to split the storage space with.
Only pay for the space you need
At Titan we have a range of storage spaces suitable for students. The smallest is a large locker, which has enough space for two suitcases or so, alternatively, we have special rooms suitable for storing clothes, books, sports equipment and other possessions. We’ll help you find the right size unit, as we know you won’t want to pay for space you’re simply not using!
Renting storage space
Whether you’re moving out for the summer and coming back to university in September, can’t fit all of your belongings back home, or you don’t want to front the cost for a van and are happy to vacate in more than one trip, renting a storage unit could be a great solution.
With flexible storage solutions that enable you to rent your unit for as long or short a time as you need, and 24/7 access, Titan Storage can help make moving out of your student accommodation simple and straightforward. Take a look at our Student Storage solutions.
Discover more student blogs: a guide to moving out of storage, storing your stuff when moving house and top 10 things not to forget when moving into student halls.
