Packing Tips for College Move Out Day

It's a bittersweet time of the year - summer is approaching which means no more papers or exams, but it also means saying goodbye to friends and and this lovely Homewood campus. I mean, there's still like four weeks (plus finals) left this semester, but I know I'm already thinking about summer. I'm going to be at Hopkins but I'm sure a lot of you will be moving off-campus or moving home for the summer. Take it from someone who moved out of their dorm last year, it can be a stressful and time-consuming process. Between Homecoming, Spring Fair, finals, and the nice weather *fingers crossed*, it can be difficult to get everything organized and packed up in a timely manner. Where should you begin? What all do you need to do? Check out this list!

1. Figure out if anyone is helping you move out. My mom and grandma came the week of move-out and helped me pack and organize and it was lifesaver. Figure out if you have any family coming to help and you can manage your time better.
2. Find a storage unit asap if you live far away. One of the hardest things about being across the country for school is figuring out what to do with all of your stuff when summer comes around. Upperclassmen friends with houses or family nearby would be ideal but finding a close storage unit might be your best option. Look to see if other students want to share a unit with you and make sure to ask for student discounts!
3. Be very, very nice to local friends and buff guys. Moving out of your dormroom that's on the fourth floor is very taxing. Then you have to figure out how you're actually going to move the stuff from the dorm to a car and/or a storage unit. Strong friends and friends with cars will come in very handy. 
4. Make a to-do list. This way you can be on top of everything and nothing will sneak up on you. You have to organize, pack, clean, actually move out - the list goes on. Having all your tasks in one place makes everything less stressful.
5. Set aside items to donate. If you didn't wear it all school year, you won't wear it next year. Don't take up time and space by storing items you don't need. At Hopkins, Goodwill has trucks stationed around campus come the end of the semester so you can conveniently donate items.
6. And throw out things you really don't need. No, you won't need those thousand pages that you printed out for all your classes. Take it from a hoarder, lighten your load before you store everything and it will make move-in in the fall a lot easier.
7. Label all of your boxes. This should be a no-brainer but labeling your boxes will make a world of difference when it comes to move-in. It's also easier when you're trying to pack and have no clue where to put what.
8. Eat all your food and spend all your dining dollars. Finals is a great time to make sure you eat all of your perishables and spend your dining dollars on coffee and candy. Don't let anything go to waste!
9. Make sure you save time to clean. A lot of dorms will charge your account for any reason they can. Make sure all tape is removed, any hole is filled, and all your trash is taken out.

Preparation is key to a quick and easy move. Best of luck getting packed and good luck with finals! You got this, I believe in you :)

-Marisa

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