Moving away for (presumably) the first time… It’s a bit of an intimidating thought, isn’t it? In less than two weeks, I will be among thousands of university and college freshmen moving onto campus in a new city. Am I nervous? Not as much as several of my friends, and I credit much of that to the fact that I compulsively over-prepare. If Santa makes a list and checks it twice, I make about five lists and check them every five minutes, in spite of the fact that I won’t be out of the house for over a week. My shopping has been extensive, and would perhaps even be considered extreme by some. This has certainly not deterred me in any way. I would, therefore, like to present to you some tips and tricks for your own college/dorm shopping and packing journey, whether you’re moving in at the end of the month, or won’t be leaving home for another while.
Before Buying
Consider How Far You’re Travelling
Personally, I am only going to Edmonton, but I have friends who are moving as far away as Halifax. Because of how far each of us is moving, and how we are going to get there, we are each going to have to prepare in a different way. I am driving to campus, so it makes much more sense for me to buy most of my supplies before leaving, as opposed to someone who has to fly across the country. If buying supplies at home isn’t a viable option, you can wait until you arrive at your destination before shopping. Additionally, stores like Bed Bath & Beyond have programs where you do your shopping at home, and they will hold your purchase for pickup at the location closest to your campus.
Consider Your Space
Every school does dorms differently, and as a first-year student, chances are that you’re going to be living in one. Do you have a roommate? Do you have a private or shared bathroom? Does your bed have drawers, and/or do you have the option to loft it? If you’re in a suite or apartment-style residence or are living off-campus, this might not be as much of a consideration, because you’re naturally going to have a little bit more space to work with. If you’re living in a dorm room glorified broom closet, using your space as efficiently as possible is essential. For some, rolling drawer carts or wire shelving are a good option to optimize space, but for others, maybe not.
Consider University/Landlord Rules
Chances are, the rules governing what you can and cannot bring with you to your school are different than the ones for your friend’s school. For example, my school (University of Alberta) allows me to bring a mini fridge, but no heating appliances (i.e. kettle, microwave, hot plate). In the first year residences at the University of Calgary, however, residents may not bring mini fridges. Therefore, it’s important to check up on what may or may not be allowed in your dorm or housing unit. The same goes for off-campus apartments or other rental units.
Packing and Moving
A few quick tips:
- Make a list of everything you need to bring. Google Sheets is great for this because you can access it on any device. Colour coding and organizing the list by category is also a good idea. When you’re sure that you have everything written down on the list, print it out so that you can use it as a reference when you’re packing and unpacking, and so that you can make handwritten changes as needed. If you’re not sure where to start, Pinterest has a ton of great packing lists that you can use or adapt to your own needs.
- Label your boxes with not only their contents or what room/area they go in, but with your name and unit/apartment number (if you
know it). - To pack clothes that are on hangers, leave them on the hangers, bundle them, and wrap them in garbage bags for easy transportation. If you’re packing bulky items on hangers like sweaters or winter coats, you can also use Ziploc Space Bags designed for hanging clothing.
- Just use Ziploc Space Bags or something similar for packing clothes in general. They help your clothes take up less space in transit, making packing a whole lot easier.
- Pack an overnight bag with all of your essentials, pajamas, and a change of clothes. Depending on what time of day you move in (for example, I don’t move in until mid afternoon), you may not have time to get everything unpacked until the next day, so you don’t want to be rummaging through boxes and bins trying to find your toothbrush.
Happy packing!
