Student Storage — Summer & Semester Storage for College Students

Your dorm contents fit in a 5×10 — pricing starts at ~$60/month, month-to-month, with online rental so you (or your parents) can set it up from anywhere.

The TL;DR for students

If you’re reading this in May because finals are 3 weeks away and you suddenly realize you have nowhere to put your stuff:

What size? A typical dorm room fits comfortably in a 5×10 unit (about the size of a large walk-in closet). Single bed, dresser/desk contents, fridge/microwave if you have one, ~15 boxes of personal items.
What it costs? Forward Storage 5×10 units typically run $60-90/month depending on location. Many students go with 5×5 ($40-60/month) if they don’t have a fridge and minimal furniture.
How long? Month-to-month. Summer break? Rent May through August. Semester abroad? Rent for the duration. Year-round? Sure.
How to rent? Online in about 5 minutes. You’ll have a gate code immediately. Drive there, unload, done.

If you have more time and want to do it right, read on.

Forward Storage properties near college towns

Forward Storage operates 26 locations across 13 states. Several are within easy reach of major universities:

Auburn AL (technically FBP, listed here for student awareness)

Auburn University students who need flex space (more than typical storage) can use Forward Business Park Auburn — bigger units, room for projects, near campus.

Buford GA + Eden GA

About 30-45 minutes from University of Georgia (Athens). Many UGA students from Atlanta-area suburbs use these locations to bridge summer + breaks.

Pine Bluff AR

University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB) — direct vicinity.

Paris KY

About 45 minutes from Lexington and University of Kentucky. Useful for UK students from northern Kentucky or central Kentucky.

Memphis TN

University of Memphis (Tigers) — direct vicinity. Also serves Christian Brothers University and other Memphis-area institutions.

San Antonio TX (HWY 87 and HWY 181 locations)

Trinity University, UTSA, St. Mary’s, Our Lady of the Lake — all within reach.

Fredericksburg VA

University of Mary Washington — direct vicinity. Also workable for some Virginia Tech (Blacksburg) students from northern VA on summer break.

Salem VA

Roanoke College, Virginia Tech (Blacksburg, 40 min) — Salem area.

Find your nearest Forward Storage location →

Common student storage scenarios

Summer storage (May to August)

The most common student storage scenario. School ends in early/mid-May. Move out of dorm or off-campus apartment. Store your stuff for 3-4 months. Move back into new place in August.

Recommended: 5×5 or 5×10 unit, month-to-month, ~$200-400 total cost for the summer. Cheaper than driving everything 1,000 miles home and back.

Timing tip: Rent in mid-April (before peak demand). May 1-15 is the busiest student storage rental period in college towns — units sell out.

Study abroad

You’re going overseas for a semester or year. Everything you own needs somewhere to live.

Recommended: 5×10 (small) to 10×10 (full apartment) unit depending on what you have. Month-to-month for the duration of the program.

Set up auto-pay so storage doesn’t lapse while you’re abroad and unreachable.

Internship in another city

Summer internship in NYC, but you’re going back to Knoxville for senior year. Don’t drive everything to NYC for 10 weeks.

Recommended: Storage near your school (so it’s there when you get back). 5×5 to 5×10 typical.

Move-out + gap year

Graduating but taking a year off before grad school or starting work. Need to store stuff while you travel / live with parents / figure out next steps.

Recommended: 5×10 to 10×10 depending on what you’ve accumulated. Month-to-month for the duration of your gap year.

Graduate / Med / Law school move

You’re moving from undergrad city to grad school city. Storage at the new city helps the move; storage at the old city helps the transition.

Recommended: Storage at the destination, not origin. 5×10 to 10×10 typical.

What students typically store

From a dorm room

A standard dorm room contains:
– Bed (XL twin) — usually doesn’t go with you because the new place has one
– Bedding (sheets, comforter, pillows)
– Mini-fridge (~$200-400 if new)
– Microwave
– Desk lamp, fan, surge protector
– ~10-15 boxes of clothes, books, toiletries, decor
– TV (if you have one)
– Bike or scooter (optional)
– Sports equipment (depending on what you do)

This fits comfortably in a 5×10 unit, often a 5×5 if you don’t have the fridge.

From a college apartment

Substantially more — full bedroom set, kitchen contents, living room furniture, bathroom items.

A standard 1-bedroom college apartment fits in a 10×10 unit. A shared apartment’s worth of stuff (your portion) usually fits in a 5×10.

