Storage Blog

What Size Storage Unit Do I Actually Need?

If you’ve ever stood in front of a packed dorm room, cluttered garage, or moving van and thought, “How am I supposed to guess what size storage unit I need?”—you’re not alone. At Mt. Pleasant Storage, we hear this all the time. Whether you're a Central Michigan University student trying to store your stuff for summer break, downsizing your home, or juggling a short-term move, knowing what fits where can be tricky—especially if you don’t want to pull out a measuring tape for every futon and mini fridge. Good news: You don’t have to. We've broken it down into real-life scenarios that match our most common unit sizes. Before you guess, check out our size guide to see how everyday items stack up. How to Estimate What You Need Without Measuring Most people don’t have a blueprint of their belongings, and that’s okay. One of the easiest ways to estimate storage space is to think in “rooms.” If you’re storing items from a single dorm room or studio apartment, you’ll probably need the smallest size available. If you’re storing the contents of a one-bedroom or two-bedroom apartment, you’ll likely want a medium-sized unit. A full house with appliances, furniture, and boxes usually fits best in one of the larger sizes. Consider how often you’ll need access to your stuff. If you’re only using the unit for temporary storage between moves, you can pack it tight. If you’ll be visiting regularly, choose a slightly larger unit so you can walk inside and grab what you need without unpacking everything. Match Your Situation to the Right Unit Size If you’re a CMU student, you’re likely dealing with small furniture, seasonal clothes, textbooks, and personal items. Most students can store everything they need in a 5x5 or 5x10 unit, especially if they’re only keeping things over the summer. For students sharing with a roommate or storing more furniture, a 10x10 is usually plenty. If you’re moving apartments or downsizing, a 10x10 is a good place to start ...

Admin
April 30th, 2025

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Storage Tips for CMU Students

College Move-Out Made Easy: Storage Tips for CMU Students Moving out at the end of the semester always feels like it should be easier than it is. You’ve been through it before—maybe once, maybe a few times—but somehow the process never really changes. Finals week hits, your schedule’s packed, and by the time you look up, you’ve got three days left on your lease and an entire dorm room or apartment to figure out. For Central Michigan University students, this is just part of the rhythm. But that doesn’t mean it has to be a mess. At Mt. Pleasant Storage, we’ve helped thousands of students handle this exact situation. We’re not here to make move-out perfect, but we are here to make it manageable. With a little planning and the right approach, you can avoid the frantic, last-minute scramble—and maybe even enjoy the start of your summer. What to Store Between Semesters The first question most students have is, what should I even store? The answer depends on your situation, but there are a few things we see every year. Dorm furniture like futons, small bookshelves, or plastic drawer units. Bedding and winter clothing you won’t need until October. Kitchen gear—microwaves, mini fridges, hot plates, and full sets of mismatched mugs. School supplies and textbooks you’ll use next semester but don’t need at home. Room décor, personal items, rugs, lamps, and whatever else helped make your place feel like your own. These are the things that don’t make sense to haul back and forth, especially if you're returning in the fall. Storage gives you a place to keep them without the hassle of taking them all the way home. Save Money by Splitting a Unit One of the best ways to make storage affordable is by teaming up with a friend or two. Group rentals are common, and for good reason. Instead of everyone paying for separate units, two or three people can combine their belongings and split the cost. A 5x10 or 10x10 unit ...

Admin
March 31st, 2025

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Top 5 Reasons People Love Mt. Pleasant Storage

Residents Keep Coming Back to Mt. Pleasant Storage There’s a saying that you can tell a lot about a place by what its people say when no one’s asking them to. At Mt. Pleasant Storage, we’ve heard it all—from grateful students moving out of dorms to local families managing life’s transitions—and one thing’s clear: folks here appreciate a place that’s dependable. We’re not just a storage facility; we’re a small but steady part of people’s lives. Here are the five reasons Mt. Pleasant residents tell us they keep coming back, in their own words and experiences. 1. Clean Spaces That Show We Care If there’s one thing we don’t take for granted, it’s how much trust people place in us to protect their belongings. That’s why we treat every unit, hallway, and corner of our facility like it’s under a spotlight. It’s not just about appearances—it’s about keeping your items safe and sound. Ken Shadrake (Google Review) summed it up: “This is a great place, clean and well run.” John Maurice (Google Review): “The unit we rented was very clean... the facility was always clean and secure.” It’s not rocket science. A clean, well-maintained space signals respect—for the items you store and for the people trusting us to store them. 2. Perfect Fit for CMU Students Mt. Pleasant is a college town at heart, and Central Michigan University students are a big part of what makes this place tick. But let’s be honest: dorm rooms aren’t exactly known for their spaciousness. That’s where we come in. Ken called us “the most convenient and best value option for CMU students that have storage needs over breaks.” “You can’t beat this location for a CMU student.” Whether it’s a bike you don’t want to leave outside, a futon that won’t fit in Mom’s SUV, or a collection of books too heavy to lug home, we’ve got a spot for it. And for students juggling tight schedules and tighter budgets, we make it simple and affordable. 3. People You Can Actually Count On Here’s the ...

Alex Parr
December 30th, 2024

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Downsizing With Storage

Downsizing Made Simple: The Mt. Pleasant Storage Way Downsizing is one of those things that sounds straightforward on paper—"Just get rid of the stuff you don’t need!"—but in practice, it’s a bit like trying to clean out your closet without getting distracted by old photos or clothes that might come back in style. It’s not just about physical space; it’s about emotion, memory, and figuring out what parts of your past fit into your future. If you’ve ever tried it, you know: downsizing isn’t about tossing junk. It’s about making space for what matters, both in your home and in your life. And that’s where Mt. Pleasant Storage comes in. We don’t just offer storage units; we provide breathing room—literally and figuratively—for you to handle the transition on your terms. Here’s how we make the process not just manageable, but maybe even a little inspiring. Step One: Take It Slow, and Give Yourself Grace You don’t need to go full Marie Kondo overnight. Downsizing works best when you take it one step at a time. Start with something simple—like your linen closet or the drawer stuffed with cords for gadgets you no longer own. Build momentum from there. And here’s the trick: as you sort through everything, don’t put pressure on yourself to decide the fate of every single item right away. That’s what storage is for. Keep: The stuff you can’t live without. Donate/Sell: The things you don’t use but someone else could. Store: The items you’re not sure about yet. Maybe it’s sentimental, maybe it’s seasonal, or maybe you just need more time to decide. With a storage unit as your safety net, you can press pause on the overwhelming decisions and tackle downsizing at a pace that works for you. The "Maybe" Pile Strategy Here’s the truth: there’s always a pile of stuff that lands in the "I can’t let this go…yet" category. It’s the photo albums, the kids’ artwork, the antique furniture from your grandparents that doesn’t quite fit in your ...

Alex Parr
December 30th, 2024

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