STUDENT STORAGE IDEAS: MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR SPACE AT UNIVERSITY

There’s a lot to think about when you’re about to start university. Your new home, your new social life, your new found independence and, most importantly, your degree. In all this excitement, it’s easy to forget about the practicalities of student life, especially when it comes to your living space.Most students (unless you’re very lucky) will move into a house or flat where space is going to be pretty limited. Typically, you’ll go from living at home where your belongings can be stored and scattered around the house, to a single room where you’ll not only keep the majority of your stuff but you’ll also sleep, study, hang out with friends and, most likely, eat too.To avoid falling into the messy student stereotype, you’re going to have to be smart about the way you organise your limited space. Nowhere is this more achievable than with storage.To make your student life easier, we’ve compiled a list of the best student storage ideas that you can use to ensure you get off to the best possible start at uni.

Vertical space

Let’s kick off with an area of the room that is often neglected when it comes to storage – your wall space. The chances are you’ll have more wall than floor space, so why not make the most of it?While you may think that shelves and hooks are not an option because most universities and landlords prohibit drilling into walls, there are alternatives. Removable shelves and hooks are great because they don’t cause any structural damage as they simply stick to the wall. If you no longer need them or it’s time to move out, just pop them off and the wall will be as good as new.Other vertical storage ideas include over-the-door hooks, wall pockets and wall racks. These are all great, inexpensive features that will keep your room tidy, your belongings organised and your landlords happy. Just don’t over do it, as too much stuff stored on your walls can make your room look just as messy as if it was all on the floor.

Desk space

One of the most important pieces of furniture in any respectable student’s room, your desk is at risk of being buried under mountains of paperwork and textbooks if you’re not careful. As well as utilising the desk’s inbuilt drawers, you’ll need to ensure your desktop space is kept organised and clutter-free.Stationery holders are ideal for keeping your academic tools in order. With dedicated spaces for pens, pencils, rubbers, notepads and other paraphernalia, they are purpose built to store stationery and will sit neatly on your desk. A great, cost-effective alternative is a cutlery tray, which will fit perfectly into one of your desk drawers.Another great desktop tip is using binder clips to keep your cables tidy. Simply clip them to your desk and use their metallic loops as holders for your phone and laptop chargers.

Wardrobe space

While some students will find they have plenty of clothes storage space in their new accommodation, many others will be struggling to stuff even half of their clothes into their new wardrobe.If you’re one of those people, don’t despair, there are ways you can maximise your wardrobe space. Firstly, start with your hangers. Get rid of the old chunky ones that take up a lot of space and replace them with thinner, velvet alternatives. You’ll be able to fit more into your wardrobe and they’ll be gentler on your clothes.Investing in a hanging wardrobe organiser is another great student storage idea. They hang from the wardrobe door or rail and provide extra space to store smaller clothing items such as shoes, t-shirts and accessories.

Bed storage

As one of the largest items in your room, it makes sense to use your bed for storage. Of course, this will depend on the type of bed you have in your student room but, if it has the capacity, your bed is a great place to store unneeded, bulky or seasonal belongings. Fill this space with storage boxes or even stash suitcases full of nonessential items. This will prevent your stuff from getting dusty but also keeps it easily accessible. Even if your new room has no under-bed storage, you can still make the most of it with a bed pocket organiser. Held in place by the weight of your mattress, these pockets that hang from your bed are great for storing everyday items such as books, shoes, electronics and other smaller belongings.

How can self storage help students?

Sometimes, even if you have taken advantage of all of the great student storage ideas above, there just isn’t enough space for all your stuff. In these situations, you can find a practical and cost-effective solution in a self storage unit. These units are ideal for storing larger items, seasonal clothes and any other excess items that will only be cluttering up your room or sat in your communal kitchen annoying your housemates.You can store your stuff for as long as you need and retrieve them whenever you want (our storage facility has 24/7 access). You can even club together with your housemates to share the space and cost of the storage unit.To find out more about your student self storage options, get in touch with the Flexible Storage team today.