As the spring semester is coming to an end, it’s time to start thinking about packing up for whatever opportunity awaits for you during the summer. For some students packing up their dorm room and hauling all of their belongings back home isn’t a practical solution. Instead, storage units for college students are convenient and affordable.
Do research on facility – The first step of finding storage unit is to find a quality facility. When looking for a student storage unit, its important to find a facility that offers affordable prices and security. Also consider a storage facility that is near your college campus.
Consider Size of the Unit – The size of storage unit is another factor to consider when finding summer storage. Your storage facility should offer plenty of space to fit all of your belongings. If you plan on hanging on to any pieces of furniture it may be a good idea to rent a storage unit that offers a spacious floor plan. Our two most popular sizes for students are 5×5 and 5×10.
5×5 unit- The typical contents of a dorm room are a desk, chair, TV, twin bed, and a few boxes. This can easily all fit within a 5×5 storage unit, which is the size of a small closet.
5×10 unit- If you have a large bed or desk, or perhaps an extra piece of furniture such as a futon, you may want to upgrade to a 5×10 unit. You can even consider storing with a friend and splitting costs to save money.
Organize Before You Move – Once you have found the right storage unit, it’s important to organize all of your belongings. Be sure to clearly label every box with a detailed list of all of the contents. You may want to consider color coding each box with bright packing tape.
Tips & Tricks to remember
Start packing early
Books should be packed horizontally in smaller box. Storing books vertically can damage the spines.
Pack glasses, plates and dishes in bubble wrap. Place heavier items at the bottom of the box and lighter objects on top.
Don’t forget to clean out your appliances before placing them in a storage unit. Leave the door to a mini-fridge open while in storage,this will prevent odor.
Do a thorough review of your room before leaving
Don’t wait until the last minute to figure out what to do with all your stuff! Start looking for your summer storage unit now.
Tax season is here! Getting organized ahead of time to file your taxes can alleviate a lot of the stress involved with meeting the April 15th deadline. Below are helpful tips and reminders to make sure you have all the information you will need when its time to file your taxes.
1. Plan Ahead – To limit last minute stress, create a calendar to plan your tax time to-dos, and aim to have your taxes filed in advance. You will want to have a schedule for keeping your documents organized. Is it that you will file the proper items at the end of the work week? Create a habit, use alarms, and set reminders to help you create this habit.
2. Designate a Space for Tax Organization – Whether it be your home office, kitchen table, or even a storage unit, make sure your tax record keeping has a designated spot.
3. Decide on a Filing System – If you use paper clips, accordion folders, color-coded sticky notes, or some other filing system, decide on how your going hold together important paperwork and documents. If you do everything online and decide to go paperless, be sure to keep electronic records.
4. Gather All Income Statements and Documents Including Receipts – Group together all sources of income, including W-2, 1098 or 1099 forms, as well as paid invoices or any other evidence of income you have received in the past year. Keep your receipts in a separate folder.
5. Decide How You Will File – Will you be using a tax filing software program, give everything to your accountant, or just file the paperwork by yourself? Whatever you decide, make sure you have everything in order prior to the deadline of April 15th.
6. Shred and Store Smart – To avoid identity theft, shred any papers you saved and didn’t need. Once taxes are filed, store all the paper work you may need in a secure place.
7. Use the Scanner or Smartphone to Simplify – Are looking for easier access to your receipts? You can either snap pictures of your receipts and save to your computer or use a scanner. Some smartphone apps make it easier to store your scanned items, check out the app store for more details.
Tax season doesn’t have to be stressful. Stay organized and plan ahead of time. With these simple tips, tax organization should be easier!
All A-1 Self Storage locations will be closed in observance of Easter Day on Sunday, March 27th.
Normal access hours are available at most locations. Please check with your self storage facility to confirm the schedule. For your convenience, we also offer a 24 hour rental/payment kiosk at 19 of our A-1 Self Storage locations! We will reopen on Monday, March 28th.
A-1 Self Storage is dedicated to providing you with the best in customer service. Below are the answers to many of the most common questions. If your questions are not answered here, please feel free to contact the location nearest you and speak to one of our self storage experts.
