Moving tips for students

Move-in day can be quite stressful, especially for first-year students. It almost seems paradoxical, but one of the best times of your life usually starts in possibly the most stressful way. Even if you are further along your studies, you may still find the process challenging. After all, it is not easy packing essentially your life and moving to and from home. However, there are plenty of things that college students can do to reduce the stress of the day. Here are some moving tips for students that will make your move much, much easier!

The early bird catches the worm

It is perhaps redundant mentioning this, but it is important. In all the excitement, many students forget to leave enough time to sort everything out. You also need to make a (loose) schedule. Just something that helps you organize the move. Get in touch with movers a few weeks before the move. For instance, it is good to get moving quotes from a number of different moving companies then. That way, you can get the best deal with plenty of time left. Try to choose the company and book their services early enough. Remember, there are plenty of other people who need the exact same services.

In case you decide to do it on your own, you will probably need a moving van or truck and, of course, help. Get in touch with the renting company and set the date for your move. Ask your friends and family whether they will be able to help you on that day. One of the most important moving tips for students is to do everything on time. This tip even applies to your later years in college.

Check the details of the move and recheck them

If you’ve decided to live in the dorm, try to read again every piece of information you’ve been given. For instance, you need to know check-in times and procedures for moving. If you are using professional moving services, you can also ask them whether they are familiar with the procedure.  Some colleges don’t allow students to move in before signing various sorts of forms. Check if there are any prohibited items on campus. Some dorms even forbid mini fridges, so it is important to know this beforehand. Unless you find yourself lugging your fridge there, only to have to return it.

However, if you live off campus, you need to check everything with your landlord. Admittedly, this is much easier than with a dorm move. Another one of useful moving tips for students is to get the utility connections you will need in order. That is, you will most definitely need water, electricity and the Internet. If you have cable, good for you, but focus on the essentials at first.

Organize your packing the right way

In case you will be living in a dorm, this makes the whole packing process much simpler. They are usually pretty well-equipped and have most of the necessary things.  However, don’t be fooled by the simplicity of the process, you still need to pay attention to the way you pack. In any case, whether you are moving in a dorm room, or an off-campus apartment, you will need to know what commodities there are at your new place. To use our previous example, if there is already a fridge there, there’s no point in taking another with you.

There are ways you can make your packing experience easier. Try to follow these steps:

• Pick what you need. If this is your first time moving into a dorm, you probably don’t know this. But you will soon learn that one of the most important moving tips for students is – don’t pack everything you own. You will visit your home for the holidays. Then return some things and grab others. Your parents can even ship some items later. In case you need some other things, you can easily buy them once you move.

• Label everything. You should label every box that you use and set up some sort of a system (like color-coding). That way, you will know later where everything is and it will make the unpacking process much easier.
• Pack efficiently. Whether you are moving by car, or by truck, it is important to pack the right way. You may want to chuck everything into a duffel bag, but that is not terribly convenient. It is better to use boxes or bins, which are easier to carry. Take note that some dorms don’t have elevators and that you will need to lug it up stairs.

Additional moving tips for students

If you have followed the aforementioned list, you should be well on your way to a stress-free move. However, there are some other things to pay attention to. Many moving tips for students fail to mention the time of your move. If at all possible (that is, if it does not depend on your college’s move-in day), try to move during workdays. Why is that important? First, in case you hire professionals, your local movers will most likely offer discounts. Second, you will avoid the crowd. The majority of people tend to move at the weekend. This can cause additional stress, being surrounded by hundreds of people doing the same thing as you.

Another useful moving tip is to inspect the room and take pictures of your new place just when you arrive. If you live in a dorm, you will need to have proof of any damage that incurred prior to your moving in. If, however, you are renting out an apartment, this will be useful when you want to get your security deposit back.

Pro unpacking tip: Unpack your bed linen first and your toiletries second. This is what you will need on the first day. Unpack your clothes next, and finish with any miscellaneous items that you brought. However, some people like to unpack pictures first, because that makes them feel more at home. If you are one of those people, feel free to do this first.