So you survived finals.
Barely.
Now you’re staring at a dorm room that looks like a tornado hit it. There’s a half-eaten bag of chips on your desk, your comforter is bunched up on the floor, and you have no idea how you accumulated three different phone chargers that don’t even fit your phone.
And now you have to move all of it out in like, 48 hours.
I’ve been there. It’s chaos.
But here’s the thing. Where your stuff goes for the summer actually matters. You can’t just pile it in your buddy’s garage and hope for the best. You can’t leave it in the hallway and pray the RA doesn’t notice. And you definitely don’t want to drag it all the way back home only to have your mom ask you why you still own a lava lamp from middle school.
So let’s talk about how to do this the right way. No judgment. Just real advice from people who watch students move in and out every single day.
Stop Using Garbage Bags
I know you have them. Those black contractor bags you stole from your parents’ house. They’re cheap. They’re easy. You can just shove everything in and tie it off.
Please hear me when I say this.
Those bags will betray you.
Here’s what happens. You stuff your pillows and blankets in there. You tie it tight. You slide it into a storage unit. Then July hits. It’s ninety degrees. That bag sweats from the inside out. By August, you open it and it smells like a wet dog that rolled around in a basement.
I’m not trying to be dramatic. I’m trying to save you from showing up to move-in day and realizing your bed sheets are covered in mildew.
Use plastic bins. The clear ones from Target or Walmart. They stack better. They keep moisture out. And you can actually see what’s inside without playing archaeological dig with your own belongings.
If you’re storing clothes, use the vacuum seal bags. You know the ones. You shove your hoodies in, zip it up, and roll the air out. It turns your giant winter coat collection into a flat pancake. You’ll save so much space you won’t even recognize your own stuff.
Your Mini Fridge Is Lying to You
Every single dorm has one. Every single student thinks they cleaned it.
You didn’t.
There’s a reason that fridge has smelled slightly off since March. Open the freezer. Look in the back corner. I promise you there is a single ice cube stuck to a french fry from last semester.
You have to defrost it. Not just wipe it down. Actually unplug it, leave the door open, and let it fully dry.
And here’s the biggest tip you’ll get all day.
Prop the door open.
If you close that fridge door all the way and lock it shut, you are creating a sealed environment for mold to throw a party. Stick a rolled up towel in there. Let air move through it.
Do this and you won’t have to hold your breath every time you open it in August.
Labeling Is Boring. Do It Anyway.
Nobody wants to sit there with a sharpie and write “books” on a box. It feels like homework. So most people just write “misc” or “random” and call it a day.
But here’s what happens.
It’s August. It’s hot. You’re stressed. You need your fan because the AC in your new dorm doesn’t work yet. You open a box and it’s full of winter sweaters. You open another box and it’s your old textbooks. Your fan is in the third box at the very bottom and now you’re sweating and cursing your past self.
Label the sides. Not the tops.
When boxes are stacked, you can’t see the top. But you can always see the side. One strip of masking tape and a sharpie will save you thirty minutes of frustration later.
Here’s Something Nobody Tells You
You don’t have to wait until move-out day to rent a unit.
Every May, we get slammed. Students show up with cars stuffed to the ceiling, hoping we have something available. Sometimes we do. Sometimes we don’t.
You can book a unit right now. Today. While you’re sitting there procrastinating on your sociology final.
Lock it in early. Then when move-out day hits, you just show up, grab your key, and start unloading. No paperwork. No waiting. No panic.
At Storage One Hubert, we let you reserve online ahead of time. We also let you borrow our truck for free if you’re storing with us. That’s not a promo gimmick. That’s just us knowing that most college kids don’t own a pickup truck.
You load it. You drive it. You don’t pay for it.
That’s the kind of energy we try to bring.
What Should NEVER Go in Storage
I’m glad you asked.
Food: Even sealed food. Even canned food. Even that instant ramen you’ve been saving for emergencies. Mice can smell it. Ants can find it. Just take it home or donate it to the food drive on campus.
Important papers: Passport, social security card, birth certificate. Keep those with you. If something happens to your storage unit, replacing your ID is a nightmare you don’t need.
Lithium batteries: Phone power banks, vapes, laptop batteries. Heat and batteries do not mix. They can swell. They can leak. Worst case, they can catch fire. Just take them with you.
Stop Ignoring the Ceiling
One last thing. The vertical space thing.
Most people fill the floor of their unit, stack one box high, and call it done. Then they look at all that empty space above their heads and shrug.
You’re paying for that space. Use it.
- Put your mattress on its side.
- Flip your desk chair upside down on the desk.
- Stack your bins from heaviest on bottom to lightest on top.
You’d be surprised how much you can fit in a 5×5 if you actually use the height.
Look, I Know This Is a Lot
You’re tired. You’re ready to be done. You just want to throw your stuff somewhere and go home and see your dog.
But taking a few extra minutes now will save you so much headache later.
And if you need help figuring out what size unit you need, or you want to walk through and see the space before you commit, we’re here.
We’re not a giant corporate chain. We’re just people who run a storage place and actually give a damn that your stuff survives the summer.
0 Comments