Applying to college tips

Especially if you are a freshman being helped by a move-in crew, keep a box or bin of your fragile items with you instead of letting someone else carry it in.

Many stores offer a service for picking up on college move in day, which is helpful if you are going far away for school. Check out which stores are close to campus and order your dorm items ahead of time for easy pick-up.

While you are setting up your bed, have a parent bring in your rug, fridge and fan to get the ball rolling. The fridge will need time to defrost before you put any groceries in, and the fan will help to cool the stale space off.

Along with your bedding, be sure to pack cleaning supplies where you can grab them. You’ll want to wipe down the desk, vents and closet before moving all of your stuff in.

Biggest pain ever? When you so tediously pack your necklaces and they STILL tangle. To avoid this, wrap them in Press’n Seal so they don’t budge.

The least of your worries on move in day should be what is going on the walls. Keep your decor in a separate box so that you can save that for after your parents leave and you are settling in in your new room.

Be sure to bring a hammer, screwdriver with you when moving in. You never know if you’re going to have to raise the bed or change the hinge on your fridge, so be sure to have a toolkit on hand.

Before moving everything into your space, leave it all in the hall. Go in, peg the door, and get a feel for what you’re working with. If necessary, move the furniture around. It is much easier to do so when there is nothing in there, so make sure it is exactly how you want it before unloading.

To make unpacking a breeze, go at it by category. It makes it much easier to organize your space if everything you need is in the same place. For example, set up your desk in one clean sweep rather than unpacking everything only to find a bunch of desk supplies in a totally different box later on.

I have seen way too many families making this mistake during college move-in. If you are bringing storage drawers, make sure they are taped shut so that they don’t fall out, spilling your things all over your new campus.