The school year goes by so fast – it seems like just yesterday that you were meeting new friends, agonizing over which courses to take, and moving into your dorm or the apartment you shared with friends. Now, all too soon, it’s time to move out for the summer. No more exams, no more classes, no more deadlines – that’s all good, but you have to say goodbye to your friends and get ready for your summer job or just fun in the sun. So, are you ready? All packed? Good to go? No?
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, check out these tips that can help you get through the process of moving out with a minimum of stress.
If you live in a dorm, often you can avail yourself of storage facilities at your college. Then, it’s simply a matter of packing up what you don’t want to take home or to another location, and it will be there for you when you return next semester. Of course, if you have graduated, this is not an option.
You may also have friends who are living in your college town for the summer, and you might be able to persuade them to give you a bit of storage space. You could also rent a storage unit. There are all kinds of options, but you’re going to have to figure out where your stuff is going to end up. At the very least, you’re going to have to find some boxes to put your belongings in, whether your stuff is staying in storage at the dorm, going home with you, or being stored with friends.
It’s just a dorm room or a shared apartment, so you really shouldn’t need a lot of time to pack. So first, clean out your closet. Realistically, you don’t need to have all your winter clothes hanging there in the late spring. If there are any clothes you’re tired of, find out if your dorm-mates want them. If they don’t, then pack them in boxes and donate them to the Salvation Army or Value Village. If there’s anything that’s unfit to donate (your stinky basketball shoes, maybe?), then throw it out.
Eat what you have instead of ordering pizza. You’ll probably feel guilty if you throw out perfectly good food, and if it’s not used up, it’s just one more thing you have to move.
Decide What to Do About Your Books and Papers
Are you really going to ever refer to all those books again? You might want to sell them back. Sort through your schoolwork, too. That bird course you took – do you really need the notes? Keep what is really necessary, and get rid of the rest.
If you’ve done any damage to your apartment or dorm room, fix it. Otherwise, you’ll almost certainly have to pay for it. If you’ve created holes in the walls from hanging pictures, fix them up with spatter. You can even fix small holes with a bit of toothpaste.
You’ve almost certainly accumulated a number of mementos from your year at college – prom tickets, glassware or t-shirts from special events, posters, cards and more. Pack them up carefully. These are memories that you will treasure for years to come.
Moving out of your apartment or dorm doesn’t have to be stressful. Mostly, it’s a matter of planning and preparing ahead of time. Do what professional movers do – have a timeline, and a deadline, and pack carefully. You’re good to go!
