Check out these tips if you’re not sure what to do with all of your dorm stuff over the summer break.
Blake has over a decade of experience writing for the web, with a focus on mobile phones, where he covered the smartphone boom of the 2010s and the broader tech scene. When he’s not in front of a keyboard, you’ll most likely find him playing video games, watching horror flicks, or hunting down a good churro.
If you’re headed into the end of year school break and don’t know where to stash all the dorm stuff you’ve managed to accumulate, you’re not alone. If you live locally, it might not be that big of a deal to haul your stuff back to your parents’ house, but what if you’re not local, or if you’re an international student?
The least ideal situation is shipping everything back home to store until you have to return for a few months and ship it all back. Not only could this potentially be wildly expensive, but overall it’ll likely be more work than it’s worth.
If you find yourself in this situation, you’re in the right place, as we have a few options for you to look into. Whether your priority is affordability or convenience, these four tips should help you with your next move, literally and figuratively.
For more moving tips, don’t miss the best moving companies of 2025 and the top mistakes to avoid during your move.
Rent a local storage unit for your dorm stuff
If you’re here, you’ve probably already had this thought, but it’s a good one for many students. Some colleges actually offer storage units for students — some for free — so before you do anything else, check if your school has this option before you lug all of your stuff off campus. Of course, this won’t be possible for everyone, so you may need to look at local options outside of campus.
If storing your stuff on campus is out, check around for a local storage facility. This could be a task of its own, and you can expect others in your situation are also looking into storage units as close to their dorms as possible, so you may need to look a bit further out than you’d like to find the right price for yourself. Another factor will be how large of a unit you’ll need. Your local U-Haul, for instance, may have self-storage facilities you can rent for the summer.
Pro Tip: You’re not alone, so grab a few friends to pitch in on a larger storage unit to cut down on costs.
Look into a moving or storage service
If convenience is your top priority and you have the funds for it, then a moving or storage service that caters specifically to college students may be just what you need. Check a service like Collegeboxes and Dorm Room Movers to get an idea of what that service offers. If you live in a college town, you may be able to find a local moving and storage service that caters to students and may be a little cheaper.
These services are pretty straightforward. They’ll provide you with cardboard boxes and packing tape you’ll pack your stuff in, schedule a time to pick up your items, store them over the summer and then drop them off in the fall. It really doesn’t get much simpler, and the peace of mind may justify what you shell out for a service like this.
Store your stuff at a local friend’s place
If you’re looking for a more frugal route, hit up a friend who lives in the area or is staying on or near campus while you’re gone. This will likely be your cheapest option, and if they’re a really good friend, it could possibly be free. You might still consider giving them a six-pack when you pick your stuff up.
Think about selling some of your stuff
Books, towels, sheets. Those are easy to pack up. If you are holding onto large items, you’ll obviously need a larger space to store your stuff. If you want to save some money, do some research on how much it would cost to store your items versus selling them and buying new stuff when you come back.
Unless you have an emotional attachment to your things, a big item like a desk or chair can easily be sold or donated and then repurchased later and possibly for cheaper. Even if you were to sell just your large items, you might be able to save money on a smaller storage unit, if that’s the route you choose. This will require doing some math to see if it makes sense for you to do.
Pro Tip: No matter what method you choose, you’ll still likely have to pack and move some boxes, so make sure you know how to properly lift your heavy boxes and furniture. In search of more moving tips? Check out the best moving companies of 2025 to make your move a breeze, and avoid these common moving day mistakes for fewer stressors along the way!
