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storage
after a lengthy assessment we have regrettably decided not to offer our storage service over the summer of 2010. The principal reason for this decision is the extraordinarily high transportation costs we now face
we hope to revive the service in the future but can only apologise to those students (and their parents) who had hoped to use our storage services this summer
however, to make life a little easier for you, below you will find some useful tips / hints on preparing your storage:
most universities and colleges nowadays will ask you to fully vacate your study room for the 10 to 15 week holiday period so it can be used for language schools, foundation courses, corporate training, etc. but you will rarely be offered storage facilities. And private accommodation is not much better - some of them will let you leave your possessions in your room but only if you pay full rent!
volume explained
storage advice
top tips
to order 40ltr plastic crates click here
volume explained
many storage companies will price their storage services based on cubic metres; so what is a cubic metre? one cubic metre is an area 100cm x 100cm x 100cm and is equivalent to:
- 1,000 litres (exactly); 1 litre = 0.001 m³ (exactly)
- 35.3 cubic feet (approx); 1 cubic foot (1 ft³) = 0.0283m³ (approx)
- 1.31 cubic yards (approx); 1 cubic yard = 0.76455m³ (approx)
to make things easier to understand, we have listed below some of the most popular sized bags and containers:
| Item | Length (M) | Depth (M) | Height (M) | Cubic Metre |
| Box - Book | 0.31 | 0.23 | 0.23 | 0.016 |
| Box - Small | 0.40 | 0.30 | 0.30 | 0.036 |
| Box - Medium | 0.50 | 0.40 | 0.40 | 0.080 |
| Box - Large | 0.76 | 0.46 | 0.46 | 0.159 |
| Crate - 40ltr | 0.71 | 0.46 | 0.25 | 0.082 |
| Crate - 80ltr | 0.71 | 0.46 | 0.37 | 0.121 |
| Flight Bag | 0.50 | 0.25 | 0.40 | 0.050 |
| Suitcase - Small | 0.60 | 0.25 | 0.40 | 0.060 |
| Suitcase - Medium | 0.75 | 0.30 | 0.60 | 0.135 |
| Suitcase - Large | 1.00 | 0.35 | 0.60 | 0.210 |
| Rucksack - Medium | 0.35 | 0.30 | 0.50 | 0.053 |
| Rucksack - Large | 0.40 | 0.35 | 0.70 | 0.098 |
| Sports Bag - Med | 0.60 | 0.35 | 0.35 | 0.074 |
| Sports Bag - Large | 0.75 | 0.40 | 0.40 | 0.120 |
| Bicycle - boxed | 1.70 | 0.25 | 1.00 | 0.425 |
| Bicycle - unboxed | 1.70 | 0.40 | 1.00 | 0.680 |
| 35cm TV - boxed | 0.40 | 0.35 | 0.40 | 0.560 |
| Desk PC - boxed | 0.70 | 0.50 | 0.40 | 0.140 |
| Cardboard wardrobe | 0.75 | 0.75 | 1.50 | 0.844 |
storage advice
planning ahead
- estimate the sizes of the items you want stored
- contact all-unied for advice on the total space you will need (form available shortly)
- confirm the dates for collection and re-delivery as far ahead as possible
- arrange suitable insurance (see notes below)
packing up
- be careful not to mistakenly pack any personal valuables which you will need whilst away from university (i.e. passport, travel documents, handbag, wallet, keys, PDA, etc.) as access to possessions will be very limited and liable to an extra charge (see notes below )
- for bicycles: loosen the handlebars and rotate them so they take up les space. Remove pedals and attach to bicycle so not to lose them.
- place items securely in boxes and tape shut to avoid losing things
- use proper sturdy storage boxes that will not collapse (see notes below)
- ideally, use the lockable / sealable crates supplied by All-Unied. Once purchased these crates are yours for additional term-time personal security, extra secure out-of-term storage and robust freighting home
- spread heavy items about so that no boxes are overly heavy
- wrap china and glass piece by piece. Put the heaviest items at the bottom and pad out corners and empty spaces
- clearly mark / label all your boxes and cases with your name, university / college, halls and contact telephone numbers
- clean out mini-fridges (leaving time to fully dry out) and tape the door closed
- empty and dry out rice-cookers, steamers, kettles, irons etc
items not allowed
you must not store:
- gas or petrol
- flammable items
- lighters
- batteries
- aerosols
- fireworks
- perishable goods
- any liquids
- dangerous chemicals
- live animals
- or any goods of an illegal nature
you will be liable for any damage to any third-party property as a result of you packing the above items. Please check our Terms & Conditions. (and see notes below )
top tips
follow the tips below to ensure the safe storage of your possessions whilst being held at the all-unied SOS facility:
1. make sure that you use good quality storage boxes
2. calculate the value of what you intend to store and arrange adequate insurance cover. This should be done before your possessions are stored
3. fill all boxes completely as half full boxes are prone to collapsing which may damage your possessions
4. clearly label all boxes when you pack them, this will help you help you identify your goods and help the storage personnel track and trace your goods whilst in storage and / or when transporting
5. place heavier items, such as books, into smaller boxes
6. wrap all fragile items in bubble wrap or protective packaging
7. carefully plan the way you pack your items into the boxes to help you gain quick access to any important items when you get them back
8. always ensure mini-fridges are cleaned and dried before removal to prevent water damage or a build-up of mould. Where possible, tape the door in a slightly open position to allow ventilation
9. make up an inventory of your stored items and keep it in a safe place
10. use cardboard wardrobe boxes to store clothing on hangers as this helps them keep their shape whilst in storage. These are readily available for purchase at most local self-storage depots
11. make sure that you take important documents (such as passports) with you
12. take the telephone number and email address of the storage company with you when you travel so you can inform them of any changes to your return itinerary
it is a good idea to cut & paste and then print off these tips to keep handy when packing your boxes / crates
to order 40ltr plastic crates click here
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