Study Abroad Storage – Storage for Study Abroad Students
Study abroad storage keeps your belongings safe and accessible while you spend a semester or year overseas. When you’re exploring new countries and cultures, the last thing you want to worry about is what’s happening to your mini-fridge, furniture, and boxes back home. Box-n-Go provides student study abroad storage with pickup before you leave and delivery when you return—so you can focus on the experience of a lifetime while we keep everything secure. Students across Southern California trust our storage services to bridge the gap between departure and return.
We bring & pick up a storage unit, you load it
Storage by the box w/
in-room pick up
Why Study Abroad Students Need Dedicated Storage
Study abroad programs create a unique storage challenge. You’re not just leaving for summer break—you’re leaving the country for four months, eight months, or even a full year. Your dorm room or apartment needs to be completely emptied, but you’ll need everything again when you return. Shipping belongings overseas doesn’t make sense, and asking family to store a semester’s worth of college life isn’t always possible.
Storage bridges this gap. Instead of scrambling to figure out where to store your stuff while abroad, you schedule a pickup before departure. Box-n-Go comes to your dorm or apartment, collects everything, and stores it until you’re back on campus ready to move in again.
The timing of study abroad programs adds complexity. Fall semester abroad students leave in August and return in December—missing the typical summer storage cycle entirely. Spring semester students depart in January and return in May. Year-long programs span multiple academic cycles. Storage services for overseas students accommodate these non-standard timelines rather than forcing students into summer-only storage contracts.
The Storage Timeline for Study Abroad Students
Understanding how storage works helps you plan effectively:
Before departure: Schedule pickup for the days before you fly out. Pack everything you won’t need abroad. Our team picks up from your dorm or apartment and transports belongings to secure storage.
While abroad: Your belongings remain in our climate-friendly indoor facility. You don’t need to coordinate anything, pay multiple monthly bills, or worry about facility access while you’re in another country.
Upon return: Schedule delivery to your new housing. Whether you’re moving back to the same dorm, a different residence hall, or an off-campus apartment, we deliver when and where you need your belongings.
This timeline works regardless of program length. Short term storage for study abroad covering one semester costs less than year-long storage, with pricing that matches your actual storage duration.
Schools We Serve
Box-n-Go provides storage for students at colleges and universities throughout Southern California. Our service area covers every major campus with international programs.
In the Los Angeles area, we serve students at USC, UCLA, LMU, Occidental College, Caltech, and Pepperdine University. The Claremont Colleges—including Pomona College, Claremont McKenna, Harvey Mudd, Scripps College, and Pitzer College—have strong study abroad participation where college student study abroad storage is in high demand.
We also serve CSUN, Cal State LA, Cal State Long Beach, Cal State Fullerton, and Cal Poly Pomona. In Orange County, students at UC Irvine, Chapman University, and Concordia University Irvine use our storage services.
Planning Study Abroad Storage: A Complete Timeline
Successful study abroad storage starts with planning well before your departure date. Here’s a complete timeline to help you prepare:
Two months before departure: Research storage options and get pricing quotes. Confirm your study abroad program dates so you know exactly how long you’ll need storage. Contact Box-n-Go to discuss your specific situation and schedule tentative pickup dates.
One month before departure: Finalize your storage booking. Request box kits if using A La Carte service. Begin sorting belongings into categories: items to take abroad, items to store, items to donate or discard. Start packing non-essential items you won’t need before leaving.
Two weeks before departure: Complete packing of all items going into storage. Defrost and clean mini-fridges. Remove all food from your room. Label boxes on multiple sides with your name, phone number, and contents. Confirm your pickup appointment.
Pickup day: Have everything packed and ready. Clear a path from your room to the building exit. Our team arrives, photographs and labels each item for inventory, handles all carrying, and transports your belongings to secure storage.
While abroad: Enjoy your experience without worrying about your belongings. If your return date changes, contact us to adjust delivery scheduling.
Before returning: Schedule delivery to your new housing address. Confirm the date works with your housing move-in timeline.
Why Local Storage Beats Shipping for Study Abroad
Students wondering where to store my stuff while abroad often consider shipping items home. For most study abroad students, local college student study abroad storage in Southern California makes more financial and practical sense than shipping belongings across the country.
Shipping costs add up fast. Sending a mini-fridge, furniture, and boxes home via freight can cost several hundred dollars—and you’ll pay the same amount to ship everything back when you return. For students from the East Coast or other distant locations, round-trip shipping easily exceeds $1,000.
Beyond cost, shipping creates logistical complications. You need to pack items for long-distance transport, which requires more protective materials. You need someone at home to receive the shipment. You need to coordinate timing so items arrive after you’ve already left for your program. And when you return, you need to arrange shipping back to campus—often while still overseas, dealing with time zone differences and unreliable international communication.
Local storage for study abroad students eliminates these complications. Your belongings stay in Southern California, close to campus, ready for delivery when you return. Pickup happens from your dorm or apartment. Delivery goes directly to your new housing. No freight coordination, no cross-country logistics, no items sitting on a family member’s porch waiting for pickup.
