Is everyone around you starting to sell their books and pack up all their possessions? Are you stuck between leases and find yourself lacking a place to store your things? No worries! Self-storage is the perfect solution for all college students.

First, find a self-storage facility near you. Since college students, on average, are known to be low-income consumers, look for storage facilities offering student discounts. Usually, self-storage facilities located near universities take advantage of the student environment and promote the use of their units through promotions, which includes student discounts.

Second, decide on a unit size. Most students purchase a 5x5 unit, which is about the size of a walk-in closet. Since most storage units range from 8 to 12 feet tall, fix your mindset to utilize the vertical space as well. Some self-storage facilities allow you to share a larger unit with friends in order to lower the overall cost per person. Since self-storage leases are month-to-month leases, students are provided with a good amount of flexibility. Most self-storage facilities even pro-rate the last month of your lease, so you only pay for the days where you actually use the self-storage unit.

Third, have a good, established knowledge of your chosen self-storage unit's amenities. College students rarely need to access their self-storage units, until it's time to move in to their newly leased apartment or dorm. In other words, 24-hour access self-storage units are not necessary. However, if you possess a load of heavy stuff, make sure to get a drive-up access storage unit to minimize the distance from your vehicle. Also, here's a rule of thumb. If you can store it in your garage, you don't need a climate-controlled self-storage unit. Unless the environment around your chosen self-storage unit reaches blazing temperatures, or something in that ballpark, climate-controlled units are usually not necessary for college students.

Fourth, prepare your things for self-storage. If you have a mini-fridge, de-frost, clean, and dry it in order to prevent fungus or mold growth. If you have a microwave, clean it to prevent molding. When it comes to food and drink, avoid storing these items. Food and drink are invitations for ants and rats, which are the last things you want invading your storage unit.

Here some extra miscellaneous tips to self-storage for college student:

1. When you're signing up for a self-storage unit, write down your self-storage unit number and gate access code, so you never forget.
2. Pack books in smaller boxes to avoid hurting yourself lifting a big box packed with too many heavy books.
3. Unsure of what size to choose? Create your own imaginary self-storage unit by stacking all your things in the manner you plan to stack them if you were to purchase a self-storage unit right now. Use tape measure to measure the volume and, then, figure out the self-storage unit size you require.

Make sure to do your homework on self-storage research. Be prepared before you sign up for a self-storage lease. With that being said, have a great self-storage and college experience!