College Life Hacks: Moving Out for the Summer
16
Mar 2022
Moving out of your dorm room is a lot less exciting than move-in day, but it’s still a part of the annual college experience. Whether you’re a freshman wrapping up an eventful first year on campus, or a senior finishing up your college career, these expert tips can make this end of semester process as smooth and easy as possible.
1. (Trash) Bags Are Your Friend
Inevitably, you will end up with more trash than you expect during the move-out process. That’s why it’s important to bring a full box of trash bags when packing and moving. Black trash bags are also an inexpensive way to quickly pack lightweight items like linens, bedding, towels, and clothes. They can be easily thrown in the truck of your car or moving van and can be discarded once you are done using them.
Pro Tip: You can also utilize white trash bags with drawstrings to protect more delicate clothing you want to keep on hangers. Just pull them up over your hanger and tighten the drawstring before moving your clothes out of the closet.
2. Reduce & Recycle
Before you start packing up everything in your room, take a few minutes to see if you actually need to keep all of your stuff. You can reduce the number of boxes you have to move by setting aside items you no longer need. Many colleges like the University of Florida host Recycling Drives at the end of the semester where you can drop off unwanted items like clothes, linens, and small electronics on campus
3. Book Storage Space Now
It may sound counter intuitive, but you could actually SAVE money by reserving a storage unit a month or two early. Even if you don’t plan to use your storage space before the end of the semester, you could end up saving in the long run.
Here’s How: The closer you get to the end of the school year, the more students will be searching for summer storage. Thanks to the law of supply and demand, prices will inevitably go up as fewer units are available and if you wait until the last minute, you could get stuck paying a premium every month. By booking a storage unit early, you can lock in lower rates now, plus you can take advantage of rent specials available today, that won’t be offered later on.
4. Don’t Wait to Clean
There’s already enough to do on moving day without having to worry about dusting blinds. Spend time in the weeks leading up to your move-out date sweeping, dusting, and mopping your dorm room. Don’t forget to clean out the inside of appliances like your refrigerator, microwave, and coffee pot as they can develop plenty of build up over time.
Pro Tip: Some colleges will charge fines to students who leave dirty dorm rooms at the end of the semester so be sure to check on the specific rules on your campus.
With a little planning and effort, your summer move-out experience can be a quick and painless process. Plus you can always stop by one of our six Gainesville locations to reserve storage space, rent a moving truck, and pick up packing supplies any time.