As the holiday season fast approaches, chances are students right across London are more concerned with their exams right now than storage. The relaxing, lazy days followed by chilled nights out on the town are a distant memory, replaced by stress and worry during the exam period. For those in their final year, thoughts will turn increasingly to job hunting, with a chosen lucky few already sorted; for others, a long lazy summer of travel and introspection beckons. But before all of that, there’s the worry of “what will I do with my things when I get kicked out of halls?”
Storing Your Things: A Practical Guide For Students
Students looking to store their belongings with Attic Self Storage should consider the following guidance:
- Book early. Most students look for a locker, or a small personal storage room of about ten to fifteen square feet. These have a habit of selling out in early summer, with a significant number of students in London going travelling while leaving their personal belongings in storage
- Keep some documents. You know, those bank statements and phone bills you ignore, rip up and chuck in the bin? Well, you’ll need them to help meet our “Know your Customer” checks on move-in day!
- Pre-pay. If you know you’re going to be storing for, say, 4 months, then ask if you can prepay. It helps you budget more easily, and you don’t run the risk of late payment fees or surcharges when the credit card details you gave us expire on the day you reach the summit of Kilimanjaro!
- Club together. If you know a few people who need storage, club together to get big savings – the bigger the room, the lower the rate “per square foot” so you’re better off renting a 50sq ft room between five of you, than five 10sq ft rooms. You would of course need to trust one another.
- You’re a student! Don’t forget it and don’t let us forget it – make sure you tell us so we can make sure you get your 10% student discount
- Don’t use a man & van, get a cab. It will work out much cheaper, and for just a few boxes and a couple of suitcases, you don’t need a van.
- Get your storage for free. Yes, really! We operate a great referral scheme, so by referring a few friends you could end up with free storage. Ask our staff for details.
We serve all students right across London, for more help and information call one of our team on 020 8981 6800. Local universities we cover include:
Queen Mary University (Mile End Road, London E1 4NS)
Queen Mary is part of the University of London. The main campus is located on Mile End road and is pretty central to the City. There are four other main campuses:
Whitechapel – School Of Medicine And Dentistry (Garrod Building, Turner Street, Whitechapel, London E1 2AD)
Those studying medicine and dentistry will find themselves located here, and will have easy access to the medical library and of course unrivalled access to the Royal London Hospital located next door. Whitechapel is a short distance from our storage depot in Bow, and we usually recommend a people carrier or estate taxi for most students as the most effective way of getting their personal belongings in to storage for the holidays.
Charterhouse Square – Medical Research Headquarters For The Wolfson Institute Of Preventive Medicine (Charterhouse Square, London EC1M 6BQ)
If you enjoyed studying medicine as an undergraduate, you may well find yourself studying a postgraduate diploma or engaging in medical research at the Charterhouse Square campus. Based very centrally between Farringdon and the Barbican, Charterhouse Square occupies an enviable position, but remains within easy reach of our store in Bow – a short hop on the district line to Bow Road, or once again a short cab ride if you’ve got a few boxes.
West Smithfield Square (St Barts Hospital, Barts And The London NHS Trust, London EC1A 7BE)
Home to a variety of research facilities and laboratories, (and no, not the CSI kind of labs!) West Smithfield Square is home to the cardiovascular, epidemiological, cancer and public health research teams. When not busy finding ways to save lives in the future, these admirable students and research fellows and assistants might wish to enjoy a travelling holiday and store their belongings with Attic! If they did so, they might also find a fellow from Charterhouse Square with whom to share a cab to Bow, as they are located very close to one another.
Lincoln’s Inn Fields (67-69 Lincoln’s Inn Fields, London WC2A 3JB)
Lincoln’s Inn Fields has been at the heart of the legal profession in London as long as there has been a legal profession in London. And so it comes as no surprise to find that Queen Mary’s Postgraduate Law and Commercial Law centres are based there. A quick hop along the district line from Temple to Bow Road is easiest, or again grab a cab if you have a few boxes. Attic Self Storage offers a dedicated student collection service (charges apply) to all Queen Mary University students, together with our student discount of 10%.
The University Of East London
Catering to almost 30,000 students from over 120 countries around the globe, UEL is a rapidly growing educational establishment that prides itself on diversity. Originally established in 1898 in Stratford and conveniently located in the heart of East London, UEL has three main campuses:
UEL Stratford Campus (Water Lane, Stratford, London E15 4LZ)
Specialising in physical education, the Stratford campus offers courses in sports sciences, physiotherapy and podiatry. Located within spitting distance of the London Olympic park that played host to the 2012 Games and 2012 Paralympic Games, this campus couldn’t ask for a better location. We think we’re a smidgen closer to the main stadium of course, but we wouldn’t race any UEl students there – Mrs Atticus has fed us far too well over the years!
UEL Docklands Campus (University Way, London E16 2RD)
The Docklands Campus of the University of East London is set in the modern business district that is Docklands, surrounded by docks and locks, the river Thames and water in any direction this Campus has an enviable position. Close to London City Airport, it’s also convenient for students travelling from abroad. The Campus is largely self-contained with over 1,200 student accomodation units and all the facilities on site you might imagine, from a launderette through eateries and watering holes to entertainment. And if that’s not enough, Stratford itself as well as the City of London are both only a short hop away on the Docklands Light Railway.
UEL Duncan House (Stratford High Street, London E15 2JB)
Not far from the physical education main Stratford campus, Duncan House offers courses in law and social science. Both Duncan House and the Stratford Campus benefit from being in the heart of Stratford with all its bars and nightlife, as well as excellent links in to central London – Liverpool street is less than 5 minutes on the overland train, backed up by the Central Line (Liverpool Street and Bank Station both less than fifteen minutes away), the DLR and the Jubilee line.
USS: University Square Stratford (London E15)
The USS is actually a collaboration between the University of East London and Birkbeck University of London. It is aimed principally at mature students, offering them the opportunity to gain qualifications, training and skills that will enhance their employment prospects. The Campus is located in Stratford, at the UEL Stratford Campus in fact.
University Of East Anglia, London (102 Middlesex Street, London E1 7EZ)
The UEA in London is an extension of the University of East Anglia, providing a base in London for students from East Anglia needing to conduct research or gain access to other universities or libraries in the capital. It also affords international students gaining admission to the UEA with the option of studying in London. UEA has a great reputation for teaching that is reflected by its students and the consistently good feedback they give in survey after survey.