Out of State Students Need Storage for the Summer
For many college students that go to a college close to their home, such as I, we do not have nearly as difficult of a transition from dorm to apartment or apartment to apartment as out of state students when the fall semester is about to begin. Out of state students have to figure out what they are going to do with all their bulky items once the school year ends if they are going home. More than likely, they will not be able to take their bulky items on their plane ride home or fit into their car when they leave to go home for the summer. For this exact reason, many college students look to find a storage unit for the summer while they are living back at home with their family or wherever they have an internship. Even though it is late in the summer and many have already found a storage unit or other storage option for their belongings, it is never too late to think about making the transition from apartment to apartment or dorm to apartment, easier.
Many of my out of state friends needed storage once the spring semester ended for the summer. Finding local storage is not always easy because spots fill up quick and this is why students should reserve a storage unit at least a month ahead of time. Storing items instead of shipping them back and forth is much cheaper and it allows students to leave what they don’t absolutely need, close to their university. A storage unit is not usually cheap to rent, but it is without a doubt the safest and most accessible option for students to store their belongings. Storing bulky items at a friends seems like a good option, but what if they have a party and your stuff gets stolen? Or what if you guys get into an argument and he/she throws your stuff on the curb for free pickings? No one wants to deal with that and that is why people who specialize in helping people move out of apartments or dorms at universities recommend a storage unit.
Options for Storage
There are two options for storage units: climate controlled or non-climate controlled. For those of you who do not know what a climate controlled storage unit is, it is a storage unit with regulated humidity and temperature levels inside the unit. A non-climate controlled storage unit is one that is a unit with no protection from the outside climate. What I mean by no protection, that is that when items are in a non-climate controlled unit they can become damaged if temperatures get too hot or too cold and items can mold or mildew can grow if humidity levels are too high. Climate controlled storage units protect items from extreme temperatures and high humidity levels, ensuring that debris buildup and deterioration does not occur on stored items. For college students, there are some things you want to keep in mind when choosing between these two options.
Climate Controlled Units are Needed for Many Items
Many items are climate sensitive and require a storage unit that is climate controlled – that is if you want to maintain it. Some common items that require a climate controlled environment are: textiles such as comforters, pillows, linens; electronics; photographs; fridges, and furniture. When textiles are stored in a storage unit that does not have regulated humidity levels, the textiles can attract moisture and mildew and mold growth occurs on the items, which can also transfer to other items. Electronics also require a controlled environment because when moisture becomes trapped in the unit, electronics begin to rust and can become unusable. Also, dust builds up in the unit because air is not circulating throughout the unit. Photographs curl on the edges and deteriorate in high temperatures. When storing a fridge, make sure that it has been cleaned and is completely dry before storing – if not there will be mold and mildew growth on the fridge. Lastly, furniture requires a climate controlled environment. With the summer’s high temperatures and humidity levels being high in many states such as Wisconsin, furniture can rot and become discolored due to the high humidity and temperatures. Mold and mildew growth is inevitable for wooden and leather furniture if stored in a humid environment. As you can see, there are many items that require an environment with regulated temperature and humidity levels, this is why a climate controlled unit is usually optimal for most college students.
Climate controlled storage is more expensive than non-climate controlled storage and this can be a problem for most people. However, you have to way out the costs and benefits. Shipping furniture and other bulky items is expensive, costing hundreds of dollars to ship it one way. Shipping bulky items back and forth is not only expensive, but also time consuming. Why would anyone want to ship items back and forth to store in their basement for the summer? Many think it will save them money, but in reality it does not. Same with storing items in a cheap, non-climate controlled storage unit. People think that they are saving money, but in reality they are putting sensitive items at risk – especially those storing in an extreme climate such as Wisconsin. Climate controlled storage is more expensive for a reason, there is a higher demand because people know that it is the safest way to store items and because it is expensive to maintain low humidity levels. Without a doubt, storage is the most efficient option for college students who don’t want to ship bulky items back home for a couple months then back and that is why we want to help.
Our Facilities are Close
Our facilities have climate controlled units and non-climate controlled units available. I would always suggest researching if the items you are storing are weather sensitive or not. Our facilities are more than secure - requiring a pin code for access, security cameras monitoring every inch of our facilities, and a computer that logs who comes in an out of our facilities. The facility we recommend is also accommodating for college students because units are located inside a building with moving carts available. This facility is climate controlled, equipped with moving carts available to use, and is monitored by security cameras inside and outside the building. Not to mention we have music that plays 24/7 throughout the building and ambient lighting to make the moving process easier and more enjoyable. This facility is brand new and located 18 minutes from campus. See our facility specs here and consider it for next summer or whenever you are moving from residence to residence.
