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When summer rolls around, most college students welcome the break from endless classes and studying. They also have to get ready to leave the campus and pack up their dorm room. The problem is having to drive a vehicle full of personal items to their parent's home, for just a few months, usually isn't feasible or logical. So, what's another option?

The good news is, there are summer storage options for college students that are easy to find, located nearby, and affordable. Keep reading for more information on preparing for summer storage needs.

Start Searching for Storage Solutions Early

It's important that you don't wait to find storage solutions near you. Think about it, everyone who attends your college and lives on-campus is going to have to find a place to keep their belongings. With many locations offering move in specials, sometimes it's better to move in a month early to gaurentee your storage unit.

Summer Storage Units Fill Up Fast

Storage space located nearby will fill up fast, especially those facilities who offer great pricing. Not only are other students looking for storage but people who are moving during the warmer months are looking for a storage unit as well. This is one of the reasons why summer is considered a busy season for the storage industry. As a result, you need to start your search as early as March or April. Not only will this help ensure you have storage come summer, but it will also give you the chance to shop around for the best deals.

There are many storage facilities that give excellent deals to college students. Be sure to ask if there is none offered - the worst thing they can say is "no." Keep in mind, if you want to get the most for your storage dollars, you need to fill up the entire space - this means choosing the right sized space to begin with.

Selecting the Best Storage Unit for Students

Trying to figure out what size storage space you need can be a bit confusing and somewhat complex. Some basic guidelines you can use include:

• 5x5 Storage Unit: This is perfect for a desk, lamp, chair, and approximately 12 storage boxes.
• 5x10 Storage Unit: With this, you can fit your mattress and box spring.
• 5x15 Storage Unit: Easily fit an entire studio apartment amount of stuff inside.
• 10x10 Storage Unit: Store all of your kitchen, living room, and bedroom content inside, along with extra room for your boxes.

Many storage facilities offer storage lockers which are different than storage units. As the name implies, storage lockers are about half the height of storage units.

Keep these basic guidelines in mind when you're packing your belongings away for the summer. Don't be afraid to talk with people at the storage facility and see what they recommend. They're very knowledgeable when it comes to storage units and can answer any questions you may have.

Pack Like a Champ

When it is time to pack and get everything ready to go into storage, you want to make sure you make the most of the space you have. This includes when you are packing your belongings into boxes and when you are packing the actual storage unit.

When packing up textbooks, be sure to use smaller boxes. These books can become extremely heavy - especially when you have multiple ones in the same box. Also, if you stand your books end to end, it may damage their binding. A better option is to stack them on top of one another.

When you are filling up your boxes, be sure to fill in any open spaces with bubble wrap or crumpled paper. You may also want to consider using a space that offers temperature control. This is especially important if summers tend to be hot or humid.

As you are packing the truck or vehicle to move your items to the storage unit, be sure to do so in the reverse order of how you want to keep things in the unit. For example, put the items you are more likely to need first in the front. As you put your boxes into the unit, make sure you put the heaviest ones at the bottom, and use boxes that are similar in shape and size. This will help prevent them from toppling over.

If you use the tips and information here, you will be ready to store your items away this summer and feel confident that everything will be safe until next fall.

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We're Your Storage Solution!

Storage Rentals of America is your convenient self-storage solution. So come into our office or give our storage experts a call at 1-800-457-5678. Our call center is available 7 days a week and can help determine which storage unit size best fits your storage needs.