Oh no! The semester is coming to a close, and you have no idea what to do with your belongings before you're kicked out of your dorm and have to return to your hometown. Have no fear, scholars—spend your time worrying about finals, not storage—because StorageFront breaks down all of your options for you.
A) Parents' House
Pros:
Assuming your parents' house is near your college campus (0-4 hours away), this option is essentially free!
Cons:
Your parents could passive aggressively mention how you're taking up the room they could be using as an extra walk-in closet. Which leads to other conversations about how they could be spending their summer vacation in Maui, but no, they're still paying for your rent, and you should really start paying for your phone bill, too.
Verdict? Depending on whether or not free storage space is worth an awkward (and potentially costly) guilt-trip from your parents, this may or may not be an option for you.
B) Self Storage
Pros
You can keep your items in your college town, which makes it less of a hassle to move back in next semester. You can also find public storage locations with month-to-month or short-term leases, so you don't have to pay for storage space when you're not using it.
Cons
It's…not free.
Verdict? Your best bet. Although renting a storage unit can be more costly than moving your belongings back to your parents house, you can usually find facilities in your area that offer student discounts and free rental trucks to cut down on some of the costs. Added bonus: no nagging.
C) Leave it on the curb for people to scavenge
Pros
Best choice for the lazy. All you have to do is literally walk your furniture out to the curb.
Cons
You'll get no money for your belongings and you won't have any furniture when you move into your next place.
Verdict? Sounds like a dumb move on your part, but the human vultures will thank you for it.
D) Craigslist
Pros
Score some cash for your belongings if you're ready to part with them; you can also have people come pick it up for you, which means no heavy lifting on your part.
Cons
You may end up meeting a sketchy dude in an alleyway—
or at your house.
Verdict? A great way to make some extra cash, if you don't want to keep any of your old furniture and are fine with meeting some… er… interesting people.
E) Donate
Pros
Feel good about yourself by giving your belongings away to a charitable organization, such as
Goodwill.
Cons
You won't get any money out of it, and you'll probably have to move it yourself. You'll have to be a) not lazy and b) an awesome person for this option to fly.
Verdict? If you're planning on buying new furniture at your next apartment or just need some good karma headed your way, this is the way to go.
If you decide to go the self storage route, StorageFront can help you find a reliable storage facility in your college town. Easily compare prices and amenities at several locations near you. Be sure to call and ask about available student discounts before reserving your storage space online!
