5 Tips to Make College Moving Easy!

5 Tips to Make College Moving Easy!

In the United States, one out of every six people moves each year, but not all the people moving will settle in for long. College students are some of the most transient people in the country, and moving in and out of dorms every year can be a pain.

From hiring a full service moving company to packing your crates carefully, there are plenty of ways to simplify your frequent moves. Here are some tips for college moving that will make your transitions smoother!

1. Sort your stuff: 
Before you start to pack, organize your belongings into items you want to leave at home and items you need to take with you. College dorms are usually small, so pack only the essentials and get rid of clutter or unwanted possessions to save time and effort. If you’re moving into a suite or apartment, labeling each box by room or category can be a great way to settle in quickly. When you’re moving out, organize things you won’t need over the summer into boxes that you won’t have to repack in fall.

2. Check out your space: 
If you can, try to visit your dorm or apartment before you move. Get a desk or window fan if there’s no air conditioning, closet organizers if you have the extra room, and bed risers if the bed isn’t tall enough to provide storage space underneath. Stack-able plastic drawers or shelves can be great lightweight and easy-to-move fixtures to store extra clothes, notebooks or supplies if you don’t have enough furniture in your dorm.

3. Be smart about your moving supplies:
In a dorm room, there’s no place to store a lot of big cardboard boxes, so be strategic about what you use to move because you’ll be needing those things again soon enough. Inexpensive crates can be a great way to save space, and some can even be turned on their sides and stacked as shelves for your textbooks during the year. Pack extra clothes in the laundry basket, and desk supplies in your garbage bin. Reusable shopping bags can also be packed away neatly during the year and brought back out for a move.

4. Ask for help:
You’d be amazed how much quicker you can move in with only a few extra hands. Moving by yourself is a nightmare, but with enough people, it can be over in a blink. Hire a full service moving company or bring your family and friends along to help and you’ll be kicking back in your new dorm in no time.

5. Consult a storage company: 
If you’re going far away for college, it may not be practical to haul everything back home every year, especially if you’d rather go by plane. Storage containers near campus can be split between roommates or classmates and can make moving back in come fall a piece of cake. Some storage companies near colleges even offer discounts to students, and a full service moving company with storage services can also help you move your belongings to a new dorm.

What are some ways you’ve made the best of your college moving experiences? Share them in the comments!