What NOT to store

Food — pests, rot, smell. Don’t store ANY food, even sealed.
Plants — they die without light.
Anything wet/damp — mold, mildew.
Important documents — passport, social security card, transcripts. Bring these with you, not in storage.
Things you’ll actually need over the summer — clothes you wear when home, electronics you use, medications.

Pricing for students

Forward Storage runs a few promotions that stack well for students:

Standard new-customer promo: 50% off first 2 months
No security deposit at most locations
No long-term contract — month-to-month
Online rental discount — sometimes available at specific locations

Typical summer storage cost (May-August, 4 months)

Unit size	Without promo	With 50%-off-2-months promo	Final cost
5×5 ($50/month)	$200 (4×$50)	$50 (months 1-2 at half) + $100 (months 3-4)	$150
5×10 ($75/month)	$300 (4×$75)	$75 (months 1-2 at half) + $150 (months 3-4)	$225
10×10 ($110/month)	$440 (4×$110)	$110 (months 1-2 at half) + $220 (months 3-4)	$330

Compare with driving 800 miles round trip with a full car: ~$200-300 in gas + your time + possible damage to stuff in transit. Storage wins for distance moves, breaks even for medium distances.

How to rent (the 5-minute process)

Pick your location — find the Forward Storage closest to your school
Pick your unit size — 5×5 or 5×10 for most students; see the Size Guide for help
Select dates — start date when you’ll move in, leave end date open (month-to-month)
Online checkout — name, email, phone, payment method
Receive access code — sent immediately to your email
Drive over and unload — your code works at the gate, the lock is at the unit waiting for you

Total time from “I need storage” to “I have storage”: about 5 minutes online + however long the drive is.

Pro tip for parents

If you’re a parent reading this for your college student: you can absolutely rent and pay on their behalf. The unit is in your name; you give them the access code. This works for parents who want to handle the logistics or who are paying for the storage anyway.

Packing tips specific to dorm/student storage

Bins beat boxes for dorm contents

Dorm life is short-term — the boxes you packed your room with last August are probably damaged. Spend $30 on 6-10 plastic bins from Walmart or Target. They:
– Stack better
– Don’t collapse with humidity
– Have lids that stay on
– Are reusable for years

Label by topic, not by room

You’re storing one room’s worth of stuff. Don’t label “Bedroom” — label by content:
– “Winter clothes”
– “Bedding”
– “Kitchen stuff”
– “Bathroom + toiletries”
– “Books + textbooks”
– “Electronics + chargers”

When you come back in August and need only your kitchen stuff first, you grab one bin.

Empty the fridge before storage

Defrost, clean, leave the door slightly ajar in the storage unit. Otherwise: mold smell on return.

Bag your bedding in vacuum-seal bags

Comforters and pillows take up a lot of space. Vacuum-seal bags reduce volume by 50%+. Cheap ($10-20 for a pack), reusable.

Don’t leave a charged battery in storage

Phone, laptop, gaming console — if it has a battery, charge it to 50% before storing (NOT 100%, NOT 0%). Or remove the battery if possible. Lithium batteries degrade at extremes.

Frequently asked questions

When should I rent?

Reserve your unit by mid-April for a May move-in. Spring storage demand peaks early-May in college towns; units sell out in popular sizes.

Can I share a unit with roommates?

Yes — multiple students can share one larger unit (10×10 instead of three 5×5s). The lease is in one person’s name; they’re responsible for payments. Roommates pay them.

What about over the school year — do you offer semester storage?

Yes. Month-to-month means you can rent for a semester (4-5 months) or full year. Many Forward Storage students rent August-to-August.

Can my parents rent and I move in?

Yes. The unit can be in their name; you get the access code. Many parents do this.

Does the lease require credit check?

For students: typically no credit check required. Online rental is straightforward.

What if I need to extend storage longer than planned?

No problem — just keep paying. Month-to-month means you can extend indefinitely.

Do you offer climate control?

Yes at most locations. For storing electronics, instruments, or books long-term, recommend climate control. See the Climate-Controlled guide.

Insurance?

Forward Storage covers the building, not your stuff. Your parents’ homeowner’s insurance often has off-premises coverage for student belongings — check with their insurance agent. Otherwise, basic storage insurance is available at sign-up for $10-20/month.

Can I move stuff in late at night?

Most locations offer extended hours (5am-10pm or 24-hour). Check the specific property page.

Ready to rent?

Find a Forward Storage location near your school →

Or call 888-684-4933 if you want to talk through sizing first.

Bonus tip for parents: Storage during college is often the cheapest “extra closet” you can buy your kid. Most students will eventually be glad they didn’t try to drive everything 800 miles every May and August.