Moving To Your First College Apartment? Follow These Tips
Moving in to your first college apartment is a big and exciting step. Even if you've lived in a dorm before, living in an actual apartment brings with it a whole new sense of independence and a whole new set of challenge. To make sure the process goes smoothly, follow these tips.
Don't buy anything big until you've officially moved in.
Once you find out you're getting an apartment, it might be tempting to start stocking up on items you need. After all, there are a lot of supplies – from couches to cookware – that you'll need to accumulate in order to outfit your apartment. When accumulating supplies, however, it's wise not to buy anything too large before you've actually moved into the apartment. Buy a couch before the move, for instance, and you'll have to move it twice – to your current home, and then to the apartment. Focus on only buying smaller items before the move, and then if you need larger items, buy them once you have the place. There are probably just as many (if not more) used couches to be found in your college town as in your home town.
Check with your roommates to weed out duplicates before you actually move your things.
To reduce the amount of stuff you have to pack up and move to your apartment, check with your roommates to see what everyone else is contributing. This way, you don't show up to the apartment with three microwaves and two ironing boards, but no towels. Make a list of items you have, and ask each of your roommates to do the same. For the duplicates you find, decide which person with that item will bring theirs, and who will leave theirs back home. If you notice items are missing, decide who will buy them – or plan to buy them after the move and split the costs.
Clean before you unload the moving truck.
College apartments don't always have the reputation of being the cleanest living spaces. For this reason, it's a good idea to give the place a deep clean before you move in. Wash the floors and windows, vacuum the rugs, and give the bathroom and kitchen surfaces some good scrubbing. It's a lot easier to do this before you unload the truck and have to trip over mountains of boxes to do so.
Follow the tips above, and the process of moving in to your first college apartment should be smooth and enjoyable. Remember to leave yourself plenty of time, so you don't feel rushed and overwhelmed. It may be a good idea to rely on the services of professional movers like E-Z Moving & Storage.