9 Tips to Survive Move Out Day

Here are 9 first-hand tips on how to make this year’s move outs as painless and stress-free as possible.

According to a recent study reported by the New York Post, the biggest stressor in life is not getting married, starting a new job, or even going through a breakup or divorce: It’s moving. Packing everything up, deciding what to keep and what to throw away, transportation, along with many other facets of moving, contribute to an often overwhelming process when trying to relocate for the next semester.

However, moving out doesn’t have to be so bad, if you have the right help. To mitigate the stress associated with the moving process, we wanted to give you some tips that we and other students use to making moving suck less. (And if you don’t have somewhere to move into yet, we have every current availability in Provohere.)

 

1. Start Early

Don’t be like you were during last semester’s finals– start packing up early. There always ends up being more work than you think when moving out, especially when you factor in cleaning checks. Get a head start, get going a couple days early, do a little at a time, and the whole process will feel much more manageable.

2. Stay Minimal

You might be moving to a new place, but it’s likely your new apartment is simply a home away from home. Be as minimalistic as possible when packing and deciding what to keep, keeping only the essentials. These questions may be helpful to keep in mind:

• Is it possible for me to fit everything in my car?

• What can stay at home/isn’t essential for the school year? (Keep in mind that will be Fall/Winter during the school year, potentially negating the need for many “Summer” items)

• If I haven’t used this in the last 6 months, will I really use it again in the future?

 

While it may not always be realistic to try and fit everything in your car, going through these questions will help you cut the fluff and only pack what will actually be useful. And if you don’t have the luxury of dropping unused things at home, see what you can do to give to your roommates or donate.

 

3. White Garbage Bags

Great moving hack: prevent having to put all of your hanging clothes in a box by packing them into a white garbage bag (as shown above). This low-cost strategy will help keep everything organized, consolidate space, and reduce wrinkling.

4. IKEA Bags

If you don’t have some already, invest in some blue IKEA bags. These lightweight yet extremely durable packs make for easy transport and organization of most items–and they’re cheap!

5. Prepare for Dishes

Use plastic plates and silverware your last few days in your apartment. This will allow you to pack your dishes early and save money on eating out before your move.

6. Prepare for Grocery Shopping

As you approach move-out day, be attentive to how much food you buy. If you stock up on groceries at Costco the day before you move, that is all food you will either have to add on top of your move or get rid of.

If you can, plan your food so that there’s just enough for you to survive until move-outs. Then, just go shopping right after you move into your next place.

7. Be Organized

If you just throw everything in the back of your car without any rhyme or reason, moving it into your apartment is going to be a nightmare–trust me. You won’t know where things are, you’ll have to make more trips than you have to moving from your car to your apartment, and it’s more likely things will get lost in the shuffle.

Save “future you” some headache by organizing your things well so they are easy to unpack in your new place.

8. Be Mindful of What You’ll Need During Homeless Week

If you are bumming it for a week while you wait for your move-in date, be mindful of what you’ll need on a daily basis and keep those items easily accessible. Consider having a suitcase or box you use for extra clothes, hygiene products, and other basic items that will get you through the week without having to dig through your belongings every time you need something.

9. Create a System

As college students, we’re likely to move every 1-2 years for the next 6 or so years. With this in mind, it’s important to be intentional with how you pack things up and go throughout the moving process.

Understanding what works, what doesn’t work, and creating your own methodology for quickly packing up your life and being ready to move will make future moves a piece of cake. You will thank yourself later for having a system designed to alleviate one of the greatest stressors in your life.

There you have it: 9 tips to help make moving easier, recommended by your peers and the FindMyPlace team–all students that use these tips, all with first-hand experience in this process. We hope this alleviates some of the pain of moving week and provides a soldi framework for getting out of your apartment with as little hassle as possible.

If you haven’t found a place for the Fall yet, we have every current availability in Provo on our marketplace. Check it out and find your next place so your homeless week only lasts one week.