Every year, thousands of families across London, Essex, Kent and West Sussex face the same seasonal challenge — moving their children to and from boarding school at the start and end of each term, and finding somewhere safe and affordable to store their belongings during the long summer holidays.
Whether your child is starting at a new boarding school in September, finishing their final term in July, or simply moving between school accommodation and home for the summer break, this guide covers everything you need to know about boarding school removals and holiday storage.
Why boarding school moves are different from regular removals
Boarding school removals have a unique set of challenges that set them apart from a standard house move. The items involved — school trunks, tuck boxes, bedding, sports equipment, musical instruments, computers, clothes and personal belongings — are a mix of valuable, fragile and bulky items that require careful handling.
Timing is another major factor. Boarding school move-in and move-out days are fixed and non-negotiable. Unlike a house purchase where completion can be delayed, a boarding school start date waits for nobody. Families travelling from London, Essex, Kent or West Sussex to schools in other counties often have very tight windows to load, transport, deliver and unpack before the school requires the vehicle to move on.
Access at boarding schools is also more restricted than a typical house. Many schools have designated move-in time slots, specific drop-off points and rules about which vehicles can access which parts of the grounds. An experienced removal team that has carried out boarding school moves before will understand these constraints and plan accordingly.
Holiday storage — the practical solution for boarding school families
One of the most common questions we receive from boarding school families is what to do with their child's belongings during the long summer holiday, which typically runs from late June or early July through to late August or early September.
Many families face a straightforward but frustrating problem. Their child's school accommodation closes completely during the summer holidays. The family home may not have space for all the boarding school belongings — particularly large items like trunks, sports equipment, a bicycle or a musical instrument. And transporting everything home only to bring it all back again eight or ten weeks later is both expensive and impractical.
The solution is secure holiday storage. Relokates provides fully insured, monitored short-term storage specifically designed for situations like this. We collect your child's belongings from the school at the end of term, store them safely in our secure facility, and deliver them back to the school at the start of the new term in late August or early September — eliminating the double journey entirely.
Summer storage for boarding school families books up quickly, particularly for July collection and late August delivery. We recommend contacting us in April or May to reserve your dates for the summer holiday period.
What items can be stored during the school holidays?
Our holiday storage service accepts virtually any item that a boarding school pupil might need to store during the summer break, including:
- School trunks, tuck boxes and storage chests
- Bedding, duvets, pillows and mattress toppers
- Clothes, uniforms and sports kit
- Laptops, tablets, monitors and other electronics
- Musical instruments including guitars, keyboards and brass instruments
- Sports equipment including rackets, cricket bags, hockey sticks and protective gear
- Bicycles and scooters
- Artwork, portfolios and design projects
- Books, revision materials and stationery
- Small items of furniture and room accessories
All items are inventoried on collection, stored in a secure and dry facility, and insured throughout the storage period. You receive a full itemised list of everything in storage so there is never any uncertainty about what we are holding on your behalf.
Which boarding schools do Relokates serve?
Relokates covers 661 locations across London, Essex, Kent and West Sussex, which means we are ideally positioned to serve many of England's most prominent boarding schools. Parents based in our service area frequently ask us to assist with moves to and from schools including those in Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire and beyond.
We also regularly assist families who are relocating to a new home and need to coordinate their house move with their child's boarding school term dates — a genuinely complex logistical challenge that our team has considerable experience managing.
If you are also moving house during the school holidays, we can coordinate both operations simultaneously — collecting from the boarding school and delivering to your new home in a single operation, saving significant time and cost.
The boarding school removal process — step by step
Step 1 — Initial survey and quotation
We begin with a detailed discussion of your requirements — the school location, the volume of items, any specialist handling requirements for fragile or valuable items, and your preferred dates. We provide a fixed-price quotation covering the complete service with no hidden charges.
Step 2 — Pre-move packing (optional)
If required, our professional packing team can visit ahead of the collection date to pack loose items into boxes, wrap fragile items and prepare everything for safe transit. This is particularly useful for families who are unable to be present on collection day.
Step 3 — Collection from school
Our team arrives at the school on the agreed date and time, coordinates with the school's facilities team and collects all items efficiently. We are familiar with the access restrictions and move-out procedures at many boarding schools and plan our vehicle and crew accordingly.
Step 4 — Storage or delivery
Items are either delivered directly to the family home or placed into our secure storage facility for collection at the start of the next term. All items are inventoried and you receive a full itemised list.
Step 5 — Return delivery at start of term
At the agreed date at the start of the new term, we collect from storage and deliver back to the school — coordinating with the school's move-in schedule and access arrangements.
How much does boarding school removal and storage cost?
The cost of a boarding school removal depends on the volume of items, the distance between the school and the storage facility or home address, and whether any packing services are required. Holiday storage costs depend on the volume of items and the duration of storage.
As a general guide, a typical boarding school end-of-term collection and storage service for one pupil's belongings — covering a standard trunk, bedding, clothes and a few boxes of personal items — starts from approximately £150 to £300 for a local school within our service area, with holiday storage priced separately per week.
All our quotes are fixed price. The amount we quote is the amount you pay. There are no additional charges on the day for items disclosed upfront, access challenges or additional time.
Need boarding school removal or holiday storage?
Book early for the summer 2025 holiday period. We collect in July and deliver back in late August or early September.
Get a Free Quote ✆ 07359 724844Tips for a smooth boarding school move
- Label everything clearly — Use waterproof labels on every box, trunk and bag with your child's name, school house and room number. This avoids confusion on arrival at school.
- Book early for end-of-term dates — End-of-term dates, particularly in July, are among our busiest periods. Book at least 4 to 6 weeks in advance to secure your preferred date and time.
- Check school access requirements — Some boarding schools require advance notice of any removal vehicles on site. Let us know which school is involved and we will check the access requirements as part of our planning.
- Consider a packing service — If your child is a day pupil finishing exams or involved in end-of-term activities on collection day, our packing team can attend the school independently and pack everything ready for loading without requiring your child to be present.
- Photograph valuables before storage — For any particularly valuable items going into storage — musical instruments, electronics, artwork — take photographs before collection for your records.
- Confirm the return delivery date early — Schools typically confirm move-in dates for the new term several weeks in advance. As soon as you receive your new term start date, contact us to confirm the return delivery slot.
Frequently asked questions
Can you collect from the school without a parent being present?
Yes. In many cases parents are unable to attend the school on collection day. We coordinate directly with the school's facilities or housekeeping team to arrange access and collection. We require written authorisation from the parent or guardian in advance and provide a full itemised collection receipt.
What if my child's belongings increase from term to term?
No problem. We assess the volume at each collection and adjust the vehicle and crew accordingly. Simply let us know if you expect a significantly larger or smaller collection than the previous term and we will plan accordingly.
Is my child's belongings insured during storage?
Yes. All items in our storage facility are covered by comprehensive storage insurance from the moment of collection until delivery. In the unlikely event of any loss or damage, we handle claims promptly and fairly.
Can you store a bicycle or larger sports equipment?
Yes. We regularly store bicycles, kayaks, large sports bags and other bulky items for boarding school families. Let us know what you need to store when requesting your quote and we will confirm arrangements.