This past week, I had the fun experience of having to move from one dorm to another on my college campus. I remember thinking several times throughout this process that there had to be better ways to do this, as every step of the process was chaotic and inefficient, lasting a total of four hours.
Many people will, like me, be moving into new dorms or apartments in just a couple of months. Although it's still the beginning of summer, it's never to early to start planning ahead. Trust me, you'll be glad you did.
In fact, I've found that to be the most important thing to remember about moving: you should always plan ahead. Having a plan B lined up for anything that could possibly go wrong is also a great idea. That was my mistake; I didn't plan to move as many things as I needed to, and this cost me time.
Another thing that took up time was putting everything in boxes while trying to move. In retrospect, it's always best to pack small objects in boxes ahead of time, so that when you actually need to move out, everything is ready to go. Additionally, make sure your boxes are secure. You don't want loose objects falling out or breaking.
Along these same lines, it is also important to know how to pack. Wrapping delicate objects in newspaper is a cheap and easy way to keep them from breaking. Be sure to pack these in boxes with other breakable objects, as you should always pack like objects together, to avoid confusion. This also makes it easier to label boxes.
When packing clothes, always fold them. This saves space and prevents unnecessary wrinkling. Also, if you plan to leave clothes in boxes for long periods of time, be sure to place dryer sheets in the boxes. This will keep clothes fresh for when you need them next.
Also, when you make your plans to move, make sure to take into account the schedule or policies of the place to which you're moving. When I made my plan, I figured that I could wake up early and get everything moved out in just a couple of hours, freeing up the afternoon for the drive home. It wasn't until a few days before the move that I learned that my new dorm wouldn't accept new move-ins until after 3 o'clock. If I had checked ahead of time, I could have avoided this confusion.
One thing that should be obvious is that you should always have help when moving. However, you should also make sure that the amount of help you have is proportional to the amount of stuff you're moving and the amount of time you're willing to spend.
In typical college student fashion, I had my family helping with move-in. Unfortunately, the high volume of things to be moved meant that it was a bit of an overload for three people and one car. If you think you have too much stuff for one or even two trips, always be sure to have extra help, just in case.
Finally, I know moving can be stressful. However, it should also be exciting. You're moving to somewhere new, and that should be fun and interesting. Once you're done with the hard parts of moving, don't forget to take some time to explore your new surroundings. Take some pictures, decorate a little, make the room your own. After the dust settles, it's nice to just relax.
