Whether you’ve got your new university course sorted out or you’re still mulling over your opportunities via clearing, one thing’s certain: life at uni can mean lots of moving and travelling. In fact, 10% of students move over 150 miles from their hometown.

You’ll need somewhere to live with space to study, and all the extra belongings you’ll need for a brand new life. Whether it’s new sports kit and equipment, text books, computer and tablet, maybe a bike to make getting around easier (and cheaper), it all needs to go somewhere.

Halls or shared houses can mean space might be limited, or not as private or secure as you’d like.

Having a self storage unit can really help lighten the load.

Stress-free Moving In

You’re bound to have some nerves mixed in with the excitement of embarking on university study. One way of making a smoother transition is to do it gradually, especially if you’re moving some distance from your family and it’s your first time away from home.

Say you live up north but you’ve accepted an offer from Bedford University, just as an example. You’ve got quite the journey to get to your new place of residence during term time. Scouting out self storage in Bedford well in advance can save you a lot of hassle while you also search for either halls of residence or private rented accommodation.

It gives you a chance to gradually move all the kit you’ll need and stow it somewhere safe. Plus you get the chance to look at the local neighbourhood and find your feet a little in a new area.

Free Up Space in Your Room

Trying to keep everything you own neat in a smallish room isn’t easy. It can quickly become too cluttered and full to be comfortable. It can impact your ability to focus on studies as well as disrupting your sleep, because it’s hard to relax surrounded by chaos.

Have a look around the local area in your university town and find a good self storage facility. You’ll have somewhere to store all the stuff you don’t need on a daily basis, from out of season clothing to sports equipment or text books and course work.

Having that extra space that’s safe and secure can make all the difference when it comes to making yourself a comfortable temporary home to relax in during your down time.

Easier Transitions between Semesters or Years

It can become quite a headache figuring out what to do with all your stuff during the holidays or when you’re moving up a year and changing accommodation.

Sometimes it can feel like the only solution is to take everything home with you, then face the difficulty of trying to store it all while realising you’re going to have to cart it all back again in a few weeks. Clothing and small items aren’t the problem as much as things like duvets and bedding, towels, bikes, books or sports equipment. You won’t need them at home, so why give yourself the challenge of transporting them back and forth?

With self storage you can leave everything behind, which can save a lot of anxiety if you worry about damage or theft while you’re away between terms.

Internships or Work Placements

These two activities often come part and parcel with student life, and given that they can last for several weeks, you’ll probably be leaving your student halls for the duration.

Self storage can help you deal with periods of absence with less stress since you won’t have to worry that your belongings are safe while you’re away. With a self storage facility available to you, there is also plenty of room to gather together any additional professional equipment you may need. It always helps to plan ahead as far as possible when you have a placement looming.

Look for self storage that offers:

Flexible contracts with no long tie-in.
Refunds for any unused days should you ever need to leave early.
Good access hours, with extended access if you need it.
Good security with 24/7 CCTV plus fire and intruder alarms.
Friendly staff who’re knowledgeable and happy to answer questions or solve problems.

It’s also helpful if there’s easy parking outside the facility, and maybe trolleys or lifts to help getting heavier items into place.

People often look back on their university years as being amongst the best in their lives. New experiences never to be repeated and friendships formed that often last a lifetime make this a very special time in anyone’s life.

You owe it to yourself to do everything you can to make it a success. In the grand scheme of things, self storage may seem like one of the little things but they are often the ones that prove greater than the sum of their parts.

Here’s wishing you happy studies and every academic success!

Disclosure: This is a collaborative post.