Move-In Day is a big one for everyone. Freshman year has everyone’s emotions running high, but each year brings a certain tummy-rumbling anticipation, excitement, and jumble of emotions. At least, that’s the case for me. It’s also HOT. It doesn’t matter where your kid goes to school; it’s the law of the universe that it will be hot and humid with limited parking on that day. Don’t wear stuff that shows a lot of sweat stains.
To make life a little easier for you, I have compiled some of the things I have used for each of our move-in days. You may browse this list and add to it. You may not want all of it, but either way, hopefully, this will help you feel prepared for the big day while giving you access to the things you may need right at your fingertips. Click and add to cart so you don’t have to think about where you put that list later on!
Let’s start at home. If you have already downloaded my packing list spreadsheet, you have the clothing, etc, all ready to be packed. I ask my kids to have clothes packed at least a week before we go because they will probably procrastinate for most of that week, change their minds, look for their favorite sweatshirt for a day, and have to do some laundry. This grace period is intended to prevent or at least minimize the packing freak-out.
Once they have their stuff set aside put it right into the bags. You may have heard that you need the large blue Ikea bags. They are great. If you happen to be going to Ikea and can pick some up, then go for it. If you are like me and will have “go to Ikea for bags” on a post it on your desk for weeks, then order these from Amazon.
I can’t say if they are as sturdy as the original lkea bags because I never did go to the store to get those, but these have held up for six consecutive move-in and move-out days. Bonus is that they are delivered right to your door.
If you are able to drive to your move-in day, bring a case of water and some basic cleaning supplies like paper towels and spray cleaner. Remember, it will be hot, and everyone is lugging stuff, and there are lots of people in a small space. Everyone will need water. Also, even though the dorms have been readied for move-in, you are probably going to want to wipe things down before you really get started. Open windows, lots of people, and no matter how hard the school tries, there will always be some stuff that you want to clean up before setting up the room.
Once you get to school, there are a few things that you want to do right off the bat. First, plug in the refrigerator. If you rent one, it will already be in the room waiting for you. If you bring your own, pack it in the car so that it’s the first thing out, bring it up, and plug it in. Now, put as much water as you can fit in there. You will need these throughout the day, and your kid will appreciate the cold waters after you leave.
Next, set up the fan. Woozoo or standing or box fan, whatever you have, set it up. I usually leave a Woozoo fan but bring an extra box fan just for move-in day because with all the people, it helps. This is the bedside fan that my kids use.
I have also learned to bring trash bags. There will be all kinds of boxes and packing materials, plus cleaning stuff. The rooms don’t usually come with a trash can. We always bring a small one for under the desk, and each year, we have ended up ordering a large one for the common area. Both of my kids have lived in rooms with four or more, so the trash piles up.
Next, I stick a bottle of hand sanitizer near the door since you will meet and greet more people than the local mayor. I leave it there in the hopes that kids will use it. Depending on the layout of the dorm floor, the bathroom can be a short hike, and it’s optimistic on my part that providing a convenient hand-cleaning option may make “healthy choices” easier to make.
Keeping the door open is necessary on move-in day due to all the schlepping, but it’s also super important those first few weeks so your kid gets to know the other kids in their hall. Neither of my kids wanted a doorstopper and they both ended up with one. This one is headed to Boston in the fall.
While you are moving furniture around, lofting the bed, or taking apart the armoire, it’s a good time for a clean sweep before you put down the rug. I accidentally left our broom and dustpan set at move-out, so I am ordering this one now and sticking it in the giant “off to school” staging area in my basement so we don’t forget it again. It’s compact, easy to store, and gets the job done.
Now that you have the basics done, you will be creating storage everywhere. The rooms come with minimal storage options, so think about what your kid will use and how to make them decorative. For my son we always have a row of hooks that go up the wall from his desk to the ceiling. He hangs all his baseball hats here so they are easy to get to and double as room decor. My daughter has cute bath towels, so we did a row of hooks near her bed where they could dry in plain sight, adding some color to the room. Here’s what I bring:
I have never had a problem with any of these damaging the walls or removing paint. Just be careful when removing them. This last one was what I used to affix my daughter’s headboard to the cinderblock wall. The strips that the headboard came with kept falling off, so when I visited, we replaced them with this. It worked like a charm. The headboard is linked in my bed and sleeping post if you are interested. We originally bought it as decor, but it turned out to be quite handy, keeping her head away from the cold cinder block wall once Fall arrived. It made it a more comfortable sleeping space.
