moving as a student

Moving house as a student: the trials and tribulations

Moving home is stressful for anyone. For students possibly even more so. This could be their first time moving away from home. If you’re a student, moving into student halls or a house is the first big thing of many you’ll have to do.

 

This can seem a little bit daunting (I know I thought it was!). But luckily I’ve put together a few tips to make packing for uni that much easier.

 

Many of these things come in handy not just for students but also regular movers, too.

 

Make a list

 

Before you start moving things and putting them in boxes. Before you do anything else. Make a list. This list is going to be your best friend during your move.

 

List all the things you want to take with you, room by room. Plates? Check. Clothes? Check. Stuffed animal that you’ve had for years and just can’t bear to leave behind? Check!

 

This list will help you keep track of things. Crossing things off as they’re packed can help you make sure you haven’t forgotten anything.

 

moving checklist

 

Can you leave things behind?

If you feel like you’ve got waaay too much stuff, it could be a better idea to buy some things when you get there. General household items, like bedding and kitchenware, are easy to get once you move to your new place.

If you’re moving into halls, you can usually buy a pack full of these things from your accommodation. It’ll be ready for you as you move in. And if you want to leave it in your university town during the long summer holidays then just rent a cheap self-storage unit for the purpose.

 

Label your boxes

This is another tip to help you keep track of your items. It’s a good thing to pack your boxes methodically for moving. But remembering which box you put things in is definitely going to come in handy when it comes to unpacking. Write clearly on the box the kinds of things that are in it, and which room it should go in.

 

moving boxes

 

Moving into Halls?

Make sure you know where you’re going and what to do on the day

It seems obvious, but it can be quite easy to get lost trying to find your accommodation. Getting your keys and finding your room can also be a hassle. Though your accommodation should have people there to show you around, it’s not smooth sailing for everyone. Which is why it can be a good idea to check beforehand where you need to go.

 

Moving Out of Halls

If you’re moving out of halls, there’s also a checklist of things you need to do before you leave. You’re likely to have paid a deposit before you moved in, so doing these things can help make it more likely to get it back

 

Clean

You won’t get your deposit back if your accommodation has to hire cleaners to tidy your room when you’re gone. Make sure that your room is as tidy as you can make it. Wipe down surfaces (even in the bathroom!) and hoover (but maybe don’t hoover the bathroom).

 

keys to new home

 

Hand in keys

You’re not just going home for the holidays, you’re moving out of your accommodation for good. Meaning you won’t need your keys again. If you accidentally take them home, but live far away, you could get charged for replacement keys

 

Check for HOW you’ll get it back

Getting your accommodation deposit back can involve some effort on your part. You might have to do some other things, such as fill in a form online or request your deposit back.

 

DON’T FORGET things that aren’t in your room

You may have other things at uni that you don’t keep in your room. You might have your bike in a bike shed, or if you’re a music student you could have our instrument in a store room. If somehow you have sporting equipment at uni that you need to take, remember to take them back with you too.

 

Remember!

For both moving in and out of halls, make sure you have all of your important documents with you.

 

When moving in, make sure to bring your accommodation contract with you and your acceptance letter. As well as this, remember to bring photo ID (such as a passport or driving license) and proof of your home address (you can find this on a bank statement).

moving out of home

Tips For Cheaply Moving Home As A Student

Students move home regularly, which is why it is important that every move is as cheap as possible. Here we have some great tips to help students move home cheaply and efficiently.

 

Moving home is expensive for everyone, especially for students. Students in London tend to move around a lot from home to halls, from halls to a shared house, then back home again. It’s a pretty changeable lifestyle when you’re a student which is why you have to become pretty great at moving your stuff or find someone else who can move or store stuff cheaply.

There are tons of ways you can save money when moving home as a student, here are just a few of them:

Mates Rates

Get everyone and anyone to help you. Don’t be afraid to trade cups of tea and favours for help moving, you need the help and this is when those closest to you should be available. Your family should be your first port of call as your parents probably have a bigger want and need to care for you than most of your mates, plus they like to help out however they can and may well be offended if you don’t ask them first. Then it’s time to call in the heavies – your mates. Plenty of them will be moving as well so simply call it ‘helping each other out’. You carry my box I’ll carry yours sort of thing! Everyone is in the same boat so hitch lifts and lifting help wherever you can, just don’t forget to say thank you and offer your services back, otherwise you won’t be getting much help next time!

Use What You Already Have

Where possible, try to avoid buying packing materials and use what you already have. Wrap clean kitchenware in scarves and clothes and ask friends to save up newspapers for you to wrap things in. Don’t bother buying packing boxes either, get down the local supermarket and ask them for spare boxes. Many shops have to pay to get their cardboard removed so will be more than happy to give you their spares. Top Tip – banana boxes are particularly strong and often come with lids so ask for those as a priority!

Have A Sale

Use moving as a chance to sell some of your unwanted items for extra money. Not only could this save you money on your move (saving fuel costs for car trips etc) it could make you money! Car boots are always an easy way to make a bit of spare cash on a Sunday morning (in some places pitches are just £5.00 for the whole morning!) or there are auction sites available to, not to mention recycling shops where you can weigh in old clothes.

Don’t Buy New

If you’re moving out for the first time, this is not the time for you to be buying loads of new and fancy items for your new home. You want clean and comfortable, not designer, so go mad on shabby chic! The best way to do this is by frequenting the car boots every Sunday in the lead up to your move. You can get plates for 20p, cool ornaments for £1.00, board games, clothes – anything you can think of! When you’re a student you can get away with being as wild and as out there as you want – so do it and grab yourself some second hand bargains!

Self-Storage

If you’re moving somewhere for a short time, try one of the many cheap self-storage units available to save money. The rates charged are very variable so compare prices of different self storage providers – but this is a great way to find secure space for your stuff if you need to stay in a friend’s room for a bit or at home for a bit while you save or look to find better digs.

Leave Time

 

Leave plenty of time to get yourself organised. Pack up your stuff for storing well in advance and try to label it so you know what is in every box. If you’re putting items in self-storage in Cambridge, Oxford, London (or wherever you are based at university) you need to make sure you lay out your self-storage unit well so nothing gets broken or damaged through collapsing stacks or dust infiltration. If you’re already studying then time management should be second nature to you, so there’s no excuse for being unorganised!