When Communication freshman Julie Ritchey leaves Northwestern for the summer, her belongings will remain in Evanston.

An Evanston family that Ritchey babysits for is allowing her to keep her dorm items in their basement during the summer, said Ritchey, who lives in Kansas City, Mo.

“I live too far away to take it home, and they will let me keep it there for free,” Ritchey said.

NU students have many options for storing their belongings in the summer months. Some students find relatives or local friends to hold their items. But companies such as UPS and Collegeboxes — and one recently created by three NU students — offer special pick-up and delivery for moving in and out of school.

Collegeboxes, a national storage company, has erected registration tents on campus. Garrett Butler, marketing director of Collegeboxes, Inc., said 550 NU students used the company last year.

Students can register with Collegeboxes at one of the tents on campus, or they can visit the company’s Web site, www.collegeboxes.com. Butler said students can sign up for services until moving day, when the last pick-up occurs.

When students register, they receive an e-mail about supply distribution dates beginning next week, Butler said. The company then will schedule pick-up times for boxes during the last week of school and will deliver the boxes in the fall.

“Anything you can imagine, we take,” he said. “But 80 percent of the things we store are boxes.”

The UPS Store, 1555 Sherman Ave., also offers shipping and storage options to students.

Each 20-inch box costs $35 and includes free pick-up and delivery for three months of storage, but tape and bubble wrap cost extra. Students also can buy boxes and ship them home.

Bryan Barnett, who owns all three of Evanston’s UPS stores, said he hopes the shop will be used by about 150 students this year, and he said students already have come into the store.

“There’s a lot of kids that have already signed up,” Barnett said.

Three NU students decided last week to begin their own storage company. NU Solutions also will buy and resell futons, televisions and refrigerators, said co-founder Shabbi Khan.

Storing a 20-inch box costs $20, and students can provide boxes. But storing three or more boxes is $50, said Khan, a McCormick senior. The company — contacted through [email protected] — will pick up and deliver items for free. Students can register until after graduation.

Khan said stored and purchased items will be stored at his apartment or in his basement at home. But insurance still is being finalized.

“We’re confident that nothing will go wrong,” he said.

While some students know where their belongings will be this summer, others like Jessica Baker still are debating their options.

Baker, a Medill sophomore, is studying abroad in Egypt this summer and fall. If she stores her items, she’ll have additional charges for more than the three-month period.

“It might be cheaper to use Collegeboxes, but I’ll just see if I can find something closer to Chicago,” Baker said.