The summer is flying by and it's time to think about everything you'll need for the day you're all waiting for: freshman move-in day. A day of blood, sweat and probably some tears, these few tips should ease your stress and alleviate your anxiety.
First of all, you do not need your entire closet. I promise. After attempting to shove every article of clothing I own in the tiniest closet ever constructed, I quickly realized that wouldn't be possible, but kept trying anyways. This was especially silly on my part as I lived only 20 minutes away from campus and could realistically go home and get anything I could possibly need. Long story short, really think about what you'll actually wear and only bring that with you. You'll need some nice casual clothes for class, some "going out" clothes, athletic clothes if you're a gym rat and comfy clothes to relax in. Try to only pack for that season if you're able to get home on breaks -- this will help with some of the bulk of stuff. As a side note, if you do try to attempt to bring everything, your clothes will single-handedly dominate your entire living space, which is "cozy" enough to begin with.
Secondly, you won't need 20 sets of sheets, towels, etc. When your mom starts picking out every single set of sheets created to match your brand new twin-sized comforter, urge her to only buy two at most. One set for on the bed and one for the laundry is just perfect. A tip for the ladies: grab a couple of the fun towels that have the Velcro across the top the next time you're at Target. These are absolutely perfect for the treks back from the hall bathroom. Oh, and don't forget your Turbie Twists if you have those as well.
Don't forget your wall size constraints. As you're ordering fun posters, canvases, and tapestries online to emulate the perfect dorm rooms you see on Pinterest, realize that not everything will fit. It's nice to have a theme to your room, especially something that is aesthetically pleasing to you and illustrates your interests, but don't make it too busy. Your room will become your place to relax after a long day of classes and other activities, so make it nice and comfy and cozy. Another tip: buy plenty of Command strips and hooks while you're out college shopping. No amount of these is ever too much. You don't want to end up with those nasty fines at the end of the year if the paint chips off your wall!
As to save space and effort on move-in day, pack all of your belongings in containers that you're planning to have in your room. Even if you pack your books in a crate you may end up using for clothes, that is one less crate you'll have to carry in on that hot and humid August move-in day. The rule-of-thumb for dorm rooms is to conserve as much space as possible. If you find yourself with just too much stuff to fit in the room, I would highly suggest having your bed lofted or prop it up on cinder blocks under each leg of the bed. This will allow for lots of under-bed storage!
Most importantly, don't let the stress of move-in day get to you. Although emotions will be high for a variety of reasons and the temperature will be equally as grueling, just take a deep breath and relax. You only move into your freshman dorm once! The relief and joy once you're done definitely makes up for all of the move-in day chaos.
