College Move-in Day Tips

Moving into your college dorm room or apartment can be incredibly exhausting and stressful, but there are many things that you can do to minimize the stress that you and your family will encounter on the big move-in day.

1. Don't wait until the last minute to pack.

That is the biggest mistake that someone can make before moving in. Waiting until the last minute to pack is incredibly stressful, and you will more than likely forget something important. Try to have the list of what you need to buy ready at least a month before you go. Even if you only buy a couple things a week, it will make everything less stressful.

2. Put everything in bins.

Target sells wonderful gallon totes which end up coming in pretty colors every year, and they make the move so much easier. That way you're not carrying in a lot of bags or carrying loose items. They also stack, which make them fit easier in the vehicle. The bins make it easier -- that way, you're not taking multiple trips up the stairs.

3. Label your bins.

Use some sort of system to label your bins. Make sure that you know which bins should be unpacked first and which ones can wait a little while. You will want to organize your room once you get more settled in, so waiting to unpack a few bins is OK. Make sure you unpack your fan and plug that in first. Odds are, the dorm room will be warm, and you will be moving around a lot more and will be dying of heat.

4. Do food shopping ahead of time.

If you plan on stocking your fridge right when you move in, come with the food. Unless you live more than three hours away from campus, the food will still be good when you plug in your fridge. One less trip to Walmart will save time and energy after you carried a bunch of things upstairs.

5. Leave your door open to meet your neighbors.

College move-in day will be stressful, and you will meet so many new people. Leaving your door open will help you meet everyone who will be spending the next few months living next to you and down the hall from you. If you're walking by an open door, look in and say hi. Meet everyone who lives around you.

6. Figure out how you want the room to be set up before you bring everything into the room.

It will be so much easier to move around furniture without mounds of things in the room. Moving furniture around the room will also be easier without having to worry about unplugging things so they don't get pulled from the outlet.

Move-in day is incredibly stressful, but is a wonderful day. You will always remember the day you started the rest of your life!