What Students Store While Studying Abroad
Students leaving for study abroad programs typically store everything they won’t need overseas. Common items for storage while studying abroad include:
Furniture: Desk chairs, futons, shelving units, and floor lamps that won’t fit in a suitcase.
Appliances: Mini-fridges, microwaves, coffee makers, and fans—items essential for dorm life but impossible to take abroad.
Seasonal clothing: Winter coats if studying somewhere warm, summer clothes if heading to the southern hemisphere, and formal wear you won’t need while traveling.
Bedding: Comforters, pillows, mattress toppers, and sheets that make dorm beds comfortable. These items take up significant space but are essential for comfort when you return.
Electronics: Gaming consoles, monitors, printers, speakers, and other electronics that stay behind while you travel light overseas.
Textbooks and supplies: Books from completed courses, school supplies, and materials you’ll need when you return.
For storage for study abroad students, avoid storing food, perishable items, liquids, hazardous materials, and important documents. Passports, medications, and irreplaceable items should always travel with you or stay with family.
Student Study Abroad Storage Options
Box-n-Go offers two student study abroad storage solutions, both with pickup and delivery. The right choice depends on what you’re storing and whether you’re coordinating with roommates.
A La Carte Valet Study Abroad Storage
A La Carte Valet Storage uses by-the-box pricing ideal for storage for study abroad students storing primarily boxes and portable items. We mail a customizable box kit to your campus address—or you use your own boxes—and you pack at your own pace before departure.
On pickup day, our team comes to your dorm or apartment, labels every item, handles all lifting, and transports belongings to our secure facility. When you return from abroad, we deliver everything to your new address.
The Box-n-Go U Box uses thicker cardboard and full overlap flaps to resist collapse when stacked. This reinforced construction protects contents through months of storage—whether you’re gone for one semester or a full year.
A La Carte pricing means you pay for what you actually store. Ten boxes cost less than twenty boxes. A mini-fridge has its own rate. You never pay for empty space in an oversized unit, making this an affordable option for students heading overseas.
Self-Load Flex Container Study Abroad Storage
Self-Load Flex Container Storage provides a portable storage unit for students with furniture or those sharing storage while studying abroad with roommates also going overseas. We deliver an 8-foot by 5-foot by 7-foot container to your location. You load at ground level on your schedule, and we transport the sealed container to indoor storage.
This option works well when multiple students from the same program are leaving simultaneously. Roommates or friends studying abroad together can combine belongings, splitting costs significantly. The container holds furniture, appliances, and dozens of boxes—enough for multiple students’ complete room contents.
When you return, we deliver the container to your new address for unloading. Campus restrictions on container placement vary by school, so confirming logistics with your housing office is recommended.
The Hidden Costs of Not Planning Student Study Abroad Storage
Students who don’t arrange student study abroad storage in advance face expensive alternatives. Shipping belongings home requires paying freight both directions—costs that quickly exceed local storage, especially for furniture and appliances. Asking family to store items means transporting everything yourself before departure, often requiring truck rentals and long drives during an already hectic pre-departure period.
Traditional self-storage facilities require visiting in person to sign contracts, renting trucks to transport items, and making multiple trips. When you return from abroad—often jet-lagged and disoriented—the last thing you want is coordinating truck rentals and storage facility visits before you can move back into campus housing.
Parents flying in to help with move-out face round-trip flights, hotels near campus at premium rates, and rental trucks with deposits and insurance. These costs often exceed an entire semester of storage with pickup and delivery. Professional storage services eliminate these hidden expenses while providing a simpler, more reliable solution.
What Students Say About Box-n-Go
★★★★★ “I spent fall semester in Barcelona and didn’t know what to do with all my stuff. Box-n-Go picked everything up from my dorm before I left and delivered it to my new apartment when I got back in January.” — UCLA Student
★★★★★ “Storage was easier than I expected. Box-n-Go came to my apartment, took everything, and held it for the whole semester I was in London. When I returned, they delivered to my new place.” — USC Student
★★★★★ “As an out-of-state student, I couldn’t just take my stuff home before going abroad. Box-n-Go’s storage made it possible to spend a year in Japan without worrying about my belongings back in California.” — Chapman Student
★★★★★ “When our daughter decided to study abroad, we were worried about her belongings. Box-n-Go handled pickup before she left and delivery when she returned. One less thing to stress about.” — Parent of USC Student
Storage Tips for Study Abroad Students
Preparing properly for storage while studying abroad ensures your belongings stay safe while you’re overseas. These tips help you prepare before departure:
Confirm your pickup date before booking flights. Schedule pickup for the days before you leave the country to avoid last-minute stress.
Keep boxes under 50 pounds. Overloaded boxes are difficult to handle and more likely to break during months of storage. Use more smaller boxes rather than fewer heavy ones.
Label every box on all sides. Write your name, phone number, and contents on multiple sides of each box. Boxes get stacked and rotated; labels only on top become invisible.
