Congratulations, you're about to finish a year of college! Whether it's your first year away or you are graduating and moving on, you should be really proud of yourself. But before you pop the champagne and start celebrating, you must overcome one major hurdle: moving out of your college dorm or apartment for summer. 

And let's be honest, moving and deciding on summer storage are the most challenging parts. We aren't here to talk about those things. 

If you have been following us by now, we hope you've chosen Storage Scholars as your solution for those big decisions. Once you've covered those big things, it's time to think about the small things. From labeling your boxes to adding extra insurance, there are a ton of small details that we want you to remember to make sure your move-out goes smoothly. So grab a pen and paper. We've got your complete list of to-dos so you won't forget a thing. 

#1. Change your Address

When leaving for summer, you may need to change your address temporarily. This is particularly important if you receive important mail, such as bills or paychecks, that you don't want to miss while you're away. One option is to submit a temporary change of address form with the United States Postal Service (USPS). This form will forward your mail to a different address for a specified period, usually up to six months. You can set this up in advance so you don't have to scramble on moving day. You can also update your address with companies or organizations that regularly mail you, such as your bank or credit card company. Additionally, it's a good idea to inform your college or university of your temporary address change, so they can ensure any important correspondence is sent to the correct location. Remember to update your address once you return to campus in the fall.

#2. Don't store anything you'll need over the summer

Passports, tickets, summer clothes, gear for an important sporting event--take special care at the end of the year so you don't pack something you may need for summer. With Storage Scholars, we don't disclose the location of our storage facilities for the privacy of our customers, so you won't be able to pop in and out whenever you want. What's more, our interns and movers are students themselves, who go home for summer break too. We do not keep employees on the staff during the summer to enter and exit the facilities, so you will have to wait for your delivery to open your stored boxes. Do yourself a big favor now and keep the things you know you'll need for summer with you. 

#3. Take pictures and upload them to your portal

Our movers are fantastic! They work long hours, haul heavy boxes, and make college students everywhere just a little less stressed during finals week. However, they are still humans, and errors can happen. Whether it's a misplaced box, a label that has fallen off in transit, or a broken dish, mistakes, while rare, do happen. 

Fortunately, Storage Scholars has an exceptional insurance policy! Every box and out-of-box item comes with $100 worth of complimentary insurance. But for that insurance to work, you'll need to snap a few pictures. It's easy to take a birdseye photo of each open box or item and upload each one into your Storage Scholars portal with a brief description of the contents in each box. You can make a note of any pre-existing damage and note the estimated value of each item too. It's imperative not to take one picture with all your items but individual images of each item in storage. Your uploaded photos are extra security and peace of mind if anything happens while your items are in our care. Our team will inventory your items at pickup and then cross-check with your uploaded photos.

#4. Add more insurance

$100 worth of insurance is excellent for most things, but what if some of your stored items are worth more than that? Worry not! You can add an additional $500 of insurance per item if you have certain boxes or items that are more valuable. You can add the extra insurance in your Storage Scholars portal. 

When you upload your photos to your portal, you will provide the estimated value of each item. If you give a value that exceeds $100, you will be prompted if you want to purchase additional insurance for that specific item. You can select from the following insurance options:

$100 additional insurance - (+$2/month)

$300 additional insurance - (+$3/month)

$500 additional insurance - (+$5/month)

No additional coverage

We strongly encourage you to add extra insurance to items you think have a value greater than $100. It will give you peace of mind when you store your items. 

#5. Pack an essentials bag

While packing your belongings and deciding which to store and which to keep with you for the summer, you'll need an "in-between" bag to keep all of your essentials. Think of it as an overnight bag while transitioning from one location to another. It will avoid needing to dig through boxes while packing and unpacking. You'll be able to quickly load and tape up the boxes that you know you won't need immediately. Keep things like a phone charger, daily toiletries, a change or two of clothes, important paperwork, a towel, bed sheets, and medications all easily accessible in your essentials bag for the first night at your new location—everything else you can unpack the next day. If you are traveling by air, keep out comfortable shoes, plane tickets, snacks, and wherever else you might need for a day of travel. Storage Scholars can store or ship the rest for you. 

#6. Properly store electronics

While we do all the hard stuff, like moving the heavy boxes and storing them over the summer, we don't do the packing or prepping. We want to keep your items personal and let you pack things how you want them to. Whether you fold your clothes and blankets neatly or cram them into empty spaces doesn't matter! What does matter is that you take the time to pack away your electronics properly. We've written an incredibly helpful blog on storing your electronics over the summer so they return to you in the fall just how you left them. So give it a read, and then take advantage of our free bubble wrap because you will need lots of it!

#7. Clean out your appliances

File this under 'things you probably don't want to do but should." Cleaning out your mini-fridge, microwave, coffee maker, or any other kitchen appliance that you have had in your college space is so important. Storing away these items without proper cleaning can lead to mold, mildew, and insects or pests, damaging your appliances and other nearby belongings! Unplug that fridge days before the movers arrive to give it plenty of time to defrost, then dry it thoroughly. Failing to defrost your fridge in time can also lead to added fees since the movers must do this for you. So avoid those fees (and the nasty bacteria) and clean those appliances! You'll be grateful when you move back in. 

#8. Label Boxes

Save yourself a headache and invest in a great big Sharpie! Then, use it to label your boxes. Give details of what you pack away so you aren't left wondering or worse–rummaging through each one looking for what you need. It doesn't take much time initially but will save you loads of time in the end. Fortunately, the boxes you store over the summer with Storage Scholars will have built-in labels printed on them, so you know precisely where to label them and what information to include. For the non-boxed items (like furniture, mirrors, etc.), Storage Scholars will provide you with labels when you pick up your packing supplies on your school's distribution day. If you need more, you can always print some on your own. Then find a good place to attach them so they won't fall off. Ensuring that your labels are perfectly secured and include the correct information will ensure that your items make it to storage and back to you before school starts again. 

#9. Review your summer storage company

Another small detail that can make a big difference, especially to your hardworking moving team, is leaving a review! If you have exceptional service, we want to hear about it! Shout out specific names for recognition, or cite your moving team as a whole. There's no better compliment than leaving a review for others to see and letting us know we're doing a good job.   

#10. Confirm your storage and moving plans for summer

It can never hurt to confirm your plans. This small detail will ensure that your moving plans are solid. Check the time, date, and address you've provided to ensure that your move happens when you expect it to. At Storage Scholars, you simply need to log into your online portal and double-check your pick-up details for assurance. If you have any concerns, you can always email us, live chat with us, or call us. Our team works overtime during moving and storage season, so you always have someone to answer your questions when you call. 

#11. Check with your RA

Always check in with your Resident Advisor before you go in case you need to complete any final tasks or move-out requirements. They will probably give your room a quick inspection and give you any last-minute information for your move-out. If you hired Storage Scholars to pick up your items, you could ask your RA to be your proxy if you can't stick around. Or, better yet, if you're a Key Access Partnership school, you can inform your RA but won't need them to be present either. 

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Final Thoughts

Moving out of college for the summer can be a daunting task. Just remember, you can call on Storage Scholars for the big stuff, and with this comprehensive list, now you don't have to sweat the small stuff, either. Sure, packing your items carefully and labeling every box is not the most fun way to spend your last week at college, but following this list will make it so you don't have to think twice or forget a thing.

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Pack your essentials, bid farewell to your college, and say hello to summer! Happy moving and summer storage!

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