Back to School Move-In Tips

It’s often exciting, sometimes scary, usually exhilarating, a little bit stressful, and always hectic. The phrase “roller coaster of emotions” seems to fit the day perfectly. Regardless of whatever emotions you feel, know that in the end you’ll be happy for the memory of move-in day.

To make the move-in process a bit smoother, we’ve put together some helpful tips to ensure you’re prepared. So pack those bins, load the car, and show up ready to tackle the day.

Don’t bring your entire extended family and friends

Move-in day is hectic enough, so you don’t need an entire moving crew with you. The more people you have, the more stressful the process will be. And trust me, you don’t want to say more goodbyes than you have to. If you’re worried about carrying everything up several flights of stairs, never fear! The Concordia football team, plus lots of volunteers, will be there to help.

Prop open your door

This serves two purposes. First of all, it’s practical. You, your roommate, and your families will constantly be moving in and out of the room with arms full of clothes, boxes and bins. Second, keeping your door open is a great way to meet new people! Students on your floor can stop by and check out your room and you can easily talk to people walking by. This goes for the rest of the year as well. Keeping your door open is a great way to create a welcoming and friendly community on your floor.

Decide the layout of your room first

There are a lot of movable objects in your room that allow you to arrange it to what works best for you and your roommate. Your beds, dressers, fridge, microwave, futon – everything needs a spot. And if you move everything into your room before knowing where you want the furniture, it will be much harder to arrange later on. Communicate with your roommate before move-in to see if you’re going to loft your beds, bunk them or leave them on the ground.

Pack smart

Don’t just throw everything wherever you can fit it. It’s best to pack your boxes and bins in categories – like desk supplies, bedding, kitchen items, etc. Additionally, label your bins! I vividly remember opening every single bin on move-in day just to find what I needed in the last one. It will be much easier to find things during move-in and the process will go much smoother.

Pack things you know you’ll need right away on top, like cleaning supplies and a fan (move-in day is notorious for being extremely hot) so you can easily access them.

You can certainly pack all your clothes in suitcases, but what I’ve found works best is to put everything on hangers and wrap them in garbage bags. This way there’s no unpacking – you just hang them up in your closet and remove the garbage bags! This is a major time saver during move-in.

Bring a toolkit

You might have to assemble some things when moving in, so bring a little toolkit with scissors, a screwdriver, hammer, etc. Residence halls usually provide a toolbox at the front desk, but odds are there will be more than one person waiting to use it. Bring your own and skip the wait.

Save decorating for later

Your first priority shouldn’t be to hang posters on your walls or to put up pictures and string lights. There will be plenty of time for that once your family leaves and everything else is unpacked. I know it’s tempting to start decorating right away, but trust me – it’ll be much more satisfying to get everything put away first.

Bring refreshments

It’s no secret that move-in day can be long and somewhat stressful, so avoid getting hangry by packing some water and snacks in a little cooler. Hauling boxes can be exhausting, especially if you end up on the top floor of your dorm. Be sure to take breaks to refuel and relax!