Navigating Storage Options at Carleton College

For students at Carleton College, managing belongings and finding suitable storage solutions is an essential part of the college experience. Whether it's figuring out how to transport items to and from campus, finding a place to store belongings during breaks, or managing digital files, Carleton offers a variety of options to meet student needs. This article provides a comprehensive overview of storage solutions available to Carleton students, encompassing both physical and digital storage.

Shipping and Direct Shipping Services

Carleton University provides a convenient Direct Shipping Service for students, making it easier to transport belongings to and from school. While a full-service moving option is currently unavailable, this service offers affordable shipping rates tailored to fit student schedules year-round.

Direct Shipping Service

This service is ideal for students who only need campus shipping, especially those living off-campus or in apartments. With FedEx, items are conveniently picked up and shipped directly to your home or school. It's important to note that this service doesn’t include storage or in-room pickup. Students needing a different date for pickup or delivery, or an off-campus pick up or delivery, should make the appropriate arrangements with the shipping service.

Collegeboxes provides U-Box® moving containers to Carleton University students. For students at Carleton University, storage and shipping with Collegeboxes makes student moving simple. For students at Carleton University, we provide self-storage and shipping service. While our full-service moving option is currently unavailable, we can still store your belongings and ship to and from school.

Digital Storage and Media Management

Carleton offers a variety of digital storage and media management options to help students store, share, and manage their files effectively. It's crucial for students to understand the different services available to choose the best option for their needs.

Read also: Carleton College Affordability

Supported Solutions

Below is a list of supported solutions. To learn more about any of the individual tools, just click its card below to visit our Knowledge Base. Storage options other than those listed above may not be services or devices supported by Carleton’s ITS.

File Storage Solutions

A file storage solution good for storing, sharing, and creating various documents and media types, especially for collaborative work. A file storage solution good for storing, sharing, and creating various documents and media types and useful for collaborative work.

Media Hosting Platform

A media hosting platform that allows users to upload and store videos, photos, audio files, pdfs, and a wide variety of other file types. It includes robust search and metadata capabilities, making it an excellent media archive for individuals and departments.

Video Hosting Platform

A video hosting platform that allows users to easily create, host, and share videos or lecture recordings and integrates seamlessly with both Zoom and Moodle.

Cloud Storage Options: Dropbox and Google

In addition to campus Cloud Storage options of Dropbox and Google, Carleton continues to have file storage capabilities in OnBase as well as the Protected Drive, which is a mapped drive used by departments to store files with protected data (SSN, birth dates, etc.). As files are moved off of Collab, students have the opportunity to decide which of these four options to store the file.

Read also: Student Directory Information

Google Drive’s primary strength lies in the powerful capacity to simultaneously work on the same documents at the same time as other people. These documents are in Google’s own application formats, so the interfaces may be different than the familiar interfaces of Microsoft Office.

Important Changes in Storage Limits

As of March 2025, Carleton is limiting Microsoft OneDrive storage to 10GB, to avoid use of this less supported space. As of April 2025, Carleton is no longer providing Google Photos as a storage option.

Strategies for Effective Digital Storage

Carleton has seen exponential growth in the amount of data being stored on local and cloud servers. Much of that data is essential for your work and the work of the college; it requires deliberate and careful preservation. Some of that data may be less important . . . and may even be obsolete. The best strategy is the strategy that works for you! Starting with a good strategy, and maintaining it throughout your time here, will help you Store Smart and Store Less.

Organization Tips

Create folders and subfolders to organize your documents. For example, create a folder for Fall 2025 and then create a subfolder for each course. Name your files so that they will be easy to find later. The files you create can be added to different Drives, which will affect who owns them and who can view them. A file stored in a departmental Shared Drive, for example, might not be available to a student. (See My Drive vs.) Set aside time to regularly review your oldest files. Deleted items will be kept in the Trash folder for 30 days before they are deleted permanently.

On-Campus Student Storage

Student Storage is available to students as an alternative to taking possessions off campus each year. Space for items to be stored is limited. Carleton College does not insure and is not responsible for loss or damage from any cause to the personal property of students (including items in storage).

Read also: Navigating Carleton's Library

Eligibility and Restrictions

Student Storage is designed for international students, students traveling abroad, or students for whom bringing items home is not an option. Students who are withdrawing from the College or graduating early are not permitted to utilize student storage.

Prohibited Items

Below is a list of items that will not be accepted into storage. This list is not exhaustive and discretion of whether an item may be accepted will be left to Residential Life professional staff members.

Electric Vehicles
Bikes
Furniture such as chairs, sofas, personal mattresses, tables, etc.
Loose items such as table lamps, fans, etc.
Oddly shaped items such as bedrolls, instruments, athletic gear or equipment, area rugs, and floor lamps should be properly contained.

Storage Stickers

Each item (box, storage container, bicycle, etc.) being stored MUST have a current storage sticker attached. Storage stickers can be purchased at the Bookstore for $10. Purchase your storage stickers prior to arriving to student storage to store your personal belongings. Storage Personnel will audit each storage location at various times throughout the year. Items with expired storage stickers or improper labeling will be donated to Lighten Up.