Don’t forget the scissors! There are lots of boxes to be opened and tags to be removed. I have been known to carry them in my back pocket and use them the whole day.
Some people swear by zip ties. I have used them to attach surge protectors and power strips to the legs of the bed and to corral cords but I think they are more of a nice-to-have than a necessity.
Let’s talk outlets. There aren’t enough, and they aren’t in the right place. I have used these gadgets to help get the plugs to where they need to be.
I use this last one in my home office and LOVE it.
You should also plan to bring some storage with you. Lots of girls use this rolling cart for makeup and accessories. We had it in a little crevice between the desk and the wall and used smaller bins and zipper cases to hold medicine, toiletries, tissues, and all the small stuff.
These bins come in various shapes and colors, and I have used them in my son’s and daughter’s rooms for easy access storage and less often used storage, like extra tissues or laundry detergent on top of the armoire.
If you loft the bed, even just a little, it gives you room for lots of easy-access storage. We usually put the three-tier drawers (see below) under the bed, a laundry hamper if there is room, and some shoe storage.
Remember that your kids will be walking everywhere, regardless of the weather, so there will be wet, rainy shoes, gross shoes, Darty shoes (this will become a familiar term), and sometimes snowy shoes. Having a shelf or even a mat where they can be kicked off is nice.
If you are using the three-tier drawers above or any other ones, I have them packed at home and then wrap them for transport using this roller wrap. Why waste space and time moving clothes? This was my best find after my first move-in, and we never leave home without it now.
If you are lofting the bed, I like these. They are a standard size; the beds are usually brown wood, and these come in three heights, so you can decide when you get there. We originally lofted my daughter’s bed to the highest level, but then, based on its placement in the room and after sleeping on it for a few days, she took it down a level with the help of a new friend.
Now, for the nice-to-haves, things that aren’t totally necessary but make it feel a little more like home AND improve the quality of life. I like them having a rug on the floor. Both my kids go to school in the Northeast, and it gets cold. No one likes to hop out of bed onto a cold floor. Also, it’s a gathering place in many rooms. Something simple that can be tossed at the end of the year makes sense. I don’t like wasting anything, especially something as big as a rug. However, this really isn’t something you will want to come home with.
In my experience, most rooms come with a roll-down shade. However, if your kid likes it dark, wants more privacy, or wants functional decor, you can hang blackout curtains. One suggestion is to check the parent’s page for your school on Facebook and search for the name of your student’s dorm. You will likely find that someone has already asked about the window measurements. You will need a tension rod, so check the width of the windows. It’s important to gauge the length of the curtain panels because, unlike at home, you don’t want them to kiss the floor. Often, there is a heating unit under the window. Just see if there are room photos in that Facebook group and go from there.
I hate the LED strip lights, but I have not seen a dorm room without them or the twinkly white lights. Here is a link if you want to bring them. If not, your kid will probably order them from your Amazon account within the first two weeks.
I mentioned hanging the shower towels earlier. If the command hooks don’t work where you need them, if there isn’t the right space or layout, I have used these over-the-door hooks for my son’s room. They are also great for coats that occupy a lot of space inside the armoire.
I sent along a few of these clean-order absorbing bags for my son’s room. I have three athletes, and my truck is always full of equipment, so I keep one in the back of my car. It seems to work well there, and while my son kept it in his room, he also asked for air fresheners whenever I visited and went on a Target run.
Lastly, for this list, I have sent along this safe. I wouldn’t keep anything really important in here because someone could walk off with the whole safe. However, there will be people coming in and out, and not always when your kid is there. If they want a truly private space where they can stash a wallet or passport if that is necessary for travel or anything else that they don’t want out in the open, this has served us well.
If you would like my free, downloadable checklist, please go to the College Packing List tab at the top of the home page. I hope these posts are helpful. Good luck, and enjoy every moment!
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