Moving into a dorm – how to prepare

It might seem that moving into a dorm is pretty easy. And it is true, it is not the hardest thing in the world. It may not even be in the top 100 hardest things you could do. However, when you are heading off to college to start a new part of your life, at that very moment, it is truly the most important thing. And that is why you should avoid unnecessary stress. In order to do that, you will need to prepare properly for moving into a dorm. Here are some ways to best do that.

Gather the necessary information

First of all, you will need to gather the necessary information for the move-in day. For instance, you need to get in touch with your housing department to ask about the move-in date. This is important, as it is the date you will use when you schedule other moving activities. You cannot be moving into a dorm without knowing the date. Also, write down the dorm’s address. When you get in touch with the housing department, ask them where you can park your vehicle or the moving truck you are using that day. You want to have everything prepared to avoid unnecessary stress, as dorm life in general carries plenty of stress with it.

In addition, you need to ask them about the size and the general layout of the room. This is important, since it will give you a chance to organize your packing in advance. You can also visit the dorm before moving into it to get a general feel for the space. Find out what is it that the college provides. For instance, there is no need to pack a fridge or a microwave if they are already included. Find out whether there will be a kitchenette in the room. Check to see whether there are any banned items that you should not take with you.

Make a plan

If you want moving into a dorm to go smoothly, you should start early. That doesn’t mean you should spend your entire summer on planning. However, it does mean that you should take about a month to go through the steps easily. Making a plan will certainly help that.

This is the point where you decide whether you are going to do it on your own or with the help of professionals. Moving into a dorm on your own can be fun and cheaper. However, it can also be truly stressful and challenging, especially if you’ve never moved before. If you aren’t sure how to do it properly, you can always hire movers. Professional moving companies are adept at each and every type of moves. For instance, if you did not take our advice and are now facing a time crunch, they even have a solution for that. You can hire last minute movers who will definitely take the weight off your shoulders!

Try to coordinate with your roommate

One of the most important things to do when you’re moving into a dorm is to coordinate with your roommate. If you can, try to find out who your roommate will be through the housing department. Then, get in touch with them to find out what they are bringing. Let’s face it, dorm rooms are not the pinnacles of size and comfort. That is why it is necessary to see what you and what they will be bringing. Unnecessary things will simply mean that there is no room for the necessary ones. Also, coordinating at the start will be helpful later on, when you’re trying to efficiently communicate with your roommate.

Pack efficiently

As with every other type of move, college moves require most effort when it comes to packing. The one and only rule of packing when moving into a dorm is – don’t overpack! There are several reasons why you shouldn’t take all of your things with you. First, you will most likely not have the necessary room for them. Second, you can later get whatever you left behind when you visit. Or, your parents can send it to you. Third, some of those things are (currently) unnecessary.

Also, if you have managed to coordinate with your roommate, you should be able to reduce the number of things you take with you efficiently. In addition, if you want to save room and save money when packing, you can use a lot of things you already have. For instance, you can use towels and socks to pack fragile items and to fill the remaining crevices in the boxes. Remember, you don’t want to overpack.

Some of the things you should take, however, include:

• Documents
• Clothes (for current weather conditions)
• Toiletries
• Bed linen
• Necessary appliances and electronic devices (If you’ve done the previous steps, you should know already what to take)
• Cleaning products

Other things, of course, you can take with you, but they are not as nearly as necessary as these.

On the move-in day

Although it’s not the most challenging part of moving, the move-in day seems to always be the most stressful. However, if you’ve done the previous steps correctly, there is no need to stress out! You will be fine.

If you are moving with the help of a moving company, you literally just need to sit back and relax. Oh, and perhaps, if their service was great, tip the movers. Many are unsure of how much to tip movers, and that depends on many things, really. That is, it depends on how well they carried out the task, how big the move was, etc. However, seeing as you’re a soon-to-be college student, the movers will understand if you are not that generous in the tipping department.

Check everything when you are moving into a dorm

You should check the state of the dorm before you move into it fully. Check to see whether there is any damage, such as stains, chipped furniture or holes in the furniture or walls. You should do this before you start unpacking. You will most likely be given a list to verify whether everything’s in order. This is necessary, as you don’t want to be charged with something you did not damage.