University life is one of the best experiences in an academic career. Teachers say that university days are very memorable in a student’s life due to a variety of reasons. You not only get to know about new friends but also you experience a lot of things which help you later in your professional life.
In university life, sharing a hostel room is quite common among students especially those who have come from remote locations or abroad to attend the classes. Sometimes, you need to shift to new places frequently as a foreign student. The need for cheap storage by SSO arises here in this case.
A student storage unit facilitates by several means including a safe place to store students’ belongings. Finding personal storage being a student is not that easy as it requires a lot of research and wisdom. In this article, I will discuss best practices along with sharing a few hacks. You all need to practice these hacks to get the best storage options near you.
Table of Contents
Table Of Content:
- What is Self Storage:
- Do you really need storage?
- Reasons To Choose SSO as Self Storage Company
- How will you get to the storage unit?
- What is the storage size you need?
- How to get cheap storage
- Tips for Saving Money on Self Storage:
- How to decide what type of storage you need.
What is Self Storage:
In a self-storage unit, you have access to your stuff during weekends, evenings, and even daytime. Self-storage companies usually charge per square foot of space. In the United Kingdom, there are 50+ stores.
Bystored the best option for furniture storage or IMS are also famous for free trolleys and customer parking. Also, the staff is very cooperative. They also help in transportation by suggesting a local removal company.
Do you need storage?
First, you need to realize that as a student you will need to move every year or not. You also need to cross-check that your landlord allows you to leave your belongings in the house.
If you don’t find it safe to leave your belongings behind then don’t get disappointed. there is a way out.
Reasons To Choose SSO as Self Storage Company:
- We have outlets near major educational institutes.
- We offer the best rates.
- There are no hidden charges and we don’t demand advance deposits.
- We don’t impose any minimum contract.
- Our staff is very friendly.
- We have security systems for 24/7 monitoring of your belongings.
London has been one of the most energetic cities of England with a human-friendly environment. Many foreign students join a university sports club and participate in various sports leagues. If your student accommodation is not sufficient for all your stuff then you may go for renting out a storage unit with a reliable company like Bystored.
There are many students in the United Kingdom, who like social life and they make online and offline a lot of friends.
How will you get to the storage unit?
Most of the students in the United Kingdom don’t have a personal car. So, most of them use private transport mediums to move their belongings. This is the reason you will need to look for a storage unit which is at least near to your student accommodation. You should keep the following questions in mind before finalizing any storage unit company:
Is it Insured Student Storage?
You must make sure before signing any agreement with the self-storage company that all of the insurance clauses are covered. This is necessary because companies should pay your loss in case of any damage or sudden disaster.
Is It 24/7 Storage?
24/7 accessibility policy varies from company to company. So, it is advisable to know about 24/7 availability to access your belongings
Storage Unit secured?
Another critical factor you should consider is the security of storage space. You are going to keep your stuff in an unknown place but before doing that you should make sure this storage unit is safe and secure.
Packaging materials:
Packaging materials are also very important when you consider moving your belongings. Well-reputed companies educate students about materials used for packing. Breathable wood is generally recommended for solid protection but it may vary in cases of few storage company providers.
What is the storage size you need?
A very important thing that you should consider is the storage unit size. Following sizes are generally recommended by the service providers:
9 ft locker:
This is the most compact option. It is similar to a car boot. You may put clothes and books inside a few boxes.
25 Sq ft:
It’s a good size to keep sports goods, seasonal clothes, and the extra stuff as well.
50 Sq ft:
If you are planning to empty the dorm room in summer then this is a spacious option for them. More items could be placed in it.
75 Sq ft:
If you are planning to shift your household items and furniture then this storage unit is the best option. You can place all the extra stuff utilizing maximum capacity.
If you are not sure about the required size then you don’t need to guess you may simply call the storage unit representative and discuss your requirements.
How to get cheap storage:
Self-storage units could be expensive. so, we advise you to explore all available options in the market and then choose the cheapest one.
Tips for Saving Money on Self Storage:
If you want to save your earnings then the below tips will help you to make cost-effective decisions:
- Explore websites that give self-storage comparisons. For example: compare the storage options to find the cheapest one near your location.
- You may keep the cost low if you find the storage unit near your residence.
- Don’t forget to ask your storage company if they offer a free move service. Maybe they will provide a van and driver to carry boxes.
- Choose an upper-level storage unit as it will be cheaper comparatively.
- Don’t forget to ask for discounts. Many storage unit companies provide enormous discounts to students.
- If you think that you will utilize the storage space for a few months then ask your service provider as more likely they will give you a sufficient discount.
- You may ask your storage unit providing company that if they provide any free boxes as most of the companies provide, then it will cut down your moving cost. In case they don’t provide you may try nearest shops or supermarkets for the free boxes.
- You should better visualize and estimate how much storage space you will need. Be careful about this as overestimation may not only waste your space but also make the deal costly and underestimation will also put you in trouble.
- If you can afford the cost of a self-storage unit then you may share the price of the container with a friend or roommate. It will straight away cut down your cost to around 50 %.
- If you are looking for a cheap storage unit then you may go for storage that will eventually pick your items in storage units.
How to decide what type of storage you need
London has been the best destination for students for many years not only due to quality education but the facilities provided to international students. This is the reason why London has dozens of startups that facilitates students. Self-storage services are one of the most lucrative businesses in London.
As a student deciding between so many options is quite confusing. So following tips will help you:
- Deliberate tenure of Storage Need:
You have to brainstorm and decide whether this need is for the short term or long term. The move can be temporary due to refurbishing of the residence in a few cases. Some students move up their belongings to free up space for their startups.
- What will you move to?
Now, you have to brainstorm and in fact list, down the items, you need to move to the storage unit. Every item has its own storage requirement. Documents may require different patterns of storage whereas food is utterly different. So, deciding the items will help you to acquire the right space with the right company.
- Ease of Access:
Accessibility issues arise when you are unclear about the meanwhile need. So, you need to be clear about it, if you are going to visit occasionally or frequently because all storage companies don’t offer 24.7 availability so in other cases you should not keep more frequently used items in the storage units.
Self-storage in short will make your life simple only if your planning is good enough. Hence, it is recommended to talk with the storage unit company representative to have a clear idea and make the best choices.
Summary:
Few students don’t take services of a storage company like Bystored and move their belongings from one place to another themselves. No doubt it saves resources, time, and money but it’s not a good option as you would have dozens of things to do.
So, take the right decision, choose a good storage company and get the services and remove your hassle.