Protect Belongings with Self Storage While You Study Abroad

When you are studying abroad—a college life experience you’ll never forget—you don’t want to worry about your belongings while you’re away. Many students take advantage of student storage to keep their items secure and organized. Here are four things you need to know because student storage is the way to go!

College is as full of new adventures as your car is on the day you move into your dorm. Storage.com can help you tackle your college career with helpful tips or by providing you with a safe storage solution for summer breaks, semesters abroad, or any time you need extra space.

When preparing to study abroad, you have a lot of decisions to make. Where will you study? What will you study? And—what will happen to the belongings you leave behind? While we can’t answer the first two questions, we can certainly give you some advice on where to keep your things.

A student storage unit can be the answer for college students looking for a secure location to store personal belongings while they’re studying abroad. By keeping items in a storage unit, students don’t have to feel guilty about cluttering a parent or guardian’s home with boxes, nor will they have to worry about leaving a personal vehicle unattended for a long period of time.

How Self-Storage Can Help During International Study

When preparing to study abroad, organization is key. With the amount of paperwork, research, and travel plans that need to be completed before you leave, not having to worry about the items you’re leaving behind will help limit stressful situations.

Lindsey Fox, President of Passport Study Abroad, an organization that offers emergency passport services to students and teachers, says that preparing for international study can be overwhelming. Fox says she’s seen students rent student storage before they travel to not only make the transition easier when they get home, but also to save money.

“[Renting a storage unit] is a much cheaper option than paying rent for an apartment they aren’t even living in while they’re away,” says Fox. “Everything is there for them when they return, and they can begin the next academic semester comfortably after having to adjust from being away for so long. It’s also important to have their belongings safe and intact while they’re abroad.”

Linsay Evans, a content copywriter for CEA Study Abroad, agrees that student storage helps students simplify their transition.

“A self-storage unit would allow a student to pack up their dorm room and keep it all securely in one place so their belongings are waiting for them when they return from their adventure abroad,” says Evans. “Remaining organized throughout the process really helps reduce stress and enhance the experience.”

Fox adds that student storage options are especially helpful for students who attend a university that’s not close to family or friends who would consider housing their belongings.

“A majority of the time, students attend universities that aren’t within a quick driving distance from home,” says Fox. “It can be a hassle to keep transferring furniture and other belongings back and forth.”

Reserve Your Self-Storage Unit Sooner Rather Than Later

Fox says that if you know you want to embark on a study abroad program, the sooner you start preparing, the smoother the process will be. By reserving a student storage unit a few days or weeks before you leave, you won’t run the risk of not being able to find an available unit that fits your travel timeline or budget.

“When a student chooses to study abroad, there’s a lot of preparation that must go into planning the semester,” says Fox. “In order to have everything go as smoothly as possible, our suggestion would be to start preparing to study abroad at the very beginning of the semester prior to leaving.”

Mark Allec, Vice President of Operations at Dollar Self Storage, says he sees many students renting 5×5 or 5×10 units at their Tucson, AZ location.

“It keeps the costs down from shipping belongings from one place to another,” says Allec.

Allec adds that students should make sure they choose a safe and clean storage facility, and that they look for important security features, like on-site managers, 24/7 video monitoring, etc.

“[An on-site manager] offers extra security while you’re away or out of the country,” Allec says. “The mere presence of a management team living onsite deters criminal activity in most cases.”

Besides finding a facility with various unit sizes, Evans recommends considering the type of payment options available. She encourages students to look for facilities that offer automatic payments so they don’t have to worry about falling behind while they’re away.

“[Being able to pay online] or set up an auto-payment is important so they don’t run into issues while they’re out of the country,” says Evans.

Storing a Vehicle or Other Items During Your Study Abroad

Beyond furniture, boxes, or seasonal items, many students also need year-round storage for a vehicle or other large items.

If you plan to store a vehicle outdoors (rather than indoors or in covered parking), Allec suggests storing valuables separately.

“Rent a unit for valuables and a separate [space] for the car. Leaving items inside the vehicle makes it a target for theft when people can see items through the car windows,” says Allec.

Also, if your vehicle will be in storage over the winter, be sure to winterize it, especially if you’ll be gone for several months. Taking a few extra precautions helps ensure your belongings and vehicle stay in great condition while you focus on your time abroad.

Other Storage Tips for Students Studying Abroad

Packing properly makes a big difference in protecting your belongings. Use sturdy boxes, invest in packing cubes, and clearly label everything for easier unpacking when you return.

If you’re storing electronics, delicate fabrics, or wooden furniture, consider upgrading to climate-controlled storage to protect against extreme temperatures and humidity.

If you want to protect your belongings with student storage while you study abroad, there are plenty of self-storage facilities that can help! Many even offer student discounts, making it easier to find the right storage solution at an affordable price, so be sure to ask when booking.

Whether you need short-term help or year-round storage, there are plenty of affordable student storage options to make your study abroad experience stress-free!