College move-in day…Chaotic, busy, crowded, and crammed to the brim with to-do’s — does that sound about right? Good news! All of that stress can be avoided through preparation and planning.
Finding the right college moving help, whether it’s for apartment or dorm moving, is critical to your success.
In today’s post, Nelson Markesbery, a subsidiary of Allied Van Lines, gives you the best college moving day tips, tricks, and hacks to save money, time, and stress.
College Moving Day Tips: The “Must-Haves” & “To-Dos”
Prevent dehydration or hunger.
Bring Water and Snacks
It’s August. That means one thing: it’s going to be insanely hot while you trek to and from your dorm carrying your personal belongings in tow. Stay hydrated with water and stave-off hunger with some healthy snacks packed in a plastic baggy. You probably won’t have time to drive off for lunch. With a snack on hand, you can stay time efficient.
Dress for the occasion.
Dress for Comfort
Like any moving day, you’re doing a lot of walking, bending, reaching, and trudging upstairs. Dress in lightweight clothing and wear comfortable shoes that promote arch support. You might dry jeans or shorts with a t-shirt or fitted long-sleeve button up shirt. It all depends on the weather.
Make the most of your storage.
Plastic Storage Bins and Labels
Dorms are notoriously small, cramped places. Packing your personal items into medium-sized plastic storage bins that stack on top of each other is a great way to stay organized and neat. To keep track of your things, label your supplies by category: electronics, clothes, kitchen utensils, bedding, etc.
Tape those drawers shut.
Tape Drawers and Lids Closed
Nothing is worse than moving your stand-alone desk or drawers, only for papers and miscellaneous items to come flying out, haphazardly strewn across the floor. Avoid it. Tape your drawers and lids with strong masking tape.
Wipes, disinfectants and sprays.
Bring Cleaning Supplies
Yes, colleges say that dorms are cleaned before students move in. But they’re usually not perfectly clean. Make sure to take Windex, paper towels, sanitizing wipes, dish soap, and a small sponge, in case you need to tidy up a bit before settling in.
Pack some tools.
Pack a Small Toolkit
You’d be surprised how handy some basic tools can be (screwdrivers, a hammer, measuring tape, and a wrench), especially when you need to put up extra shelving or assemble a small fridge or IKEA furniture.
Strips and hooks for your wall space.
Bring Command Strips & Hooks
Strips and hooks are perfect for decorating your college living space. For larger items, like towels, hats, or coats, use bigger hooks. Use larger command strips to hold up large dry erase boards and bulletin boards. For posters and pictures, the smaller poster size strips are perfect.
Pack smarter.
Pack Smarter
Your bulkiest, largest item is often your bedding, rugs, comforters, and mattress toppers. Pack these first. Then pack your most important items, followed lastly by decorative items.
5 Tips, Tricks, and Hacks When Moving to College
Each college or university has its own way of doing things, and its own list of requirements for new students moving into dormitories. Visiting the school’s website to familiarize yourself with its requirements is your first step. The next step? Plan.
1. Plan Ahead & Call Ahead
Stuff. Get the low-down on what items to bring. Contact the school and ask them about everything you’ll need to pack (a list of specific items). Some dorms are fully-furnished, others not so much. Write down what you need ahead of time and check it off your to-do list as you pack up to move.
Logistics. Ask them what time you need to show up and where to park. It’s always better to show up early. Most colleges require you to book a 1-hour-long moving appointment. Your college may have other rules and regulations. Read your college’s Housing and Resident’s Life guidelines to make sure you’re in compliance with them.
Know-how. After you’ve done your research, ask for help. If you know of someone who has already been through college move-in day, contact them; ask them questions about what to prepare for and what to avoid.
2. Coordinate with Your Roommate
Contact your future roomie and ask them about who will be responsible for bringing what. Both of you should not be packing kitchen supplies, utensils, furnishings, curtains, and decorations.
It can also be a good time to get to know your future roommate a little better before you meet in person.
3. Schedule Moving Help
Don’t have a vehicle big enough to transfer all of your belongings? Do you need moving supplies or experienced movers to help you get your things to your new living space? Hiring professional moving services is a great choice.
Hiring a college moving company can help take a lot of the stress off of your shoulders, streamlining your moving-day experience, and making the entire process quicker and easier.
4. Use a Dolly & Doorstop
You must have a dolly. You can fit 2-5 boxes on a dolly and save so much time, effort, and energy compared to moving one box at a time up flights of stairs and down long hallways. And, naturally, the doorstop wedge will come in handy for when you need the front door to stay open while you’re maneuvering to fit all of your items into your dorm.
5. Consider Seasonal Storage
Maybe you’re moving out of state and can’t fit all of your items in your dorm. Maybe you’ll only be in the dorms for one semester before moving to a larger, off-campus apartment. That’s where temporary storage comes in handy.
Nelson & Markesbery offers a climate-controlled storage center that protects your items from heat and cold all year round.
What College Moving Services Does Nelson Markesbery Offer?
As an affiliate of Allied Van Lines, our moving company offers a wide span of services and resources to help you move to and from college and university living.
We help move you in or out of state, whether it’s in an on-campus or off-campus dorm at various colleges in the Cincinnati Tri-State Area:
- University of Dayton
- University of Cincinnati
- University of Kentucky
- University of Louisville
- Ohio University
- Mount St. Joseph University
- Midway University
- Kent State (and more…)
Book College Moving Services in Cincinnati’s Tri-State Area
If you’re looking for a college moving company in Cincinnati, consider booking your next move with Allied Van Lines, Looking for a full-service moving company to help you with loading and unloading, or even storage solutions?
Consider booking your next move with Allied Van Lines, one of America’s top-rated moving companies. Get a free estimate today by contacting Nelson Markesbery Moving & Storage: (859) 371-8111.
