Moving Into Summer: A College Student's Guide on What to Store and What to Take

It’s almost time to move out—and while your finals might be behind you, there’s still one last puzzle to solve: what should you bring home, and what should you leave behind?

Packing for summer break can feel like a chaotic mix of clothes, chargers, and sentimental stuff you forgot you even owned. But don’t worry—we’ve made it easy.

This quick guide breaks it all down:

✔️ What to store
✔️ What to take home
✔️ And how to pack it all so nothing gets lost, squished, or left behind.

A College Student's Guide: What to Store & What to Take

It’s almost time to move out—and while your finals might be behind you, there’s still one last puzzle to solve: what should you bring home, and what should you leave behind?

Packing for summer break can feel like a chaotic mix of clothes, chargers, and sentimental stuff you forgot you even owned. But don’t worry—we’ve made it easy.

This quick guide breaks it all down:

✔️ What to store
✔️ What to take home
✔️ And how to pack it all so nothing gets lost, squished, or left behind.

What Not to Pack (Trust Us)

Let’s start with what should never go into a storage box:

❌ Perishables or snacks — We love a good granola bar, but mice love them more.
❌ Liquids — That half-used shampoo? Could explode. That soda can? Definitely will.
❌ Anything living — Plants, pets, sourdough starters… no.
❌ Fragile items without padding — Your fairy lights aren’t indestructible, friend.
❌ Stuff you’ll need over summer — Passport, chargers, clothes you wear daily.

What to Store vs. What to Take Home

If you’re trying to figure out what needs to stay behind and what’s going home with you, here’s a quick cheat sheet:

Item Type	Store It	Take It
Winter clothes & boots	✅	❌
Bed sheets & pillows	✅	❌
Textbooks you’ll reuse	✅	❌
Laptop, chargers, meds	❌	✅
Sentimental items	⚠️ (only if safe)	✅
Snacks, toiletries	❌	✅

🎯 Pro tip: If you can live without it until next semester and it won’t melt, store it.

How to Pack Like a Pro

✅ 1. Label Everything

Sharpie is your best friend. Write:

Your full name
Your school
Your return location (dorm/building name)
Box #1 of X (trust us, you’ll thank yourself later)

✅ 2. Pack by Room or Item Type

Mixing your lab supplies with bathroom gear and socks = chaos. Stick to themes:

Box 1: Bedding
Box 2: School supplies
Box 3: Clothes (rolled, not stuffed)

✅ 3. Fill the Box—but Don’t Overdo It

You want boxes to be full (so they don’t cave in), but not so heavy you need a forklift.

✅ 4. Wrap Fragile Items

Use towels or clothes to cushion delicate things. Bubble wrap if you’re feeling fancy.

✅ 5. Use the Boxes We Send You

If you’re using Storage Squad, we give you boxes and tape. They’re stackable, durable, and perfectly sized for student gear.

What Not to Pack (Trust Us)

Let’s start with what should never go into a storage box:

❌ Perishables or snacks — We love a good granola bar, but mice love them more.
❌ Liquids — That half-used shampoo? Could explode. That soda can? Definitely will.
❌ Anything living — Plants, pets, sourdough starters… no.
❌ Fragile items without padding — Your fairy lights aren’t indestructible, friend.
❌ Stuff you’ll need over summer — Passport, chargers, clothes you wear daily.

What to Store vs. What to Take Home

If you’re trying to figure out what needs to stay behind and what’s going home with you, here’s a quick cheat sheet:

Item Type	Store It	Take It
Winter clothes & boots	✅	❌
Bed sheets & pillows	✅	❌
Textbooks you’ll reuse	✅	❌
Laptop, chargers, meds	❌	✅
Sentimental items	⚠️ (only if safe)	✅
Snacks, toiletries	❌	✅