School is about to start which means we get to FINALLY see our friends, tailgate, and get back into activities and routines! But, unfortunately, this also means it’s moving season.

If you got a knot in your stomach while you read that, then you and I are a lot alike. Let’s be honest, moving sucks. No one likes to pack up all of your stuff, load it, move it, unload it, and unpack it, only to repeat the same process 9 months later.

I just finished a move this weekend into a temporary apartment, and because my one for the school year is still being built, I will have another move in about 3 weeks. So in honor of moving season (ugh), here are 13 tips that I use to make moving a little bit easier:

1. Use what you have. Old t-shirts, leftover paper towel, and kitchen/bathroom towels can all be used as packing material for dishes, lamps, and anything else you don’t want breaking during the move. No need to buy bubble wrap!
2. The lighter you pack boxes, the better. Trust me on this one, it may seem like an accomplishment to fit everything in your bedroom into two Rubbermaid totes, but carrying heavy containers up and down flights of stairs can be exhausting and even dangerous! Save yourself a sore back and pack lighter, it’s worth the extra trips.
3. Donate old/useless items. This is a really awesome tip because it gets things you don’t need out of your hair, and gives them a home with someone else. Consider donating old clothes, shoes, bags, and even home decor or office supplies to your local Goodwill or homeless shelter. Make a difference in someone’s life and the way you move!
4. Put your clothes in the trash. Yes, you read that correctly. If you have extra (CLEAN) garbage bags, simply cut a hole in the bottom just big enough for your hanger loop to fit through them. You can then put a whole handful of hung clothes in the bag and lay them in your car, keeping them safe, dry, wrinkle-free, and ready to hang up when you get to your new abode. Simply take off the garbage bag, and voila!
5. Start packing before you need to move. I cannot stress this enough! If you wait to start packing the day you need to leave, you are much more likely to overpack and pack messily. Instead, make a plan for the week before you move, conquering one area of your room/apartment each day (i.e. pack the kitchen Monday, bathroom Tuesday, etc.).
6. Rent a storage unit/PODS unit. This. Is. Invaluable. If you’re like me, you have a few awkward weeks between your leases, or maybe you’re even going home for an entire summer before heading back to school. Renting a storage unit will save you SO MUCH time hauling stuff back and forth, especially if you live across the state like me. While I was moving this time, some girls in my building were moving everything into a big shipping container in the parking lot. It was a PODS unit, and the company picks it up/drops it off where you need it, and will even store it for you! This is a great tip, especially if storage units are scarce.
7. Cardboard boxes. This is a trick that I used when I moved out of my apartment this weekend. Instead of dropping money on plastic totes (which can add up), go to your local grocery store and ask if they have any big cardboard boxes you can have. Most of the time they will let you have them, no problem. An employee actually set them aside for my friends and I! Just make sure you also pick up duct tape to tape the box closed!
8. Enlist help. As the saying goes, “Many hands make light work”. Buy a couple pizzas and invite some friends over, or pick a time to move when your parents can help! It may seem like you can do it all by yourself, but it’s much more fun (and goes by much quicker) with other people!

Hopefully you can put these tips to good use and breeze right through moving! Even though it’s never easy, these will make the process a little more pain-free.

xo,
Sara