Love it or hate it, back to school season is upon us. For some, it’s an exciting time and for others, they are not looking forward to losing their days of sleeping in. For college students moving in is an exciting time whether they are a first time freshman or a seasoned senior. However, no matter who it is moving is a stressful time for all. Here are five tips that help move in day go smoother.
1. Minimize
As tempting as it is, bringing your entire closet and every belonging you own is not ideal for small dorm rooms or apartments. Minimizing clothes, accessories, picture frames, awards, etc. helps save space in vehicles and therefore, in rooms. If you haven’t worn something in a year, you probably won’t wear it at school. And it is best to leave the second grade baseball trophies at home.
2. Be a Smart Shopper
Several states have tax free weekends where you can buy what you need for your room. Take advantage of those! Some stores, like Target, have apps that can help you save money. Target has the Cartwheel app that is free, available for Apple and Android phones, and can help you save five to 30 percent on certain items. Coupons are also your friend during this time.
3. Buy Later
If you know that you will need to buy storage containers or other larger items, wait until you move in to your room to do so. Not only does it save room in the car, but it can save money as well because you’re not buying things that you end up not needing. Sometimes it is best to assess the room, to see how much space you are working with and what you truly need before buying things. Almost every college has a Walmart, a Target, a Bed, Bath and Beyond or some kind of store nearby where you can buy what you really need.
4. Stay Organized
By having a system while packing you are helping your future self. It is not fun when you go to unpack your desk, and all of your desk items are in five or six different boxes. That is a quick way to ensure a bigger moving mess.
5. Trash Bags
This is one of my personal favorite moving tricks. By placing a trash bag over hangers of clothes it eliminates taking multiple trips with armfuls of clothes by grabbing a group of bagged clothes. All you do is cut a hole out of the bottom of the bag, place it over a group of hangers, transport it, place in the new closet, remove the bag and enjoy.
Those are my tips and tricks that have helped me during past move in days. I hope you find them useful. Good luck with the new school year!
