Being a student is certainly exciting, especially when there’s a party every week, you’ve got new friends, and life seems limitless. But since it’s a shy start to adulting, you have to get used to doing boring things now so that you can have a chill time after. So, we’ll talk about moving in and what you need to do to effortlessly move all your things and avoid making a mess at home and in your new place.
Prepare ahead of time
No matter how much time you have until moving, it’s never enough, so you need to make a plan as soon as possible to ensure you get a good place that’s affordable and suits your needs. But you first need to pack, so start by making a moving checklist where you write down all the things you need to bring. You can have a look around your room and decide what stays home that you can find to purchase because it would be counterproductive to take something that you can find at the stores next to your new place.
Do some cleaning
Now that you checked the room, it’s time to do some cleaning to leave the room spotless. Besides wiping surfaces from dust and cleaning under your bed, this is the best chance to clean and reorganise your closet. You might’ve gathered things and clothes you don’t need or wear anymore, so check what’s still useful. It would help to make a list of all the things you have to get an idea of what you need to buy and what needs to stay home.
Donate unused clothes
Since you’ve done some cleaning, you can do something good with the clothes you won’t wear or are not in good condition anymore, like donating them. Many stores accept any clothes, and in exchange, you’ll receive a discount coupon to use for a future purchase. For example, Zara has a special program for donating items, and you can include any kind of clothes and footwear that will be recycled or reused. There’s also a home collection service in London that takes your old clothes from home if you make a purchase.
Label your boxes
Now that unnecessary items are out of the way, you can get to the packing stage. Boxes are especially helpful because they’re spacious and stackable but also safe. Whatever you put inside, it’s less likely to move around and get damaged. So, gather everything and stack your things as much as possible so as not to leave empty spaces. Then, get a marker and label them so that you can save some time when moving in. It would be best not to mix your things, so have boxes only for clothes, shoes, and miscellaneous items separately.
Know how to store your things
It’s important to know how you’re going to store your things. Most student lettings and rentals allow you to have a tour of the place so you can get an idea of where you can place your things. Although bedrooms and houses might have basic storage, you may want to supply that and purchase extra storage supplies. For example, you can choose between storage boxes and plastic containers for your school items. But you first need to know what you are allowed to bring and install before shopping, so getting in touch with the company or the lender is necessary.
Get help
It isn’t easy to move on your own, so have your family help you, or bring some friends along to lend a hand with all the boxes and organisation. Or you can hire a moving company if you have a lot of things and don’t have the means for transportation and help. But you need to assess these things early to avoid making a mess right when you move.
Do some shopping
After you’ve settled on your belongings, it’s time to do some shopping. If you pack only the essentials so as not to carry a lot of things, you may need a shopping session to purchase what you need. Here’s a list of what you may need:
- For your room: deck lamp, drying rack, mini trash can;
- Laundry supplies: sheets and pillowcases, towels, blankets, clothes hanger, laundry detergent;
- For your desk: notebooks, sticky notes, stackable desk trays;
- Toiletries: bandages, shampoo and conditioner, soap, shower gel, dental floss;
- For the kitchen: trash bags, all-purpose cleaner, wet wipes, coffee, water bottle;
Get back to cleaning
When arriving at your new accommodation, you may find the place already cleaned, but you’d still need to have a little dusting and sweeping here and there. This can ensure that you place your things on clean surfaces, and you won’t have to worry about dirt or lint. Plus, this first cleaning can help you frequently clean to keep your place neat.
Follow the rules
Moving into a shared space means you must follow some basic rules during your stay. This includes:
- Having the responsibility of paying your rent, keeping the place clean and not causing any disturbances;
- Know what your landlord should be providing. This is especially crucial because you may need repairs and maintenance, or they should ensure basic fire, gas and electrical safety, so you must know what to expect.
- Following any tenancy or licence agreement;
Don’t get too nervous
Moving away from home might seem scary, especially when you live with more people in the same accommodation. But you don’t have to overthink it because it’s your next stage in life which will help you grow and become more responsible. Even though you’ll have many things to handle besides studying, you’ll be able to nail them all so that you can fully enjoy your student life. What seems to be intimidating now will become familiar soon.
Wrapping up
For an easy and stress-free moving-in, you need to start planning and packing ahead so that you won’t forget something important and everything will be in place at your house and your new apartment.