Storage sticker sales are directly funneled back into essential maintenance and staffing of available storage facilities. Stickers can be purchased from the Carleton Bookstore. Stickers cannot be returned or refunded. Storage Stickers are valid for one full academic year. Use plastic bins so you can reuse the stickers throughout the year!

Accessing Storage

There are 5 student storage locations on campus (Myers Storage is reserved for Resident Assistants). Students need to complete a Storage Appointment Request form to gain access to storage or visit storage during posted Open Hours (available only during standard Opening and Closing dates). View the Storage Process Checklist to learn more about the process and how to schedule an appointment.

Open Storage Hours will be available during Reading Days, Exam Days, and Closing given the high volume of students utilizing the program during those dates. Students leaving campus or changing rooms will receive information about available times.

Fall and Winter Term Closing - One single location will be open at various times throughout the days listed above.
Spring Term Closing - Spring Term Closing is when the highest number of students store their belongings in campus storage. Therefore, Residential Life staff are strategic in creating a schedule that will ensure each location is properly filled prior to opening the next available location. View the Spring Term Closing Storage Hours to view available storage hours and locations to prepare for your departure.
Summer Break - Space is extremely limited during Summer Break given the high volume of students who store during Spring Term Closing. This will impact availability for students who are approved to depart from campus housing on or after Commencement. Students should submit a storage request to store or retrieve items between Commencement and Fall Term opening.

Using Carts

Carts can typically be found in the lobbies or basements where storage locations are housed. To properly return a cart, please place the cart in the lobby of one of the buildings below. Carts are not to be left outside or stored in houses. Carts must remain on campus at all times.

Tips for Packing and Storing

Storage Hours are scheduled to accommodate as many students as possible. Students arriving late evenings or overnight will likely need to wait until the following day to access storage.
Pack similar items in the same box. Toiletries in one, kitchen items in another, room décor, etc.
Pack boxes/bins/luggage only as heavy as you can carry!
RUGS: roll up the rug and tape each end all the way around so it stays bound. Tape over the storage sticker as it will likely not adhere perfectly to the material.
BED ROLLS: roll up the bed roll and tape each end all the way around so it stays bound. Tape over the storage sticker as it will likely not adhere perfectly to the material.
SKIS: Tape the ends and middle of the skis so they are securely fastened together. Store the skis upright in a corner or in between storage shelves.
Pack your containers securely and light enough to carry/lift onto a shelf. Storage Staff are not responsible for storing items for students.
DO NOT adhere the sticker the top of the containers. Stickers should face out on the shelf.

Addressing Missing Items

Step 1: Students who cannot locate all of their items in storage should first notify Residential Life. Storage staff will assist with locating the items by checking storage records and each location during regularly scheduled appointments. Staff may require that the student whose items are missing attend these visits.
Step 2: If the item cannot be located after multiple attempts, the student is encouraged to contact their insurance provider to start a claim.

Key Reminders

Each container being stored must have a valid storage sticker labeled and visible. Items will not be permitted into the facility without a valid storage sticker.
Properly labeled with a valid storage sticker.
In Term/Break: Submit a Storage Appointment Request to remove or store your items.
Move In and Move Out: During the start and end of a term, available Open Storage Hours will be posted online for students to coordinate storage. These hours designate a specific storage location being open at a specific time. These hours are not flexible and are coordinated to accommodate large volumes of students at a time. Arrive on time and ready to go! Picking items up? Check out with a storage staffer who will be able to update our records if you take all or some of your items.
In addition to submitting the log, students find success in taking a photo of their items.

Off-Campus Storage Options

For students needing additional storage space or specific amenities, several off-campus storage facilities are available.

The Lock Up Self Storage - Industrial Blvd

The Lock Up Self Storage - Industrial Blvd is a top-rated storage facility located in Minneapolis, MN. University of Minnesota students who need extra space for their personal belongings, dorm furniture, and academic materials will find the Lock Up Self Storage - Industrial Blvd to be an ideal location. Furthermore, the facility is located in the heart of Minneapolis, making it easily accessible for residents and businesses in the area. The Lock Up Self Storage - Industrial Blvd offers climate-controlled units, spacious elevators, 24/7 video surveillance, and on-site management to ensure safety and accessibility. Leasing this space is month-to-month, with no long term commitment and no obligation to rent.

Addressing Common Questions and Concerns

Shipping Items from Afar

Families flying from a distance often wonder how to manage their student's belongings. Starting in August, packages can be sent directly to Carleton, allowing bulky items like comforters, pillows, and fans to be shipped ahead of time. These items can then be picked up on move-in day.

Summer Storage

Carleton offers some summer storage, but there are also storage units in Northfield that our daughter has rented with friends (cost around $90 per kid).

Bed Height and Under-Bed Storage

Many students like to raise their beds to create more storage space. The beds at Carleton come with notches in the legs so they can be raised about 3 feet. This provides enough space to store a lot of stuff underneath. No special tools are needed to raise the bed, but caution is advised to prevent accidents.

Mattress Length

ALL mattresses students are assigned are Extra Long. If there is a need for something very particular past that, it would be handled through an accommodation request.

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