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How to Make Moving Out of University Accommodation Easy
By Guest Writer
Updated June 22, 2016 Updated June 22, 2016Guest post: All Boxed
Whilst you can’t wait for the summer break from university, moving all your things from your university accommodation to your house is a pain. And just think, you have to do it all again next term. Moving backwards and forwards is a real test for your packing skills and your patience, so how can you make it easier?
Even though it’s tempting to leave it to your parents to sort out, they won’t be impressed.
There are many ways you can make moving from university accommodation back home much easier for yourself. There have been millions of students in your situation; don’t worry, you’ll get through this!
1. Avoid buying too much furniture/equipment
When living in your university accommodation, avoid buying too much furniture or equipment. You’re on a student budget anyways, but we’ve all been there. It’s exciting living away from home and you want to buy your own bookcase and kitchen set. But remember, you have to take that bookcase apart when it’s time to move home.
To avoid this problem, don’t buy any bulky furniture or large equipment sets. Unless you have access to a moving van, you’re going to struggle stuffing it into your dad’s car (or on a plane/train/coach). You can leave any furniture you don’t want, but some university accommodation providers will charge you for leaving things. Resist buying that epic egg chair and wait until you have a permanent living space.
2. Buy second-hand so you can sell it or give it to charity before moving home
If you have to buy a new bookcase or office chair, buy it second-hand. Once it comes to the end of the year, you’ll find it easier to sell or give it to charity. It’s harder to part with furniture you’ve bought brand-new.
There are always plenty of second-hand shops near university accommodation because so many students prefer buying second-hand. Start selling or donating your unwanted things a couple of weeks before your moving date, to avoid having to do it all last-minute. When you move back to university, you can buy second-hand again.
3. Throw away clutter
Be strict with yourself. As you pack your belongings, consider what you actually want to keep and what you want to throw away. If you want to keep some memorabilia, that’s fine. But don’t take things home that you will just throw in your parents’ rubbish bin when you unpack again.
4. Share furniture and equipment with housemates
When you start living in university accommodation, it helps if you and your housemates can share furniture and equipment. Chipping in for a dining set means you can share the plates and cutlery between yourselves. When the year ends someone can take it home or it can be thrown away.
This saves you having to buy everything you need and then lug it back home again; you can share the belongings between yourself and your housemates. If you’re moving back into accommodation with the same housemates, you can bring back the communal equipment/furniture you took home.
5. Start moving home in stages
As you approach the last couple of months of university, start moving home in stages. If you visit home on a fortnightly basis, pack a suitcase and take anything you don’t need at the moment. Each time you go home, you can take some of your belongings with you. This also means you can unpack your things in stages, rather than taking it all back in one go. You can move back into your university accommodation in stages too, but this can be a pain when the first few weeks are always busy with events.
6. Put your belongings in storage
If you’re studying far from home, putting your belongings into storage makes your life so much easier. Personal storage areas can store your furniture and university gear for the summer – leaving you free to go home or go travelling. When it’s time to recommence studies, you can pick up your things and take them back to your university accommodation. This is likely to be especially useful for international students, but could also help domestic students who are studying far from home, or who don’t have the necessary transport or storage space elsewhere.
This article was written by Danielle from All Boxed. At All Boxed we are experts in personal and commercial storage which allows people to securely store items risk-free. We also help people with their commercial moves and relocations.
This article was originally published in June 2016 .
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