Q: When can I get to my belongings?
A: We offer the longest access hours in the market. Some of our locations also offer convenient 24 hour access on select units. Please contact the location directly to verify your access hours.
Q: Do you have a pest control maintenance schedule?
A: Yes, we schedule monthly, professional pest control services at all of our locations for your peace of mind.
Q: How long do I have to sign up?
A: We offer month-to-month rentals with no long term commitment to save you money.
Q: Do you offer a mover?
A: Although we don’t offer a mover, we do offer FREE use of our moving truck at our San Juan Capistrano, CA & Alhambra, CA locations to save you time and money. Please contact the location for full details. We would also be more than happy to recommend a local reliable mover.
Q: How can I make a payment?
A: Payments can be processed by mail, in person, over the phone, through our website or 24 hour self-service kiosks available at select locations. You may also arrange to have payment automatically deducted from your credit card. Please ask your local location about this convenient payment option.
Q: Which locations offer the 24 Hour Rental/Payment kiosk?
A: Our self-service kiosks are open 24/7 for your convenience to rent a space or make a payment at the following locations: Chula Vista, Concord, Cypress, Huntington Beach, La Habra, La Mesa – Spring St., Lake Forest, North Hollywood – Vanowen St., Oakland, San Diego – Kearny Mesa, San Diego – Morena, San Jose – Baroni Ave, San Jose – Old Oakland Rd, Torrance and Vista.
Q: What sizes do you have and how much do they cost?
A: We have a wide variety of unit sizes to meet your needs and save you money. Unit sizes and prices vary by location. Please contact a location near you for available sizes and prices, or click here for our Size Guide.
Q: How do I calculate how much storage space to rent?
A: Our expert staff can assist you in determining the right size unit to save you money. Just give us a brief description of what will be stored and we’ll help you determine how much space is needed.
Q: What forms of credit card payment do you accept?
A: We accept Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express. Please ask about our convenient credit card auto-pay program!
Q: Do you sell Locks, Packing and Moving supplies?
A: Yes, for your peace of mind we sell high security locks! We also offer boxes and moving supplies for your one-stop shopping convenience.
Q: Do you have outdoor storage for boats, RVs and other vehicles?
A: Yes, we have space for Boats, RVs, Commercial Vehicles, Trucks and Cars at our Cypress, El Cajon, Fashion Valley, Huntington Beach, La Mesa – Spring Street, Mission Valley, Oceanside and Vista locations. Please contact the location nearest you for availability and vehicle size limits.
Q: How much notice must be given when I move out?
A: We require a 10 day written notice to move out. Full details on the vacating policy will be provided for you at the time of move-in.
Q: When do you have auctions?
A: Typically, we have auctions once a month at each store.
A: How do auctions work?
Q: The auctioneer will open the unit door in front of the crowd. From the doorway, you will get to look inside the unit. You can’t enter the unit or touch anything in the unit. The auctioneer will then start the bidding. If you buy unit, it is cash only at the time of sale. You are bidding to purchase everything in the unit. Units range in size from 20 square feet to 400 square feet. Prices range from a dollar to hundreds, or even thousands of dollars. Once you purchase a unit, you have 24 hours to completely empty the unit and remove everything in it from the property.
Q: Which locations offer E-Waste Recycling?
A: Participating Green Spot Drop-Off Locations include: San Diego – Fashion Valley, San Diego – Mission Valley & San Diego – Mira Mesa.
Q: What are some examples of E-Waste items that are acceptable for drop-off?
A: Some of the most commonly accepted and collected items include cell phones, computers, monitors, printers, scanners, ink & toner cartridges, small appliances and electronic components. It is illegal to throw these items in the trash and need to be properly recycled and re-purposed by State law. Items collected will not end up in landfills. They may be donated in working and non-working condition.
Q: How can I apply for a job at A-1 Self Storage?
A: We recommend you check your local Craigslist, as well as our Employment Opportunities section on our blog for current job postings.
A-1 Self Storage is dedicated to providing you with the best in customer service. Below are the answers to many of the most common questions. If your questions are not answered here, please feel free to contact the location nearest you and speak to one of our self storage experts.
Q: When can I get to my belongings?
