Whether it’s your first college age kid living in a dorm or off-campus housing, you need to be prepared for them—and their stuff—to come back home start confusing your extra space for storage units.

While you might love your kids being home for long holidays, between semesters or for the whole summer, planning ahead for a place to put their stuff will go far to keep peace and organization in the household.

Unless you have a big attic or basement of tons of spare space, investing in short-term storage options can be the perfect answer.

Consider Short-Term Storage Units

You might be surprised how many storage facilities are accustomed to meeting the specific needs of college students.

A small storage unit or mini storage can allow them to keep the items they want while staying at home, which could be longer than anticipated if a move from the dorms to a new apartment is planned.

Many storage units offer short summer no-contract rentals and others offer month-to-month leasing, but it may cost more. However, it’s worthwhile to keep your home free of clutter and your child’s possessions safe.

What to Look for in Short-Term Storage Facilities

When choosing a facility and looking for the right unit, here are some considerations that should be prioritized.

Accessibility and Ease of Access—If you want to keep things lightweight and avoid lots of heavy lifting, choose a unit with drive-up or at least first-story access.

If the university or college is nearby a facility, book them a spot before they come home. That alone will ease the transition both ways, and items will be close by to move to their new place when the time comes.

Security of the Storage Units—Make sure the property is well-lit and preferably offers camera surveillance or an on-duty guard 24/7. Fenced and gated places with security codes tend to be more secure, as to those with electronic gate access with secure keypads.

Amenities and Features—Do you need climate-controlled storage, a moving truck or dollies to help transport items, or storage supplies? Most storage facilities offer these right onsite and may offer free use of many supplies as perks for renting one of their storage units.

While you love your kids, don’t let their college breaks become your headaches–be prepared with a storage plan.