Our Moving Out of a Dorm Tips
Move-in day feels like it was just yesterday. But wow did this semester fly by fast. Now that finals have just ended, I’m sure your parents have been on your case about being packed and ready to leave right after finals. Don’t panic, we’re here to help you pack quickly and efficiently.
How to Move Out of a Dorm Room Fast (for those who plan ahead)
On move-out day there’s no time to waste. There are multiple ways you can get ready for summer break, but it’s best to be smart about packing up so you are out quick without feeling rushed – and without your ride honking the horn in the parking lot to hurry you along. Here’s how to smooth out your moving process:
Make Your Dorm Move Out Checklist
- Take an inventory of what’s yours and what’s your roommate’s. This will give you an idea of how much packing material you need. If you need some tips for how to choose your boxes, check out our guide.
- Categorize belongings by what can be packed now (extra clothes and décor) and what is last minute (bedding, toiletries, laptop, and electronics). Move-out day goes faster when most of the room’s already in boxes.
- Know your dorm’s move out requirements including cleaning up, key drop-off, and scheduling a walkthrough inspection.
How Long Does It Take to Pack a Dorm Room?
Size is on your side for move out day. Dorm rooms are only so big, so there is a ceiling to how much stuff you need to haul away. Without a plan in hand, packing up can take a few hours. Here is how you can speed up the process:
- Pre-pack as much as you can to save time.
- Have transport ready to go on move out.
- Have some extra hands, friends, or mom and dad will do!
- Rent a truck if possible so you can move more at once.
- Hire some movers if you have A LOT of stuff.
How to Move Out of a Dorm Room Fast (for those who procrastinate)
Pre-packing and planning is the best way to ensure a smooth move-out – if you aren’t balancing finals, projects, roommate trouble, and everything else a college student deals with. If you wait till the last minute, you can still get this figured out – you’ll just need to approach it a little differently:
- First, clean your dorm room. Don‘t bother doing laundry or vacuuming, just put everything where it goes.
- Pack area by area – and don’t revisit the area until everything is packed.
- Put garbage bags over your hanging clothes and put dirty clothes in your laundry hamper.
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- You can garbage bag your bedding and towels too, really anything that can’t break and is fairly light can be tossed inside. Just don’t pack the bags too full, or they’ll rip and tear during the move.
- Shoe boxes are roughly the size of desk drawers – don’t bother organizing them, just fill up a shoebox per drawer.
- Use any clean clothes to wrap breakables – dishes, glass bottles, picture frames. This way you’re packing two things at once!
Need a Place for Your Stuff This Summer? StorageMart is Here
If college is in your hometown, you probably have parents helping with summer student storage. But if home is farther away, renting a seasonal storage unit can be a good way to go. At StorageMart, our small storage units are perfect for keeping your belongings safe and secure between semesters. Our units are clean, well-lit, flexible to use, and easy to rent online, over the phone, or in person. To get started, check out our Self Storage Calculator or rent a unit near you today.