Moving Away for College Tips
You may be apprehensive about moving away for college, but you should also be ecstatic. The shift from high school to adulthood is a momentous one, and many young adults face it with trepidation. During this chaotic period, you’ll most likely be living on-campus or off-campus, each of which comes with its own set of challenges.
When it comes to relocating to college and leaving home for the first time, there is a lot to consider. You and your roommates are responsible for furnishing a house or dorm, keeping a bathroom and kitchen clean without your parent’s help, and paying your bills. This additional responsibility may appear onerous, but there are other advantages to attending colleges, such as your newfound freedom and education.
Don’t allow fear to stop you from embarking on this new adventure. The greatest approach to preparing for college is to plan and consider your future move-out options. We’re going to provide you with some useful college advice on how to make the most of your first college living experience.
Make a Reasonable Monthly Budget
Preparation:
Organize your utilities.
Decide whether one housemate will be in control of everything, including water, electricity, energy, and cable/internet.
Set up Venmo or other Cash App accounts so that you may send money to roommates instead of using cash or checks.
Move-in Day:
Hang a dry erase board in the kitchen to keep track of who has paid and who still owes each month.
Install a hanging mail organizer next to it to keep paid and unpaid bills sorted and accessible.
After you’ve paid the invoices and receipts, keep copies of them just in case. Make copies for your roommate’s records as well.
Move-out Day:
You’ll have documentation that all your bills have been paid. Everyone will have paid the same amount for the utilities and services you all used over the course of the year.
Go Over the Rules & Regulations with your Landlord
Preparation:
When you’re talking to your landlord about the lease, pay attention. You’ll want to know what to anticipate, which should include working appliances and plumbing. The amount for the security deposit, and how much of the security deposit you expect to get back when you move out. Take note if cable and internet are included in the rent or if they are extra amenities. Also important, is how much written notice the landlord needs for you to move out or to renew your lease agreement. Does the lease agreement go to a month-to-month lease after the first year or does it renew for another full year or is there possibly a 6-month option?
Move-in Day:
Check to see if everything is in good functioning order. Dishwashers, stoves and ovens, washers and dryers, and refrigerators should all function well, and the plumbing should be in good working order too.
Inspect the kitchen and bathroom for mold. If you see any recent water damage or anything improper after you move in, contact the landlords right away.
Make notes of everything that is dirty, or damaged, and even take pictures or videos as proof of the living conditions when you moved in.
Move-out Day:
You won’t be charged for any damages or issues that you and your housemates didn’t cause if you have photo proof from when you moved in. Hopefully, with that, you’ll be able to receive your security deposit back!
Talk to Roommates about Expensive Items
Preparation:
You can eliminate unneeded duplicates of goods that can be shared by discussing with your housemates ahead of time. Discuss the following topics:
- Small kitchen appliances include the following: Microwaves, toasters, and coffee makers
- Vacuums, toilet cleaners/plungers, toolsets, and brooms/swiffers are among the cleaning and maintenance products available.
- Living room tv, Kitchen tables and chairs, couches, and coffee tables are examples of furniture for social spaces.
Move-in Day:
Make a note of what kitchen equipment, dishware, silverware, and utensils each roommate has brought, as well as furnishings and cleaning materials. You can even mark or label these items with each roommate’s initials to whom the items belong.
Move-out Day:
Nobody will have wasted money on items that were never utilized, and there will be no doubt about who gets what because everything is clearly labeled.
Go Cheap on Furnishings when moving away for college
Preparation:
Don’t buy anything brand new from the store unless you absolutely must. Instead, spend the summer scouring thrift stores, yard sales, and your parent’s attics and basements for cheap furnishings. It’s also a good idea to ask relatives to donate old furniture they’re not using, or search Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace for free furniture listings.
Move-in Day:
Don’t bring your expensive furnishings from home or spend a lot of money on brand new items.
Move-out Day:
You can choose to donate, dump, or store large items that you don’t want to move without feeling guilty about how much you paid for them. Sometimes you can even leave quality items for the next tenant if they agree to take them.
Coordinate a Cleaning Schedule
Preparation:
Plan on keeping the house clean and functioning. The best bet is to select relatively clean roommates or friends who share similar expectations of what clean is.
Move-in Day:
Take some time with your housemates to talk about how you’ll keep the place clean together.
Make a “chore chart” if you all agree on splitting chores or cleaning rooms on a weekly basis. On a monthly basis, switch up who does what.
If, on the other hand, you’d rather each handle your own housework, develop a list of ground rules (e.g., if you use a dish, wash it; if you have friends over, clean up after the mess you make).
Move-out Day:
Now if everyone sticks to doing their part. Then there will be no bitterness and you won’t have any regrets about living together (no friends lost).
Use Self-Storage Units during School Breaks When Moving Away for College
Self-storage for college students might help you save time and money. Storage is very adaptable, and finding inexpensive storage is not hard. When you’re moving away for college, there are a few options for storing your belongings. You won’t have to buy anything again next semester thanks to the rental.
A self-storage container can protect valuable belongings. If you’re moving into a small apartment or sharing a room with roommates, self-storage can save you from having to give up important, often pricey items like furniture or even your automobile.
If you’re not sure where you’re going next, a self-storage facility might help you relax. Traveling? Are you planning to enlist (Read our Military Storage Solutions)? Are you relocating for a job? Rather than dragging your belongings across the map, you could be better off storing them, since it’s also likely to be less expensive.
If your parents downsize, you can retain your childhood possessions there. Mom and dad are in the process of relocating and they don’t want to transport the contents of your teenage bedroom to their new home. Because your first apartment or dorm room was the size of a matchbox, self-storage can keep your dearest memories from ending up in a dumpster.
Best of luck moving away for college! In the years ahead, you have a lot to look forward to, so please follow these pointers for a smooth transition and to avoid having your past stuffed inside your closet. Contact Garden of the Gods Self Storage in Colorado Springs today if you’re in search of a college storage solution or moving supplies.
We hope you enjoyed our 6 Easy Tips for Moving Away For College.