Moving into college, whether you are a freshman or senior, is stressful. Moving in general is stressful. You have to pack up your life and find room for it all in a new and unfamiliar place. Especially for incoming freshman, move in day is a mysterious and frightening horizon that will soon be upon us all. Here are eight life-changing tips to make move in day easier.
1. Leave your hanging clothes on the hangers.
Moving in freshman year of college, I made the mistake of folding all my clothes, including the ones I wanted to hang, and packing my hangers separately. This is an unnecessary step that can be eliminated by simply leaving the clothes you want to hang, such as coats or blouses, on their hangers, and laying them down in the backseat of the car while traveling. Once you get on campus, all you have to do is pick up the hangers, with the clothes on them, and hang them in your closet. Boom, done! No unfolding and sorting necessary.
2. Store all backup supplies in a separate container.
Any backup supplies, such as extra shampoo, soap, shaving cream, etc., for when you run out of what you're using currently, should be packed away in a separate container, such as a small bin or basket to simply slide under your bed. This way, your backup products do not get mixed up with your current products, and when you run out of toothpaste, you know exactly where to find more. By keeping your storage separate from what you're currently using, it is easier to keep track of what you have and where it belongs.
3. On move in day, put everything you needed to get ready that morning into a backpack.
After you get ready on the morning of move in day, put your phone charger, toothbrush, hairbrush, makeup, perfume, etc. -anything you needed that morning- into a backpack. These carry-on essentials, when packed separately from everything else, will be so easy to find and unpack once you get into your new room. This way, you're not looking through all of your new drawers wondering where in the heck your hairbrush went. By keeping these necessities separate from everything else, you will be more organized once you get on campus.
4. Store supplies in an ottoman.
An ottoman was one of the most useful things I bought for my dorm. In it, I stored my laundry detergent, dryer sheets, lint roller, Clorox wipes, tissues, and other useful cleaning items. Putting a certain category of items (such as cleaning products) in the ottoman, you know exactly where they are when you need them. Rather than taking up valuable space in your drawers or under your bed, storing things in an ottoman keeps them out of sight, but readily available on laundry day, or when you need to clean you room. Plus, ottomans are a cute addition to the dorm, and easy to pick up and move on move in day. And depending on how high you decide to raise your dorm bed, the ottoman can be used as a helping hand when jumping up into bed!
5. Pack heavy clothing in a laundry bag.
Fold your heavier fall and winter clothes, such as sweaters, hoodies, and sweatpants, into a neat pile, and place them into a mesh laundry bag. This keeps the clothes that take up the most space into a manageable, and movable, container. Also, these are the clothes you won't be needing right away, due to the warm weather, so keeping them folded nicely in a laundry bag saves you valuable drawer space, to be used for things you'll actually be wearing in those first few weeks. Putting your hoodies and other heavy clothing into drawers is a waste of space, because they take up so much room. The laundry bag keeps them tightly compacted, and simple to keep track of: you know where your clothes are for when you get cold, and they're all in one place! Store the laundry bag either under your bed or on the floor of your closet. Don't put light clothes into this bag, as they will be crushed and wrinkled.
6. Pack the car the night before.
Since move in day is so chaotic, save yourself the extra step of having to pack the car by doing so the night (or day) before. This way, you save valuable time on move in day, and you will have more energy to unpack the car once you get to your dorm. Also, packing the car in advance allows you ample time to make sure you have everything you need, and you can check your bedroom one more time to make sure you didn't forget anything. This also allows #3 to come in handy: anything you'll need on the morning of move in day, do not back until you're getting ready to leave. This way, you have everything you need on hand, rather than lost in the trunk of the car.
7. Wrap any fragile items in your blankets.
Any fragile items you may be bringing to your dorm, such as a coffee mug to hold your pens, or a makeup mirror, will be safe if you wrap them in the blankets you are bringing for your dorm bed. The plushy blankets will protect these breakable items much better than tissue paper, and all you have to do when you get into your dorm is carefully unravel the items out of the blanket, place the items on your desk or windowsill, and put the blankets on your bed.
8. Put your shoes in a tote bag.
When packing shoes for college, you'll probably need more than a few pairs: flip flops, shower shoes, flats, sneakers, heels, winter boots, etc. It's so easy to lose at least one shoe in the hustle and bustle of moving. Keep all your shoes together by putting them in a bag that either ties or zips shut. This way, you know where they all are, and once you get into your dorm, you can easily take them out and put them in your closet, with none mysteriously gone missing.
Move in day will be chaotic no matter what, but hopefully these tips will help the process go more smoothly. Packing and unpacking your life isn't easy, but with the proper preparation, it can even be fun. Happy moving!
