The Ferris State Student's Guide to Storage in Big Rapids

Alicia Aguirre
July 17th, 2026

If you're a Bulldog, you already know that dorm rooms in Big Rapids weren't designed with extra square footage in mind. Between textbooks, winter gear, gaming setups, and everything else that piles up over a semester, your room fills faster than you'd expect. For students at Ferris State University, having a place to stash the stuff you don't need right now can be the difference between a room you can actually live in and one you trip through.

The reality is that most Ferris students move at least once a year, whether that's out of the residence halls in May, between apartments over the summer, or back and forth as leases turn over. Ferris State requires most single students to live in university residence halls for their first two semesters, which means a lot of sophomores are figuring out off-campus life and what to do with their belongings for the first time. If you've never rented a storage unit before, the whole process can feel like one more thing you don't have time for. This guide breaks down everything you need to know, from picking the right size to splitting the cost with friends. If you're looking for even more advice about navigating college moves, our student storage guide for Big Rapids covers practical packing tips, common storage mistakes to avoid, and ways to make moving between semesters much less stressful.

How Close Is Storage to Ferris State?

24/7 Storage: Big Rapids sits at 18755 Northland Drive, roughly four miles from the Ferris State campus. Northland Drive is one of the main routes through town, so getting there from campus is a straightforward drive of about ten minutes with no complicated turns. If you have a car, you can swing by between classes or on a weekend without carving out half a day for it.

That proximity matters more than students expect. When you're loading a unit in May or grabbing your fan back in August, the last thing you want is a long haul across the county with a car full of boxes. Being a short drive from campus also means that if you forget you packed something you suddenly need, like a specific textbook or your winter boots, it's a quick trip to go dig it out rather than an all-day ordeal.

Why Ferris Students End Up Needing Storage

The Ferris academic calendar creates a natural storage crunch every spring. Full-semester classes wrap up around May 1, and the residence halls close shortly after, which leaves students who live too far to drive everything home in a bind. That move-out window is tight, and thousands of students clear out around the same time. A storage unit lets you hold onto your furniture and boxes over the summer instead of hauling them back and forth across the state.

Beyond the summer rush, Big Rapids winters give students another reason to rent. Ferris is an outdoor school, with the Muskegon River, nearby trails, and dozens of active club sports keeping students busy year-round. That lifestyle comes with gear, and bikes, kayaks, skis, and camping equipment take up serious space in a small apartment. A unit gives you somewhere to keep the seasonal stuff you only use half the year, so your closet isn't buried under it the rest of the time.

Practical Tips for First-Time Student Storage

Renting storage isn't complicated once you know a few things, but a little planning saves you money and headaches. Here are the tips worth knowing before you sign anything.

1. Be Honest About What's Worth Keeping

Students tend to store way more than they'll ever use again. Before you rent, sort your stuff into what you actually need next semester and what you're holding onto out of habit. That broken desk lamp and the printer that jams every time can go, but your winter coat and your mini-fridge are worth the space.

2. Go With Clear Plastic Bins

Cardboard boxes sag, attract moisture, and fall apart if they get bumped around. Clear plastic bins stack cleanly, hold up over a full summer, and let you see what's inside without opening every lid. Michigan humidity can be rough on cardboard in particular, so bins are the safer bet.

3. Label Like You'll Forget Everything

When you come back in August, you won't remember which box has your bedding and which has your kitchen stuff. Write specifics on every container, like "winter sweaters and boots" or "desk lamp and chargers," instead of vague labels like "misc." Future you, moving in during a hot week in fall, will be grateful.

4. Rent Before the May Rush

The weeks around move-out are the busiest time of year for storage in Big Rapids, and the best-sized units go first. If you can lock in your unit a few weeks early, you'll have more options and less stress. Month-to-month leases mean you're not committing to anything long-term, so there's little downside to reserving ahead. Many Ferris students also find themselves juggling apartment lease dates after moving off campus. If that sounds familiar, our guide on making moves between leases easier with self-storage in Big Rapids explains how temporary storage can help eliminate the stress of overlapping move-out and move-in dates.

5. Split a Unit With Roommates

One of the smartest moves for students is sharing a bigger unit instead of everyone renting their own. A 10x10 split two or three ways costs each person far less than a small unit on their own. Just agree upfront on who pays what and how you'll handle access so nobody's left guessing.

