By Julie DeLong, A-1 Freeman Moving Group
If you haven't put that much thought into your upcoming move yet, though, take a deep breath. You've got a little bit of time, and if you keep the following tips in mind you're going to be just fine.
Even if you don't have a car, thanks to the miracle of the Internet it's possible to shop for apartments from the comfort of your bed, or during your mid-afternoon class break. And if you start looking around now, then you can put yourself at the top of several landlord's lists for when new openings occur. So, make those calls, check out photos, and schedule walk-throughs now rather than later. Even if you only do a few a week, that will be more than enough to help you find your ideal place.
Moving is one of those things that seems like it wouldn't be a big deal, but it always seems to spiral out of your control when you try to actually do it. Even if you live modestly at school, make sure you have some friends or family reserved for the special day. If it turns out you were just as organized as you thought you were, and you got everything packed without too much trouble, you still get it done faster with friends. And if something goes wrong, then you've got extra hands to help make it go right. Or, if you don't want to hassle with it, you can always hire a professional moving company to help with as much or as little as you need to move.
Getting your name on a lease guarantees that you have a move-in date, and once you have a date you can mark it down in your schedule. The earlier you get on top of these issues, the less of a last-minute scramble you'll have to deal with when it's time to move houses. Waiting till the last minute might leave you with landlords who aren't willing to give you wiggle room on your move-in dates, which could mean you have to crash with a friend for a few days until your new place is ready.
Before you pack anything up to move it, give it a serious once-over to determine whether you actually need it. That box of old assignments from your sophomore year... you can probably recycle that. The hand-me-down pan with the loose handle... you could take it, but is it worth the effort of hauling it when you could get a new one delivered to your place? That small collection of gas station plastic cups? What about those jeans you've had since you were a freshman, but you still don't fit into?
There's no point in hanging onto something you haven't used, and don't need. Or in taking something with if it would be easier and affordable to just replace it with a new model delivered by someone else.
The key to a successful move is to make sure you do it in small, bite-sized chunks. Start packing your non-essentials (art, secondary sheets, seasonal clothes, etc.) a month or so in advance so that you have them out of the way. Then, just before you move, pack an overnight bag with all your essentials (few sets of clothes, toiletries, etc.). By taking it in small, manageable chunks, you can make a move feel much lighter than it is.
Request a free quote
