6 Hacks to Ensure an Easy Move for College Students

By Brittany Hawes on September 30, 2017

There’s no nice way to put this next sentence so I’m just going to have to come out and say it … Moving sucks.

We should just be honest with ourselves because honesty is the best policy. Moving is a lot of sweat, tears, and hard work. It’s also the easiest way (besides maybe a particularly vicious game of Go Fish or Bluff) to make family members plot to destroy one another.

You’re going to have to deal with hungry family members complaining about the heat or why you decided to bring so many clothes; a bunch of strangers who are moving their boxes in as well and seem entirely incapable of forming the sentence “excuse me;” and, if you’re going to have a roommate, trying not to get your belongings mixed up with theirs (the issue of, “Is this your shirt/pair of shoes/ Native American headdress or mine?” should really come later down the road).

Fortunately, there are plenty of ways that you’ll be able to cut down on a lot of the stress that comes with moving. Here are six hacks that will ensure an easy move for college students.

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1) Use labels

You can purchase a DYMO LabelManager for just $9.99 (before shipping and handling) at Quill.com or shop at your local Walmart, Staples, OfficeMax, or Office Depot to find some label makers or stickers to use on your boxes. Labels will help you figure out which boxes need to be set in the kitchen, in the bathroom, in your room, etc.

Extra Hack: If you have anything really important in a box that you’ll need to get to immediately, you can put another label on the box detailing what’s inside. It’s an easy trick that helps you remember what you packed as well!

2) Ask friends and family for help moving

Hiring a moving team can cost you over $100. On the other hand, asking friends and family members to help you out is completely free! They will want to help if they can because they love you and want to make sure that you are going to be situated and comfortable in your new home.

Extra Hack: Don’t forget to thank your helpers! If you have the money, try taking them out to eat after all of their hard work. For cheaper, at-home meal options, check out my previous article on easy meals to make for move-in helpers.

3) Wrap easy-to-break items in towels and/or clothes

If you’re moving something valuable and you’re afraid it might not last the rocky road from home to campus in that cardboard box, you can wrap a few extra towels or clothes around the object before putting it into the box. That way, even if you’re forced to make sudden stops or whip around any corners, you won’t have to worry about anything that’s been secured with your clothes and towels being flung around or broken.

4) Use the top of your car for big items, such as beds

If you’re not going to use a moving van and instead are planning on using your family’s truck to move most of your things, you may find that the trunk is not an ideal place to put your mattress. Instead, opt to put your mattress on the roof of the car. You’ll need to buy some very sturdy rope but that’s all you will need. To learn how to safely tie your mattress to the roof of your car, MovingGuru.com has a list of easy-follow steps and a video on their website.

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5) Bring lots of food

Everyone is going to get hungry throughout the day. You’re going to have a long drive to your school and then hours of unloading and unpacking to do. You’ll want some snacks to stay focused and some drinks to stay hydrated throughout the day. Pack a bag of snacks and a cooler filled with drinks to keep everyone happy and feeling good as they go about their day.

Extra Hack: Powerade and Gatorade are especially helpful drinks for a hot move-in day!

6) Space bags for out-of-season clothing

I met a girl who, like me, loved clothes and shopping. She told me a great tip on how she saved space in her closet and made her room look less junky. She would store all of her off-season clothing in space bags.

For example, if it’s getting close to winter, all of her summer clothes, like shorts, tank tops, and bathing suits, would be stored in space bags while her winter wardrobe would be hung in her closet. I loved this idea because this way, you won’t have unnecessary clothing cluttering up your closet. If you like this idea, make sure you pack some space bags to take with you to your college town!

I hope that these hacks will make your move-in day much easier!

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