Remove all food. Food attracts pests regardless of packaging. Empty all drawers, cabinets, and mini-fridges completely before storage. Check backpacks and desk drawers for forgotten snacks.
Don’t store liquids. Shampoo, soap, drinks, and cleaning products can leak during months of storage. Take these items with you or dispose of them before pickup.
Defrost mini-fridges 24 hours before pickup. Unplug, empty, and leave the door open to dry completely. Wet fridges develop mold during extended storage. Wipe down all interior surfaces.
Clean microwaves thoroughly. Food residue creates odors that intensify over the months you’re abroad. Remove turntables and clean separately.
Roll and protect soft items. Mattress toppers should be rolled and wrapped in plastic bags to stay clean and dry during storage. Double-bag comforters and pillows.
Keep essentials with you. Passports, medications, and important documents should travel with you or stay with family—never go into storage.
Pack a “first box” for return. Items you’ll need immediately upon returning should be clearly labeled and easily accessible. Bedding, toiletries, and a change of clothes are good candidates for this box.
Photograph electronics. Take photos of electronics, cables, and setup configurations before packing. This documents condition and helps with reassembly after months abroad.
Notify your program coordinator. Let your study abroad office know your storage plans. They may have recommendations or be able to coordinate with housing offices on your behalf.
For a complete preparation guide, use our printable move-out checklist before your departure date.
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Valet
Frequently Asked Questions About Storage for Study Abroad Students
Can students store belongings while studying abroad?
Yes. Student study abroad storage is designed specifically for those leaving the country for a semester or year. Box-n-Go picks up before you leave and delivers when you return.
How long can storage last?
University study abroad storage options accommodate any program length—one semester, two semesters, or a full academic year. Pricing scales to your actual storage duration.
Is it better to store items near campus or take them home?
For most students, storage for study abroad students near campus is more practical than shipping items home and back. Local storage with pickup and delivery typically costs less than round-trip shipping, especially for furniture.
Do parents need to fly in to help with storage?
No. Box-n-Go’s pickup and delivery services allow students to manage storage independently. Parents can coordinate remotely without traveling to campus, saving the expense of flights, hotels, and time off work.
What happens if my return date changes?
Flexible storage options accommodate schedule changes. If you’re wondering where to store my stuff while abroad, Box-n-Go adjusts delivery dates as travel plans evolve. We understand that international travel plans sometimes shift.
Can roommates share storage?
Yes. Roommates studying abroad together frequently share Self-Load Flex containers, combining belongings and splitting costs for more affordable college student study abroad storage. This approach reduces per-person expenses significantly.
What if I extend my program?
Box-n-Go accommodates program extensions. If you decide to stay abroad longer than originally planned, contact us to extend your storage period. Pricing adjusts to your actual storage duration.
How do I schedule delivery from overseas?
You can schedule delivery via email or phone from anywhere in the world. Many students coordinate delivery timing during the last weeks of their program, scheduling for the day after they return or when their new housing becomes available.
What items should not be stored?
Do not store food, perishable items, liquids, hazardous materials, or important documents like passports and medications. These should travel with you or stay with family.
How far in advance should I book storage?
Book several weeks before your departure date. This ensures preferred pickup times and gives you time to pack without rushing during the busy pre-departure period.
Explore Student Storage Services
Box-n-Go provides storage throughout Southern California for students going overseas. Visit our school-specific pages for information tailored to your campus:
Los Angeles Area: USC | UCLA | LMU | Occidental College | Caltech | Pepperdine
Claremont Colleges: Claremont Colleges | Pomona College | Claremont McKenna | Harvey Mudd | Scripps College | Pitzer College
Cal State Universities: CSUN | Cal State LA | Cal State Long Beach | Cal State Fullerton
Orange County: UC Irvine | Chapman University | Concordia Irvine
Explore Our Services: Student Storage | Dorm Storage | Summer Storage | Student Discount | Pickup & Delivery
Before you leave for your study abroad adventure, download our student storage move-out checklist to prepare for a stress-free departure.
Local Moves
Load Help
Out-of-State Move
Schedule Your Student Study Abroad Storage Today
Don’t let storage logistics complicate your study abroad plans. Box-n-Go’s student study abroad storage with pickup and delivery makes it simple—we come to you before departure and deliver when you return. Focus on your international experience while we keep your belongings safe in our secure indoor facility.
Planning ahead makes everything smoother. Schedule your pickup for the days before you fly out, pack your belongings at your own pace, and let our team handle the rest. Whether you’re studying in Europe, Asia, South America, or Australia, your items remain accessible and protected back home in Southern California. When you return—no matter what time of year—delivery to your new housing is just a phone call away.
Call 877-269-6461 to schedule pickup, get pricing, or ask questions about storage for study abroad students. You can also visit our Google Business page for reviews, hours, and directions.
Box-n-Go Service Area
Box-n-Go serves students at colleges throughout greater Los Angeles, Orange County, and the Inland Empire. Our service radius covers 45 miles, reaching all major campuses from Malibu to Irvine—including every school with study abroad programs.
