Student Shipping: Getting Belongings Home or to Halls

Option one: courier boxes

For a handful of boxes and a suitcase, a parcel courier can work. The drawbacks are the size and weight limits, the time spent buying boxes and printing labels, and the fact that anything bulky, such as a desk chair, a bike, a mini fridge or a television, either will not go or costs a lot. Courier boxes are best for a small amount of light items.

Option two: a man and van

When there is more than a car can take, a man and van collects everything from halls or a shared house and delivers it home, or to next year's address. Two or three movers do the lifting, which matters on the stairs of a student house. It also works well for several students sharing: one van, several collections, several drop-offs, agreed in advance.

Option three: storage over summer

If next year's accommodation is near this year's, it often makes no sense to take everything home only to bring it back in September. Items can be collected at the end of term, kept in storage at our Birtley yard over the summer, and delivered to the new address when the tenancy starts. Our student storage guide covers this in more detail.

Choosing between them

• A few light boxes: courier or a family car.
• A room's worth of belongings with some bulky items: man and van.
• Staying in the same area next year: storage over summer.
• Several friends moving on the same day: share one van.

Packing tips for students

• Use strong boxes and sturdy bags rather than bin bags, which split.
• Label each box with your name and destination, especially in shared vans.
• Keep laptops, chargers, documents and valuables with you.
• Empty and clean mini fridges the day before.
• Check your tenancy for anything that belongs to the landlord and must stay.

End of term timing

The end of term is when everyone moves at once, so vans and storage fill quickly. Booking early gives you the collection day you want. We work seven days a week from 8am to 8pm, which helps when exams or tenancies end on awkward days.

For parents arranging it

Parents often book on behalf of students who are still sitting exams. All we need is the collection address, a contact number for the student on the day, a rough list of what is going, and the delivery address or storage request. Quotes are free on 07376 293540.

Common questions