Moving Out – It Will Be Here Before You Know It
For some, the process of moving in is easier than moving out. When your student moves in, they neatly pack their items in a suitcase. Their towels, sheets, comforters, and décor are new, clean and many times still in its original packaging. Moving out? Not the case. Items are shoved in garbage bags, clothing is piled into a suitcase and the suitcase is sat on so that it can be zippered. Towels and sheets haven’t been washed all semester and can practically walk home! Needless to say, it can be just as stressful as moving in.
For some students who are coming back to school for the summer session, their items can be stored. Some students can move items into their next year’s apartment and some just don’t want the hassle or see the necessity to bring their refrigerator or microwave home. For these students there are options.
Here are some tips: Each time your student comes home during the Spring semester (or you go to visit) that they bring home some of the items they won’t need anymore. Unless it is going into storage, it will make moving out a lot easier. And before they leave for spring break, encourage them to do some pre-spring break cleaning. They won’t be dealing with finals and will have a little more time on their hands. Keep in mind that while finals end on Friday, that weekend is graduation so you will be competing for hotels some that will have doubled or tripled in price. Maybe come up the weekend prior or during the week and take as much as possible so they can then finish the moving out on their own. Some parents, especially those whose students lived in apartments, have hired a cleaning company to make sure the apartment looks move out ready. We’ve got a list of recommended companies for each school. Take time-stamped pictures and videos after the dorm and apartment are cleaned and emptied. You may be charged for damages, and if you did not document everything when you moved in and out, prepare for those charges. My daughter burned a desk chair in her dorm with a hair appliance and you better believe we were charged for that. Use garbage bags to transport clothes along with their hangers. Throw out anything you know they will never use again. If it is in good shape, many dorms will collect items for donations. Put a freshener sheet in boxes so items going to storage do not get a musty smell.
If you are so obliged, have your student label what is in each box keeping items that can withstand the summer humidity in one box. If you have chosen to use a storage company that is air-controlled, this will not be as big of an issue but if you have not, that is one box that should not be put in storage.
For school-specific information, check out each university.
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