Manchester Student Self Storage 2025| Cheap Storage for Students in Manchester

According to The Complete University Guide, Manchester has a student population of over 100,000, including over 27,000 international students. This represents one of the largest student populations in Europe, and at Pink Storage we're proud to serve them.

In fact, QS rates it one of the top 25 cities for students to study worldwide.

Reasons for student storage. Why do students need storage?

With so many students coming in and out of the area, there’s high demand for student storage, especially at this time of year – the university summer holidays are looming. (We look more closely at the Manchester universities below.)

"Digs" (shared houses) are still a popular accommodation option for students in Manchester especially in areas like Fallowfield and Rusholme. But so is Manchester’s purpose-built student accommodation, increasingly available in the city centre.

But whether leaving halls or digs or even student accommodation over the summer period, there is usually a large movement of students from one type of accommodation to another at this coming time of year.

This creates extra demand for storage space, driven mainly by:

- overseas students arriving early to the UK to acclimatise before university starts and needing somewhere to put their belongings;

-  home is a little too far away to transport all belongings back;

-  moving out of halls or property rentals at the end of term, but starting a new student rental at the start of Autumn term;

- travelling or volunteering over the summer break;

-  leaving it too late to find accommodation that covers the summer;

-  foreign students from further away wanting their belongings shipped to Manchester to arrive in plenty of time;

-  students taking a year abroad or in a placement as part of their course;

- graduates keeping their belongings in storage pending starting new employment;

-  student gap years either before taking a degree, or at the end of studies before formally entering the World of work;

- internships.

(WIn our next blog, we take a closer look at the timings of university holidays.)

How much will Student Storage cost? Cheapest is not always the best - or the cheapest!

Student storage varies in price depending on all kinds of factors. However, you can get a quote on the Pink Storage site in seconds (and even be signed up and in within minutes!)

Students are offered all sorts for storage at this time of year, often with hidden costs. Our checklist for hidden costs includes:

-           collection

-           delivery

-           access fees

-           padlocks

-           key, and other, deposits

We are proud to offer highly competitive prices for sites with state of the art security, easy (free) to access sites, container storage units that are both clean and dry, and drive up access (no stairs or lifts to negotiate).

Whilst others may look like the cheapest student storage at first glance, they are not so cheap once the add ins start adding in!.

The only thing we do impress on students, whether using us or another supplier, is that they check the insurance offered is adequate. All should have a base level of insurance, but you may want mor, especially if you are storing expensive course related equipment like musical instruments, construction tools or laptops.

Of course, sharing will bring the cost down - and at 160 square feet per container, there's usually plenty of space for most student store sharers.

How much does a student storage unit cost?

The cost of your student storage unit will vary with all kinds of factors.

And of course, as mentioned above, some students choose to share storage space, which drives costs down.

What’s the best way for a student to store their 'stuff' over the summer?

Although it’s tempting to use friends’ houses for storing belongings over the summer, student digs can be notoriously insecure, tend to have endless visitors over the summer, and are a target for thieves and vandals. They often monitor areas over longer periods of time – and let’s face it, student houses often stand out as student houses. Without CCTV, student properties, which usually have numerous consumer electronics like laptops and televisions, are rich pickings for light-fingered intruders, especially when empty.

Similarly empty properties can attract squatters, even if this is illegal.

Not all of the squatters are human either! If a property is at all damp, bins aren’t emptied, or food is left around, pests, rodents, creepy crawlies of all shapes and sizes will have a field day.

There’s also the ‘parents’ or family option. This can not only mean epic journeys at least twice over the holidays (once there, once back) lugging ‘stuff’ backward and forward, it can put a strain on family relationships, encourage parental examination of belongings, and generally cause work and ‘clutter stress’.

Six reasons students in Manchester should use self-storage

1.       Self storage can prove to be a friendship-saving alternative to putting upon friends or family to look after your belongings

2.       Belongings are closer for when you needthem at the start of next term (if you book it near your university of course!)

3.       Self storage is usually more secure than ‘digs’ or student housing (yours or your friends’).

4.       Get your timing right and it's cheaper than paying for a house or room over the summer period.

5.       It’s easy for a few students to share, bringing costs down even further.

6.       More convenient access than using friends houses.

Considerations for Student Self Storage

There are two essential qualities that self storage for students need: cheap prices and secure storage.

Other considerations include:

-           Insurance

-           Size of the storage unit

-           Cleanliness of the self storage space

-           Access hours

You will almost certainly need to access your belongings much less than you think: survey after survey has clearly demonstrated that most people only need to access their storage every month or two.

Are my items insured when in storage?

Take a look at what insurance your storage provider offers. As mentioned above, they almost always offer some level of insurance. Most people will choose to take out more, however, depending on the value of what they’re storing.

At the end of my storage period, how do I get my items returned to me?

Most self storage providers allow you to collect your items whenever the site is open. (For Pink Storage container storage that’s most hours.)

However, There's also a service known as mobile storage, where the supplier collects your things and delivers them back. This is normally more expensive as the transport will need paying for. (Pink Storage can also offer this service.)

How much student storage space do I need?

How much space you need depends on how much you need to store. Pink Storage container units are 160 square foot, so enough to store the full contents of a one bedroom flat. Because of the size, convenience, and drive up facilities, some students choose to share the space.

How will I pay for my student storage?

How you pay for your student storage will depend on your supplier, but at Pink Storage you have a choice of payment terms when you sign up, like billed weekly or monthly.

I don’t have a car, is there any help getting my goods into storage?

We have come up with five possible solutions to this dilemma:

1.       Find a supplier (like Pink Storage) that can offer mobile storage, where the supplier collects and drops off belongings.

2.       Share the unit with someone who does have a car.

3.       Hire a van/car to help you move.

4.       Ask friends and relatives to help you move your things. If it’s parents, this may be an easier ‘sell’ as they’ll be glad you’re not bringing it all home.

5.       Find a storage facility within walking distance of where you are currently staying. The downsides to this are obviously the need to carry or move your things, and that you may be moving to somewhere else.

Is my student storage unit accessible 24/7?

Some storage units are open 24/7. As an added security measure, at Pink Storage we close at certain very late hours of the night/early morning, although special access arrangements can be made.

In general, you should ask your storage supplier when they are open but it pays to remember that, as mentioned above, you will almost certainly access the unit a lot less than you believe. (This has been shown time and again by industry surveys.)

Why Choose us for Student Storage in Manchester?

1. Our prices are great, and you’re not tied in for long contract periods.

2. Our sites are secure.

3. We invite students to look at our fabulous TrustPilot review score.

   

   Why do Manchester's students love Pink Storage?

   Pink Storage has Manchester storage locations at both Trafford Park, Stretford (M17 postcode) and at Gorton Road (M11 postcode, Openshaw direction).

   This makes us easy to get to, and as our storage is large, clean container storage, there’s plenty of space for students who want to share a container. And this style of storage means that it’s drive up storage – making loading and unloading simple.

   Whilst one student will need to ‘own’ the contract for sharers, signing up online couldn’t be easier – you can be up and running with access within minutes.

   IN OUR NEXT BLOG, WE'LL BE LOOKING AT WHICH STORAGE UNITS IN MANCHESTER ARE THE BEST FOR EACH UNIVERSITY/COLLEGE IN MANCHESTER.