It's the last day of the spring semester, and you are excited to go home for the summer. Your lease is ending, and you want to wait a couple months before signing a new one. What do you do with all of your belongings? Get your parents to rent a truck and store it in the garage? Beg your friends enrolled summer classes to let you keep your stuff in their apartments?

If your parents aren't willing to make the drive, and your friends don't want your clutter in their living rooms, then storage is a great option. While you may initially think that storage is outside of the typical student's price range, storage providers will sometimes offer discounts to students in need of an affordable option for their belongings, so be on the lookout for specials in your area.

Storage Per Box

There are a couple of options when it comes to storage for college students. One option is to pay per box. This is ideal if you only need to put a few things in storage. Some companies will send you the number of boxes you need, pick them up when you are done packing, and deliver them to your new residence when you return. This will cost around seventeen dollars a month for a large box, which could fit a filled laundry bag and a few posters. Smaller boxes range from nine dollars a month and fit about two semester's worth of textbooks and binders.

If you need to store your mattress, it is highly recommended you wrap it carefully to keep it clean while in storage. Mattresses can be professionally wrapped for an additional cost of about ten dollars. Miscellaneous items that cannot fit into boxes, such as a small fridge or other unusually shaped objects, will also cost extra.

Unit Reservation

If you find that storing your belongings through the delivery box system is becoming too costly, reserving a storage unit can be a better option. When reserving a unit, you should book in advance as prices fluctuate and units may fill up. Climate controlled spaces will increase the price by at least twenty dollars, but your belongings will be better protected.

On average, units will cost you anywhere from thirty to fifty dollars a month for a five by five foot space, or fifty to seventy dollars for a five by ten unit. It is important to make sure that you have drive-up access so that you can easily deliver and pack your goods. Check for online specials, as some storage companies will have promotions throughout the year.

Having your belongings close to campus when you return for the fall semester will make moving back a lot easier. Both options will save you time and effort, and make your trip back home for the summer more spacious and enjoyable.