The University of Michigan draws students from across the country and the world. Students come from Chicago, Cleveland, New York, California, and dozens of countries abroad. When the semester ends, going home isn’t as simple as driving across town.
And Ann Arbor’s rental market doesn’t make it easy. Student leases often end in April or May, new leases start in September, and the gap in between leaves students with a pile of boxes and no obvious place to put them.
Ship2Storage is the straightforward solution. Ship your boxes to our climate-controlled facility, store them for the summer, and get them delivered directly to your new Ann Arbor address in August or September. No storage unit in Ann Arbor. No renting a truck. No hauling everything to Chicago and back.
The Michigan Student Storage Problem (Especially If You’re From Out of State)
If you’re from Michigan, you have the option of taking your stuff home. But if you’re from Illinois, Ohio, New York, or California — or from another country — that option gets complicated fast.
Renting a van or truck to move everything home is expensive and exhausting. Shipping boxes home only to ship them back to Ann Arbor in August doubles your costs and your effort. And renting a storage unit in Ann Arbor means paying $120 to $200 per month all summer for a unit you’ll probably visit once.
Most out-of-state students conclude there’s no good option. Ship2Storage changes that math.
Ann Arbor Storage Units: What They Cost Over the Summer
Small self-storage units in Ann Arbor typically run $100 to $200 per month. Over a four-month summer, that’s $400 to $800 — plus the cost of transporting your boxes there and back, and the inconvenience of making those trips during the already-chaotic move-out week.
For most students storing five to eight boxes of dorm essentials, that cost is hard to justify.
Ship Your Boxes Home Without the Luggage Fees
If you’re flying home for the summer from Detroit Metro Airport, checking extra bags or shipping boxes is costly and annoying. Ship2Storage lets you fly home with just your personal luggage and ship your boxes directly from your Ann Arbor apartment or dorm to our storage facility.
When you’re back in the fall, your boxes come to you. No trips to the storage unit. No overpacked car. Just your stuff, delivered to your door.
Lease Gaps Between Ann Arbor Apartments
A significant number of U of M students live off campus in Ann Arbor’s undergraduate neighborhoods around South University, State Street, and the Hill. Lease timing in Ann Arbor is notoriously complicated, with many leases running on a September-to-April or October-to-September calendar that doesn’t match the academic year neatly.
Ship2Storage is built for lease gaps. When your current lease ends and your new one hasn’t started, your boxes have a place to go. No asking the new landlord for a favor. No boxes at your parents’ house.
Going Home to Chicago, Cleveland, or the East Coast? Here’s the Plan
For out-of-state Michigan students, the most practical summer plan is usually this: go home, don’t bring everything. Ship2Storage holds the boxes you don’t need at home and delivers them to your new Ann Arbor address in time for fall move-in.
It works just as well if you’re splitting the summer between home and a summer internship in another city. Your boxes stay in one place — with us — while you move around.
Off-Campus Students: What to Do When Your Lease Doesn’t Align
Ship2Storage doesn’t just work for dorm residents. Off-campus students in Ann Arbor apartment buildings, co-ops, and rentals near campus face the same lease-gap problem. The solution is the same: ship your boxes, store them through the gap, get them delivered when you’re ready.
How to Get Your Boxes Back to Ann Arbor in August
Log into your Ship2Storage account in late July or early August, enter your new address, and tell us when you want delivery. We’ll schedule your shipment so your boxes arrive before move-in day. If you’re moving into a new apartment, we can deliver to any Ann Arbor address.
FAQ
Can I ship boxes from my Ann Arbor apartment?
Yes. You can drop boxes at any UPS or FedEx location in Ann Arbor, or schedule a carrier pickup from your apartment building. There are multiple drop-off locations near campus.
What if I’m staying in Ann Arbor for summer classes?
If you’re staying but downsizing to a sublet or summer housing, Ship2Storage still works. Store the boxes that don’t fit in your summer space and get them delivered to your fall address.
Do you deliver back to Ann Arbor at the end of summer?
Yes. We deliver to any U.S. address, including Ann Arbor dorms, apartments, and houses. Just update your delivery address in your account when you’re ready.
How many boxes do most Michigan students store?
Most students store between four and eight boxes. You pay per box, so there’s no minimum and no wasted space.
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