10 Tips To Survive College Move In Day

Although exciting, college move in day can be extremely stressful. Remembering (and questioning) if you brought everything you need, hundreds of new faces swimming around you, the realization that you’ll actually be on your own for the next 4 (or however many) years…yes, it can be a bit overwhelming. To make things a bit easier, follow these 10 tips to help you survive college move in day…trust me, you can do it!

1. Read your dorm guidelines beforehand.

First things first, you need to brush up on your universities’ dorm guidelines and what you are and aren’t allowed to bring. Keep it handy when it comes to dorm shopping so you don’t end up bringing something you’ll have to get rid of anyways.

2. Contact your roommate BEFORE college move in day.

It is best to contact your roommate as soon as possible via social media or even email. Decide who’s going to bring what appliances and decide which side of the room you want to have. It is also a good time to divide up chores and any conflicts that may come up on move in day or while living together. By having some of these things sorted out beforehand, you can eliminate some of the stress on move in day.

3. Use plastic tubs instead of boxes.

Plastic totes hold more and can even stay in your dorm room with you for extra storage space. Plastic tubs are also much sturdier than boxes, so your dad won’t have to worry about the bottom falling out while he’s half way up the stairwell. Plus, since plastic tubs can hold more, you’ll ultimately have to be make less trips back and forth between your car and the dorm.

4. Label each tote by category.

This is especially important to keep everything organized for when you start unpacking. If you label the boxes (kitchen, bed, desk, etc.,) you’ll know exactly where to find the items you’re looking for. Organization is key when it comes to college move in day!

5. Know what you’ll immediately need, and keep that separate.

Having one plastic bin, or even an overnight bag, that contains everything you would might need that first day is always a good idea. When you’re exhausted and sweaty, the last thing you’re going to want to do is search through a bunch of boxes to try and find a change of clothes and facecloth.

6. Make your bed as soon as possible.

Having a made bed is great for a place to relax while you take breaks. It also makes your room immediate look more put together…no matter how much more unpacking you have to do.

7. Also plug in your refrigerator as soon as possible.

A mini fridge needs at least a couple hours to be ready to use for your food. Plugging it in right away leaves you one less thing to worry about while you unpack and make yourself at home.

10 Warning Signs Of A Potentially Bad Roommate

8. Have any clothes you plan on hanging up already on their hangers.

This makes putting away your clothes SO much easier.

9. Know where your resources are.

Before college move in day, do some research and find out where the nearest Home Depot, Staples, Target (or similar stores) are. Then if you need something for your room – you will not have to take the time looking for these stores on move in day.

10. Bring lots of 3M Command Strips and Command Hooks.

These are very useful for hanging things on the wall since hammering nails into the walls probably won’t go over well in your dorm room. You can hang robe, towels, canvas prints to decorate, etc. Seriously, you can’t have too many.