A: We offer the longest access hours in the market. Some of our locations also offer convenient 24 hour access on select units. Please contact the location directly to verify your access hours.
Q: Do you have a pest control maintenance schedule?
A: Yes, we schedule monthly, professional pest control services at all of our locations for your peace of mind.
Q: How long do I have to sign up?
A: We offer month-to-month rentals with no long term commitment to save you money.
Q: Do you offer a mover?
A: Although we don’t offer a mover, we do offer FREE use of our moving truck at our San Juan Capistrano, CA & Alhambra, CA locations to save you time and money. Please contact the location for full details. We would also be more than happy to recommend a local reliable mover.
Q: How can I make a payment?
A: Payments can be processed by mail, in person, over the phone, through our website or 24 hour self-service kiosks available at select locations. You may also arrange to have payment automatically deducted from your credit card. Please ask your local location about this convenient payment option.
Q: Which locations offer the 24 Hour Rental/Payment kiosk?
A: Our self-service kiosks are open 24/7 for your convenience to rent a space or make a payment at the following locations: Chula Vista, Concord, Cypress, Huntington Beach, La Habra, La Mesa – Spring St., Lake Forest, North Hollywood – Vanowen St., Oakland, San Diego – Kearny Mesa, San Diego – Morena, San Jose – Baroni Ave, San Jose – Old Oakland Rd, Torrance and Vista.
Q: What sizes do you have and how much do they cost?
A: We have a wide variety of unit sizes to meet your needs and save you money. Unit sizes and prices vary by location. Please contact a location near you for available sizes and prices, or click here for our Size Guide.
Q: How do I calculate how much storage space to rent?
A: Our expert staff can assist you in determining the right size unit to save you money. Just give us a brief description of what will be stored and we’ll help you determine how much space is needed.
Q: What forms of credit card payment do you accept?
A: We accept Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express. Please ask about our convenient credit card auto-pay program!
Q: Do you sell Locks, Packing and Moving supplies?
A: Yes, for your peace of mind we sell high security locks! We also offer boxes and moving supplies for your one-stop shopping convenience.
Q: Do you have outdoor storage for boats, RVs and other vehicles?
A: Yes, we have space for Boats, RVs, Commercial Vehicles, Trucks and Cars at our Cypress, El Cajon, Fashion Valley, Huntington Beach, La Mesa – Spring Street, Mission Valley, Oceanside and Vista locations. Please contact the location nearest you for availability and vehicle size limits.
Q: How much notice must be given when I move out?
A: We require a 10 day written notice to move out. Full details on the vacating policy will be provided for you at the time of move-in.
Q: When do you have auctions?
A: Typically, we have auctions once a month at each store.
A: How do auctions work?
Q: The auctioneer will open the unit door in front of the crowd. From the doorway, you will get to look inside the unit. You can’t enter the unit or touch anything in the unit. The auctioneer will then start the bidding. If you buy unit, it is cash only at the time of sale. You are bidding to purchase everything in the unit. Units range in size from 20 square feet to 400 square feet. Prices range from a dollar to hundreds, or even thousands of dollars. Once you purchase a unit, you have 24 hours to completely empty the unit and remove everything in it from the property.
Q: Which locations offer E-Waste Recycling?
A: Participating Green Spot Drop-Off Locations include: San Diego – Fashion Valley, San Diego – Mission Valley & San Diego – Mira Mesa.
Q: What are some examples of E-Waste items that are acceptable for drop-off?
A: Some of the most commonly accepted and collected items include cell phones, computers, monitors, printers, scanners, ink & toner cartridges, small appliances and electronic components. It is illegal to throw these items in the trash and need to be properly recycled and re-purposed by State law. Items collected will not end up in landfills. They may be donated in working and non-working condition.
Q: How can I apply for a job at A-1 Self Storage?
A: We recommend you check your local Craigslist, as well as our Employment Opportunities section on our blog for current job postings.
As the spring semester is coming to an end, it’s time to start thinking about packing up for whatever opportunity awaits for you during the summer. For some students packing up their dorm room and hauling all of their belongings back home isn’t a practical solution. Instead, storage units for college students are convenient and affordable.
