YouAlberta
It’s that time of the year again where incoming and current students start packing for their upcoming dorm life. If you’ve secured a spot at one of the U of A’s residences this academic year and aren’t sure what to expect or prepare for, here’s some tips from someone that moved into five different university residences (aka me!):
Refrain from overpacking
The biggest faux-pas from my first move-in was that I brought too many clothes. This made my second move-in much harder. You’ll buy new stuff during your stay, continually pile on your belongings, and so, I suggest packing as light as possible from the get-go. This avoids the possibility of needing storage units in the future which I can tell from experience — aren’t cheap! Even if your friends and family are helping you during the relocation process, pack as though you need to go through it on your own. Trust me, your back and arms will thank you for packing light!
The amount of belongings you can bring with you would depend on your mode of transport and destination room. Hence, if you don’t know what your room looks like in-person, try looking up its size. You can also find out the size of your would-be bed and prepare for size-appropriate beddings. Besides, I like to pretend that I’ve less space to begin with — in this way, this space can be used to pack my last-minute items. Take out as much packaging as you can to make more space, but do wrap your important gear properly as well as those prone to breaking.
Indulge in some list-making
Efficient packing saves time and effort. Amp up your packing skills by checking off some lists. First, start with a comprehensive what-to-pack-in-what list and do not procrastinate. I usually start one week prior to moving. The list could be divided into different sections and mine loosely looks like this:
- Essentials backpack: key documents, electronic devices (laptop, chargers, etc), quick snack, water bottle, keys, key card, wallet, cream, chapstick, mask, Band-Aid
- Suitcase 1: beddings (pillow in hand), most used clothing items, skincare products, jewelry, hangers (if needed)
- Suitcase 2: less used clothes and shoes, copybooks / books (maybe), small fan (maybe), some tissue paper rolls, cleaning supplies, medical kit, shampoo (body soap, etc)
- Box 1: Kitchen utensils (pans, plates, cutting board, cutlery, mug, hand mixer)
- Box 2: Leftover groceries / lamp / screwdrivers
- Optional box: Anything that didn’t fit
The university website lists some prohibited items in residence, so be sure to check that. If you’ve many boxes, pack homogeneous items together and label the boxes to facilitate unpacking. Prepare a low and high-priority to-do list as well and that would include your different cleaning responsibilities before moving out of your current place — especially if you’re moving out of another apartment.
Visualize move-in day
Get a good night’s sleep and wake up early, which is totally doable if you haven’t been procrastinating with your tasks! Ensure your phone is fully charged in the morning. Dress comfortably (in the clothes that you’ve previously set aside for move-in day). Pack your last few belongings such as toiletries, towels and bedsheets. Do a last walk-through of your empty apartment. I also like to go through my drawers and check behind any furniture. Switch off the lights and lock the door. Crosscheck the new address one more time along with your move-in appointment time. Afterwards, call your cab, if you need to.
I like to arrive a bit early and wait. This may be a chance to connect with any roommates. Check in during your scheduled time at the residence office which is either in Lister or I-house, depending on your confirmed spot. When signing the paper, verify that you’ve indeed received the keys mentioned on it. I sometimes ask for a key ring as well or bring my own to keep my new keys. If you’re living with roommates, try to keep your keys on hand whenever possible to avoid lockouts and potential charges.
Once I’m inside the new place, I walk around and see if there's any issues with the utilities. You can submit a maintenance request if something doesn’t work. Now your assigned room, although not dirty, may very well be dusty. This is where your cleaning materials come in handy. You’d want to unpack those first so that you can dust off your room a bit before settling in. Then, if you’re too tired or just lazy to fully unpack right away — which is often me — labelling really helps! Since you’ve already categorized your items while packing, you now know where and what to unpack first.
Move-in day can generate its fair share of nervousness but judiciously planning the ins and outs of your move can give you a sense of control and take away much of that stress! Even so, if you happen to overlook something despite the prep, fret not for your second relocation will be better — you’ve got this!