6. Stack Vertically and Leave a Path

A unit's real capacity is in its height, not just its floor space. Put heavy, sturdy items on the bottom and lighter boxes on top, and keep a narrow walkway to the back so you can reach things without unloading everything. Packing smart often means you can rent a size smaller than you thought you needed.

Understanding Storage Unit Sizes

If you've never rented before, the numbers can be confusing at first. Storage units are measured in feet, so a 5x10 unit is 5 feet wide and 10 feet deep, giving you 50 square feet of floor space plus whatever you can stack on top. At 24/7 Storage: Big Rapids, units start at 5x10 and go all the way up to oversized 12x45 spaces built for boats and RVs, so there's room for anything from a half-empty dorm to a full apartment. Here's how the most useful sizes break down for students.

5x10 Storage Unit (50 square feet)

This is about the size of a large walk-in closet and works well for a single student clearing out a dorm room. You can fit a mattress, a small dresser, 15 to 20 boxes, and seasonal gear like a bike or a set of skis. It's the go-to size for storing a semester's worth of belongings over the summer without paying for space you won't use. For most first-year and second-year students storing on their own, this is the practical starting point.

10x10 Storage Unit (100 square feet)

Roughly the size of a small bedroom, a 10x10 holds a lot more and is the best size to share. You can fit a full bedroom set, a couch, a TV, appliances, and 30 or more boxes. Students moving out of an off-campus apartment often land on this size, and split between two or three roommates it becomes the cheapest option per person. If you've accumulated real furniture during your time at Ferris, this is likely the size you want.

10x15 and Larger Units

When you're storing the contents of a full house or an apartment shared by several people, a 10x15 or bigger gives you the breathing room to fit it all without playing Tetris. These sizes handle multiple bedrooms' worth of furniture, large appliances, and boxes with space to spare. If you're also storing a boat, pontoon, or camper for the season, the oversized units at 24/7 Storage go up to 12x45 with tall, wide doors for easy loading.

How to Keep Storage Affordable

Storage doesn't have to strain a student budget if you're smart about it. Sharing a unit is the single biggest money-saver, since splitting one 10x10 between roommates almost always beats everyone renting separately. Right-sizing matters too, so take a few minutes to estimate what you're actually storing before you rent, because a unit that's too big is just money sitting empty. Month-to-month leases help here as well, letting you pay only for the months you need rather than locking into a year.

Timing rounds it out. Renting before the May move-out wave means better availability, and current promotions can stretch a tight budget further. Right now, Ferris State students can take advantage of our exclusive student storage special, which includes 50% off your first two months and a free lock with your rental. It's an easy way to keep summer storage affordable while you're between semesters. Combine an early reservation, a shared unit, and a promotion like that, and the cost per person over a summer becomes very manageable.

What Ferris Students Usually Store

The typical Ferris storage haul is a mix of dorm and apartment furniture, seasonal clothing, and the gear that comes with an active campus. Common items include mini-fridges, microwaves, mattresses, desks, and futons, along with winter coats and boots that have no business taking up closet space in July. Plenty of students store bikes, kayaks, disc golf gear, and other equipment tied to Big Rapids outdoor life, and outdoor enthusiasts often park a boat or camper for the off-season. If you're heading home for the summer or studying away for a semester, you might end up storing nearly everything you own until you're back on campus.

Where to Store Near Campus

First-time storage doesn't have to be a hassle when the facility is close, flexible, and built for the way students actually move. 24/7 Storage: Big Rapids at 18755 Northland Drive is about four miles from Ferris State and offers exactly what students look for: month-to-month leases with no long commitment, a range of sizes from 5x10 units up to oversized spaces for boats and RVs, and the option to rent and pay entirely online whenever it's convenient. The facility gives special consideration to Ferris State students, so it's worth mentioning your enrollment when you reserve.

Whether you're clearing out a dorm before summer, moving between apartments, or parking a kayak until spring, the setup here is made to be simple. The property is fenced and gated with security cameras and good lighting, and 24/7 customer access means you can reach your unit on your own schedule instead of waiting for an office to open. Drive-up units with wide doors make loading quick, and the free lock with every rental is one less thing to buy. To get started, visit 24/7 Storage: Big Rapids at 18755 Northland Drive, call (231) 272-4441, or reserve your unit online in a few minutes.

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