<p>I was thinking this morning about our oldest, who will be moving out of the dorms for the summer and storing all her stuff in Boston before returning home for the summer. She has already made plans to share a storage spot with her Fall roommate, so is already on the right path. Neither she nor I have ever stored stuff like this before - any tips? </p>
<p>So far, I was going to tell her
1 - It will take longer than you think to pack everything up - leave enough time!
2 - Wash your bedspread, towels, and bedding before you pack it away. I was thinking of suggesting garbage bags with twist ties for storage, and suggesting that she leave one of those “dryer sheets” in the bag. Based on what we found moving in, it pays to pack all your bedding together in the order that you will put it in the bed. Those rooms are small, and if you are moving in at the same time as your roommate, it can get tight. Just unpacking your bedding first is extremely helpful, as it takes a lot of space and then you have a place to put everything.<br>
3 - Make a list of what you will need to take home so you don’t have to rebuy things at home. I am imagining that she will fly home with clothes and computer stuff only, but she will be flying to London to do a summer semester there so it is a bit more complicated. </p>
<p>If washing stuff before it is put into storage - especially if storing in plastic bags or totes - make sure it is COMPLETELY dry. Don’t wash it the night before leaving. Our kid, who traveled across the country each year and put most stuff into storage, slept the last couple of nights w/o a blanket/comforter…and brought home the 1 set of sheets and 1 towel used the night before leaving (which, fortunately, were remembered when packing for the fall!)</p>
<p>Thanks 2boys! Would not have thought of that!</p>
<p>Any other suggestions? charliesschm, I know Harvard (across the river from our DD’s college) keeps things over the summer that students leave behind - they store it somewhere, and then sell it in the FALL to students moving in. Now THAT is smart - they make a lot of money for the club that coordinates. I have heard a lot of schools place big bins in the lobby that are monitored by Goodwill - another good idea!</p>
<p>I prefer those giant clear ziplock bags to black garbage bags. I’m too afraid one will inadvertently be tossed in the garbage. I like the fact that you can label them and see the contents through them.</p>
<p>So glad someone mentioned insuring things are completely dry before packing it away, especially if storing in plastic bags. And yes to a couple of fabric softener sheets! Could she consider space bags for storing and not taking up as much space?</p>
<p>For storage, I use those big blue Rubbermaid plastic tubs. It’s nice because they can hold a lot of things and are stackable. I’ve had three of them that I’ve used since freshman year (I’m graduating May 12th). I just label them with what’s in them and store the same stuff in the same bins each year.</p>
<p>I also keep the boxes from appliances–coffeemakers, dishes, etc. because it tends to be square and thus easier to stack/store than the oddly-shaped appliance.</p>
<p>If you’re going to store anything that’s heat sensitive at a storage facility/relative’s home, make sure it is temperature controlled or ensure it is stored in a temperate area. </p>
<p>Several college classmates stored printers with toner/ink cartridges over the summer in a hot storage facility/family’s attic and ended up having to buy new toner/ink cartridges because the heat caused them to burst/leak which rendered them useless when they came back to start another year.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Don’t store anything perishable…and that includes CANDLES. </p></li>
<li><p>Don’t lose the key or combination! And make sure you have the phone number of the place in a safe spot.</p></li>
<li><p>Choose a place that is both DRY and has climate control (AC). Mold and mildew are the biggest problems with stored items.</p></li>
<li><p>My kid washed the “stuff” before she stored it…but she also washed much of it when she got it back out of storage.</p></li>
<li><p>Do NOT store anything that is valuable…in other words, if it’s not easily replaced…don’t store it. No jewelry, electronics, etc. My did did store a small TV but she had no attachment to it at all.</p></li>
<li><p>My kid did not store liquids like shampoo…she used that up before the end of the term and bought fresh in the fall. Too much chance of spilling…and damage. Ditto any laundry detergent, toothpaste, nail polish, anything like that.</p></li>
<li><p>HGFM is right…those rubbermaid bins are good…plus they are the same size. and can nest in one another during the school year. My daughter had those too…and stored them during the school year at a friend’s house (after freshman year…after soph year, she had her own house with plenty of storage).</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Give away or sell anything that you REALLY don’t need. Do not pay to store it. By the end of the freshman year, most kids know what they need/don’t need. Purge. It costs money to store unneeded items.</p>
<p>My kid’s school had a large “tag sale” of items to benefit charity. I wish I could remember the name…it’s done at a LOT of college campuses with the “stuff” that is abandoned at the end of the year. My daughter’s school was consistently one of the top money makers. It was an excellent idea…and a good cause (but also highlighted the significant waste!!).</p>
<p>When my kid came 3000 miles home for the summer…she first got out her suitcase and backpack and figured out what was coming east. THEN she dealt with storing or getting rid of the rest of the “stuff”.</p>
<p>I have to say…one of the BEST things about having a kid in college 3000 miles away was that her “stuff” didn’t decorate our living room for 3 1/2 months every summer!!</p>