Moving out of a dorm during finals week is like being assigned a paper, project, and cumulative exam all due the same day. It’s no fun, takes forever to be motivated enough to do it, and there never seems to be enough time in the day.
I had to move out of my dorm twice, once after the Summer and once after the Spring semester. Summer move-out was easy, since I’d barely been there for a month. Moving out of my dorm after a whole year, though? That was rough. I immediately regretted every shopping trip, every Amazon order, and often opted to study rather than pack.
It took me two tries to scratch the surface of “mastering” move-out. Looking back, now that I’ve moved out of my apartment, my dorm experience seems like a piece of cake. I’ve had two years to reflect on what worked well, and below are my four tips that truly helped me during my freshman year.
Timing
Starting to pack is always the worst part. Stuff is everywhere, and it’s hard to decipher what you do and don’t use every day. Still, when moving out, it’s important to start planning what you will and won’t bring home at least a week out.
When I moved out of my dorm, I first decided what I’d need for my future apartment and what I wouldn’t. I then took what I wouldn’t and offered it up to my friends, seeing if any incoming freshman needed any of it. For the items nobody wanted, I donated them to the Chuck It for Charity bins FSU offers during move-out. This helped me declutter my space as I began packing.
Before finals week, I also took everything off my walls and cleared out my desk. I didn’t want to be in the midst of studying, stressing over my dorm and exams. It was nice when I took my last final and only had my clothes and shoes to pack up, with everything else already neatly tucked away.
Transportation Luggage
When I moved out of my dorm, I found it easiest to use the blue IKEA bags everyone talks about. They’re big and moldable, so you can really throw whatever you want into them. I’m pretty sure just one of the bags held my books, towels, makeup organizers, and a desktop mirror. Each of these items made it home safe, not even a crease in the books.
The IKEA bags are also stackable and fit perfectly in a car trunk. They won’t slip and slide as you drive home, as long as the weight inside is equally distributed. I used so many of these bags moving out of my dorm, and reused them when moving into my apartment. Amazon even sells packs of their own dupes that work just as well!
During moving out, I also found it incredibly helpful to use my hamper as a sort of “luggage.” I remember stuffing my hamper full of pillows, a comforter, blankets, and anything a little too bulky to fit in an IKEA bag, alongside other stuff. The hamper didn’t sit as nicely in my car ride back, but it was still helpful to get the most space out of what I had.
Media of choice
Moving out of anywhere is always tough, especially the place you lived when you began your college career. For me, it takes a lot of effort to even decide where to start, and then to continue from there. One tactic I’ve landed on is streaming a good, binge-worthy show as I do the work.
Usually, watching a fast-paced, addictive TV show or movie helps me pack much faster than in silence. Music is even beneficial; you can put on some upbeat tunes to get your blood pumping as you throw stuff into “keep” and “donate” piles.
In my past move-out experiences, I’ve found it easiest to throw on a reality show or sitcom. Both of these move exceptionally quickly and often have little plot to focus on. Yes, reality TV can be incredibly painful to watch, and sitcoms sometimes instill strong second-hand embarrassment, but either way, I’ve found that time flies by when either one is on. I usually get through a few hours of packing before I realize how far I’ve come!
Donations
For me, the best part of moving out of anywhere is donating. If there is anything you don’t want to bring home, you’re more than likely to find a home for it elsewhere. FSU offers two options for donation during move-out season: the Food Pantry and the collection bins in the residence hall lobbies.
The Food for Thought Pantry is FSU’s on-campus way of combatting food insecurity. It’s located in University Center A inside the Stadium and is open to any student who’s struggling. The Pantry happily accepts donations and is the perfect place to bring unopened food items at the end of the semester.
During the week of dorm move-outs, there will be collection bins in the Residence Hall Lobby Areas as part of Chuck It for Charity. This program is run through Sustainable Campus and takes clean clothes, unused toiletries, room décor, and other common dorm items. There are a few things they won’t take, though, such as foam mattress toppers and undergarments. So, as you move out, check the postings before tossing!
Obviously, other places will take your donations too. Tallahassee has a handful of homeless shelters, such as the Kearney Center and the Emergency Care Help Organization (ECHO), which will take your donations right out of your hands. Even if you bring something all the way home and decide you no longer need it, there’s always someone who might!
Moving out is no fun. Looking back at all the memories you made and realizing just how quickly time moves is heartbreaking, and having to pack up a year of your life is difficult. Still, these tips helped me move out as efficiently as possible, and made it a little less painful than I anticipated.
Want to see more HCFSU? Be sure to follow us on Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and Pinterest!