If you’re a student, you’ll no doubt be aware that accommodation isn’t always the most…accommodating. Whether in halls or living within private rental accommodation, storage can often be somewhat light on the ground.
This is made even more difficult by not being allowed to hang your favourite posters and prints on the walls and having to contend with a shared living room, which, through limited space or compromise with fellow flatmates, may not ever feel completely yours.
There are many ways to make minor tweaks to your room storage, but if you often have to step over certain items or mind yourself when passing precariously piled possessions, it might be time to opt for plan B.
Plan B, in this case, is self-storage; but, what are the benefits of using self-storage, and how can it help you during your student years?
Storage hacks for your student accommodation
Before we look at the benefits of self-storage, let’s look at some of the small changes you can make to your space, so you can better understand what needs to go into self-storage.
Shoe racks
Shoes, particularly boots, can be a real pain to store if you have more than one of two pairs or hobby-specific shoes.
While the floor of your wardrobe can be a good option, a shoe rack can present a solid choice to keep your shoes and boots aired while keeping odours in the hallway rather than the bedroom.
It might also be worth buying a larger shoe rack that you and your roommates can share to maximise space efficiency.
Wardrobe shelves
Wardrobes can take up a lot of space, so making the most of the space within them makes sense. While certain clothing items prefer to be hung up on a rack to avoid creasing, most clothing can be easily folded. Purchasing shelves for the wardrobe interior can add extra vertical space.
Use vertical space
This technique applies anywhere in your room – particularly if you have a flat with high ceilings – and it’s possible to find renter-friendly storage solutions to use your space without getting into trouble with your landlord.
Underbed storage
Underbed storage is an underutilised space perfect for storing clothing, blankets, and even shoes.
While you may prefer to store items loose, it can be more efficient and accessible to use under-bed drawers. Usually on wheels, this makes it easy to see everything you’re storing at a glance.
When to use self-storage as a student
If you’ve made the above tweaks, and things are still not looking as minimalist or feng shui as you might like, it might be time to start looking at self-storage.
So, what are the potential applications for students?
Off-term storage
It’s easy to overdo it when bringing items to your student accommodation. What you might have felt essential while living at home may quickly become burdensome as you figure out a new routine.
Chances are, you won’t have as much time for leisure activities, such as reading or video gaming, and you might not be getting as much use out of that bike you brought as much as you first thought you might.
Even if you use these items frequently, taking many of them home can be daunting, particularly if you’re between accommodations over the summer.
Self-storage can provide a practical solution to this problem!
Accumulating items during term time
You’d be surprised by how many items you can acquire during term time, whether it’s new clothes that have pushed your old ones out of rotation, textbooks and workbooks from classes, or even that traffic cone sitting in the corner of your room that we won’t ask any further questions about.
Come the end of term time, you could find yourself more encumbered than you did when you arrived. Once again, self-storage is an ideal solution for lessening the burden.
For hobbies and activity equipment
Although we briefly mentioned hobby equipment above, self-storage can be convenient for managing them without the risk of finding a home at your student accommodation.
Whether it’s musical, personal, or even sports equipment for a whole team, self-storage offers clean, dry spaces where recreational items can be stored safely without fear of damage.
For fragile items
Self-storage’s ability to store things safely also makes it a perfect place to store any delicate or fragile items you may have brought with you that might not be suitable for accommodation.
For example, if family circumstances are such that you can no longer access your family home, more expensive items you’ve brought with you, such as furniture, mirrors, kitchen appliances and other hard-to-replace paraphernalia, might not be totally at home in student accommodation.
Check out our list of dos and don’ts to learn more about all self-storage possibilities.
Packing tips for self-storage
If you’re convinced that self-storage is the best option for your needs, it’s time to get packing; like anything, there’s a right and wrong way to do it.
Our packing top tips include:
Be ruthless when gathering items
While GTW will always give you the most cost-effective option available, you can save even more money by only storing what you need.
That’s why it’s worth reviewing every item. If it can’t stay but isn’t worth the money it would cost to hold onto, it might be time to donate to a charity shop.
Labelling boxes
While this might not be necessary every time, paper documents or student materials can easily be mixed up, so labelling and storing alphabetically is recommended.
Lay things out with care
When you arrive at your local self-storage space, it’s best to have a plan so you don’t forget where items are.
If you have many items, laying them out in easily accessed rows can improve visibility and facilitate retrieval. Making a map of your items for easier recall may also be sensible.
Be aware of changing temperatures
Like any building, self-storage spaces are not immune to fluctuating seasonal temperatures. While this may not apply to all items, if items are packed too tightly, they may expand in the summer months and potentially damage the items if they become crushed.
Finding the right storage unit
Now that you’re fully prepared for self-storage, it’s time to find the right provider.
Here’s a checklist for the ideal student self-storage solution
- Reasonably priced
- Located within a reasonable distance of your accommodation or place of study
- Excellent security systems (incl. Security alarms and smoke alarms)
- Extensive access times
- Helpful, responsive staff
- Easily accessible with free parking
- Smaller, student-friendly lots available
Luckily, GTW offers all of the above and is ideally located near Glasgow’s major universities and colleges.
If you’d like to know more about GTW’s self-storage options, opening hours, and booking, get in touch now for a quote.