Storage Scholars' Student Guide: Ship to School

     It's August. You've had an incredible summer of friends and sunshine, but now it's time to start planning for your college move-in. You may live a few hours away, or you may live across the country. Whatever your distance, figuring out how you will get all your belongings to college can be a logistical nightmare. But I promise you--it doesn't have to be!

     You could practice minimalism and stuff your entire life into a single suitcase. But let's be realistic; there are things you need to survive college that you can't live without. You may already own some of these items, but you'll likely need to buy some new ones, too, especially if it's your first year away. 

     Bedding, drawers, a desk chair, a mattress topper (because, ew…old dorm beds!), pillows, a rug, room decor, towels, a mirror, a mini fridge, and a microwave all need to be moved to your dorm. And, of course, let's not forget your clothing, shoes, and school supplies. And this is only a basic list. The list gets bigger if you play sports or ride a bike for transportation. So how will you possibly get all your belongings to college? 

     Cue in "Ship to School"! Your saving grace when it comes to college move-in!

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What in the World is "Ship to School"?

     Ship to School is a new program that we tested at six of our colleges during the summer of 2022. Parents and students shared with us a significant hurdle they commonly encounter during the week of move-in, so we provided them with a solution.

     The short version: Ship to School is a convenient service for students who are moving to college. You ship us your belongings from home (in boxes we provide to you), and we store everything in a safe location for the rest of the summer. We deliver everything to your dorm before you even arrive on campus, thanks to our unique 'Key Access" partnership with many of our colleges. 

     The second part of the service is the "a la carte" option. This allows you to order items from online retailers (like Amazon, Target, and Bed Bath and Beyond…more on retailers later) and ship them directly to us. We'll deliver your new items and the belongings you boxed at home all before you move in. Everything will be ready and waiting for you. It doesn't get easier than that.  

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Who is it For?

     This service is ideal for any college student who doesn't live near campus. It's a perfect moving solution for students (and their parents) who live more than a couple of hours away. And a total game-changer for those who live on the other side of the country. Ship to School is an excellent answer for families who are pressed for time or don't have the resources for a long-distance move.

Is it Expensive?

     "Expensive" is a relative term. When considering all the costs associated with moving across the country or even across town, Ship to School pricing is often the lower-cost option. Assess all of the things you would need to purchase if you do it by yourself: moving supplies like boxes, tape, and bubble wrap, perhaps hiring a few movers to help, or renting yourself a moving van or truck and paying for gas to transport your items to your school is only the beginning. If you're an international student, arriving on the first day of college without any essentials can be challenging. Using our Ship to School service allows you to order your items online (or "a la carte") and not worry about the logistics of getting them to your new school.   

     There's also your time to consider. Chances are your parents are taking a few days off work to help with the move. They might spend more than a day driving you, and you'll need to stay at a hotel for a few nights. Rather than enjoy the send-off, they'll spend their time driving and carrying boxes in the summer heat.  

    Last is your sanity. Are you arriving on campus with hundreds, if not thousands, of other students, on the same day, with a moving truck, and expecting to access your room easily? Unlikely. You'll be lucky if you get to use the elevator on move-in day.

     We know everyone's situation is different but check out the chart below for an example of how one student's cost of using Ship to School compared to doing it all themselves: 

How Storage Scholars Does it Differently

     While you might find a service elsewhere that claims to be similar to our Ship to School service, we can assure you that what we offer is unique. What you will not find anywhere else is our one-of-a-kind 'Key Access' partnership at many of the colleges with which we work. Having this partnership has many benefits. First, your college has done its homework and vetted out the competition. They trust Storage Scholars to represent them when it comes to student moving and storage. You can feel confident that our company is the best at what we do.

     Secondly, our special Key Access means that we don't have to fight the crowds on moving day (and neither do you). We can move your belongings into your room before you even arrive on campus. We will take special care to place everything neatly in your room and lock it up before we leave. This means you won't have to spend time waiting for us. You'll be able to set up your room and say goodbye to your family without the stress of moving. 

So What's The Process?

1. You create an account on www.Storagescholars.com and sign up for the package that suits you best. It takes only 5 minutes. There are three packages to choose from:

        2. You'll receive our boxes, shipping supplies, and prepaid shipping labels at your home about a week later.

        3. Fill those boxes with anything from home, seal them, and drop them off before the deadline (varies by school) at any FedEx location near you. You may even qualify for a home pickup.

        4. Shop for additional "a la- carte" items at online retailers and ship those using our warehouse address. 

        5. We receive all items at our warehouse. You'll be able to track everything from your online portal.

        6. Our team will deliver all your items to your dorm or room before you arrive.

What is Included in the Price?

     The package that you select will include the following:

• Our high-quality boxes and shipping supplies mailed to your home
• Up to $100 of insurance (per box) with the option of adding additional insurance
• Storage at our secure, temperature-controlled warehouse until classes start
• Delivery to your dorm room by our team of movers, who will lock up before they leave
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A La Carte

     Once you select your Ship to School Package, you can shop online and send us those packages too. Each box we receive is considered an "a la carte" item and is priced according to your chosen package. You can send as many a la carte items as you wish. Just use our warehouse address for the delivery and then enter the tracking number you receive into your online portal. We'll sort through everything and have it delivered before you arrive. 

Retailers Worth Considering:

     The possibilities are endless when it comes to a-la-carte and Ship to School! If they can ship it, then it's possible. Some of our favorite retailers with great shipping deals are:

• Amazon
• Walmart
• Target
• Bed Bath and Beyond
• Ikea
• The Container Store
• Dormify
• DormCo
  

Pro-tip: Many online retailers will allow you to ship items separately as they become available or to ship them all together in one box. Opt for the latter, if given a choice, to save money on a-la-carte shipments. While it's only sometimes possible, especially if it's a large order or the items are shipping from multiple warehouses, always be on the lookout for this option at checkout.  

Final Thoughts:

     If it saves you money, time, and sanity and is incredibly convenient, it's worth looking into! We strongly suggest that you do. The parents and students at our Ship to School campuses were overwhelmingly pleased with the service they received, and the feedback we got was so positive that we decided to expand to other schools in the summer of 2023! Stay tuned to see if your school will be next to offer Ship to School.

     If you have questions about our Ship to School Program or our Summer Storage for college students, visit our FAQs page or email us at info@storagescholars.com. 

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