Moving Away for College: Practical Tips for First Timers

You might be nervous about moving away for college – leaving secondary school and your family behind is a big transition.

On the other hand, it’s also an exciting time full of new beginnings and experiences! To help you with the logistics of moving, we’ve prepared some tips and suggestions.

Pack and Move Only the Essentials

Essentials are items that you need daily and ones that can’t be bought easily or without spending too much (remember, your student budget is tight!).

Limit the number of bulky items you pack like winter coats and boots. It’s likely you’ll be home on weekends or school breaks and can collect more of your stuff then if needed. 

Determine How You’ll Travel, and Size of Your Suitcase Before You Start Packing

How much you pack will depend largely on how you plan to travel to your new college home.

If you’re travelling by car, then you’ll have more space and freedom than a bus or train. So decide first how you’ll travel, then how much you’re willing or allowed to take and who will be helping you move. This will help ensure you don’t overpack.

Pack Essentials in a Backpack

This tip is about making sure you have everything you need for your first night or two. Once you arrive on campus, your life will be pretty crazy with activities, classes and socialising taking up a lot of your time. You may find that there’s little time to unpack, never mind sort through your suitcase.

It’s a good idea to keep things like toiletries and pyjamas in a backpack that’s easy to access in your first night’s excitement! 

Buy What You Don’t Want to Pack

To cut down on the things you need to pack, think about what you can buy once you arrive. Bulky items such as bedding, kitchen items, school supplies can all be bought during the first week of college. 

Consider Renting a Self Storage Unit

Now that you’re getting to the end of your packing, what about everything left in your childhood bedroom?

When you move away, your parents may want to downsize or remodel your room so consider renting a student self-storage unit to keep your childhood belongings safe.

Self-storage can prevent you from seeing your fondest memories end up in the bin because your first apartment or college room is the size of a matchbox! 

Get a free self-storage quote online today.