College Move in Day Tips

Check out these 15 tips for moving day success!

While move-in day can be tiring and stressful, these college move-in day tips can make the day go much smoother! Take some time before packing your car and heading to college to do some planning! It can make a big difference on how you start the school year!

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1. Know your move-in time and processes.

Whether moving into a dorm or sorority, often residents are assigned a move-in date and time. It is important to know your scheduled time frame and to plan accordingly so that you can arrive a little early.

It’s also important to know your school’s move in process. Many have rules on where you can drop off your things, how much time your vehicle can stay in the drop-off zone and where you can park. These are normally e-mailed to you, but you can also often find them on the school’s website, if moving into a dorm.

If you don’t know your move-in time and specific processes, take some time to look for the information. You’ll be glad you did!

2. Pack items together based on where they will go in the room.

Getting items unpacked quickly helps minimize chaos in a crowded room. Packing like-items together will make it easy to do so. For example, pack the items that will go on and in the desk together. Pack bathroom sink area items together. Pack items for your closet together. You get the idea!

3. Label all boxes and cartons.

When filling boxes, bags and tubs, it may seem obvious to you what is in each. But when many helpful hands are carrying your things on move-in day, labeling helps everyone get the right things to the right place.

Make sure your name and room number are on every carton, tub, and box. Many colleges have people helping to unload boxes, and having your personal information on your items will help ensure they get delivered to the right place.

Note the area of the room in which the items belong. For example, label the box “bathroom”, “desk”, etc. This will help get the items into the general vicinity.

4. Leave hanging clothes on hangers.

Putting all of your clothes onto hangers takes time on move-in day. Save the hassle by packing the items on their hangers.

Pro-tip: Use a trash bag to keep your clothes together and clean.

covering hung clothes with a trash bag for college move in day

Place a rubber band around a handful of hanging clothes.

Put a hole in the middle of the bottom of a trash bag.

Put the clothes through the bag, pulling the hangers through the hole in the trash bag.
Tie a knot in the bottom of the top of the trash bag. This will keep items from falling out. Worst case scenario, something falls off of a hanger and into the bottom of the tied bag.

5. Purchase bins, totes, drawer organizers.

Most likely, your college room will be less spacious than your home’s bedroom so you’ll want to make the most out of every nook and cranny. The best way to use your space is to plan the use of bins, totes, in-drawer organizers, jars, drawer units, etc.

Look online for pictures to get an idea of the type and size of organizers that will work best for your room. Many students create dorm tour YouTube videos which can help give you an idea of storage options for your room. Just search the name of your housing location and college name.

Check our my in-drawer organizer post which shows how to decorate Dollar Tree in-drawer organizers. You may also like my bathroom jar post as there are many small items in the bathroom that are best organized in containers. Dollar Tree is a perfect stop to find cheap containers.

Three-drawer plastic units like the one below work great under beds.

Think about your bathroom space and baskets and totes that are needed in that space.

Plan to use all the space in your closet. Bins, buckets, and baskets are great for making the most of that top shelf. And don’t let the bottom become a cluttered mess.

6. Create and pack a cleaning bucket.

Whether you’re moving into a dormitory, an apartment, or a sorority house, most likely some type of cleaning services are typically performed before move-date. However, it’s a good idea to plan to do some quick cleaning before moving your things into the space.

Create a cleaning bucket with cleaners and disinfectants that you can use to clean the space before you move in. Make sure this bucket is packed in your vehicle in an easy-to-reach location so that it makes it into the first load to your new home.

7. Bring basic tools.

Bring basic tools to help assemble things and have them handy in a tool box or tote that is in easy reach immediately when you get to the room. Key tools to bring:

Scissors – Don’t forget the scissors. You’ll most likely use them to open and cut tags off of new items. These are essential.
Box cutter/utility knife – If you packed your items in boxes and if you’re opening new items, a box cutter comes in very handy.
Phillips & screwdriver – Yes, there is often assembly of something on move-in day.
Hammer – This may come in handy when adjusting dorm beds too. Check out our dorm bed instruction video if you’re trying to change the height of your bed.
Pliers – Pliers are a good tool to have on hand for many reasons.
A handful of Ziplock baggies – you will find yourself with parts and pieces that need to be organized. Having Ziplocks will help keep things together.
Sharpie – I never move without a Sharpie. You may need to label something (maybe those Ziplock baggies above).
Trash bags – You will most likely have trash to dispose of. Save yourself the trouble of hunting down trash bags and throw a few into the tool box.

8. Pack a push cart dolly and place it in the vehicle so it can come out first.

Most dorms have some type of moving cart or rolling bins. However, on moving day there are never enough. We always bring our own and we pack it at the trunk door so it is one of the first things we can pull out of the vehicle.

This is the dolly similar to mine. I have had it for years and use it for so many things. It is a bit bigger, but helps get all those move-in day essentials to your room.

9. Do your shopping at home; not at college (if possible).

The local stores are crazy during move-in week! Not only are lines long, but selection is terrible. Only shop at the local stores for those items you forgot, not as part of a plan. Plan ahead; shop ahead.

We did order a desk chair from the Staples store and picked it up curbside upon arrival. This can be a great option for those larger items.

10. Make sure everything is in a box, bin, bag, or tub; no loose items!

Avoid throwing loose items into the car. What seems like easy toss ins to your car creates challenges when unloading the vehicle to move in. Use buckets, bins, boxes, and bags to gather the like items before you put the items into the car.

11. Bring table-top contact paper and/or drawer liners and place in drawers before loading them.

We always line the drawers with contact paper. It makes the space feel especially clean and gives it a great look as well. We used this gray contact paper on our desk and we used Dollar Tree contact paper for our drawer liners.

12. Fill a small tote with various Command strip options and wall tack.

This tip should be number 1! We used every kind of Command hooks and strips to set up our dorm room! One key to success on move-in day the last two years was our little tote full of Command strip products.

We put these Command Strips on the back of all pictures and decor, including this Be Happy light. These strips are amazing! Take time to read the instructions and follow them!

We used these Command Strip hooks to help carry small cords to the outlet and to hang the string lights above the windows.

Command Strips and Command Hooks for college move in day tips

These Command Strips helped to hang the outlet on the wall by the head of the bed.

These command hooks are awesome by the door. They’re perfect for holding keys, umbrellas and even decor items!

Would you believe I hung this Ikea pegboard with these Command Strips? Check out my post here to see how.

I love how Command hooks can find space just about anywhere. How about the umbrella hook below in the closet!

13. Pack a bag with essentials.

Put essential items into a bag that goes with you on your first trip to the “new home.” Have items like a phone charger, and extension cord, and a change of clothes.

14. Pack a drink and snack cooler; stay hydrated.

Move-in day will most likely leave you very thirsty and hungry. Pack a small cooler of drinks and snacks so that you can stay hydrated.

15. Dress comfortably.

Check the weather on the morning of move-in day and dress accordingly. Move in day is typically very HOT! Consider shorts and a tank top if you’re comfortable wearing that! It’s tough to get an elevator on move-in day so plan to walk up a lot of stairs. Comfortable shoes are a must.