Moving from a college dorm to an apartment

Finally, the time has come to properly learn how to adult. Moving out of your parent’s house may have been the first scary step to becoming your own, independent person. However, this is the next one. You’ve survived the freshman fever and had enough partying. You’ve realized that there are more than a few things which annoy you about living in a dorm, so you’ve decided on moving out. This is a major decision and there are plenty of tips and tricks about moving from a college dorm to an apartment which you ought to learn.

If you’re moving from a college dorm, choose an apartment first

The first stage of any move, no matter how big or small, is the plan. And this is what we’d suggest that you do when moving out of your college dorm. So, go apartment hunting in the area. Or, if you’re at the end of your studies, outside of the college reach. It would be ideal to know what your plans would be for the next few years before moving out of the dorms. After all, you don’t want to drive for a few hours in order to get to work, do you? When renting out a place fresh out of college, there are a few questions which you should ask about the apartment itself. You want to make sure that you will be comfortable there and that you will respect all the rules, too.

Choose your apartment wisely by following our short checklist.

Moving from a college dorm to an apartment means being a responsible adult

You remember how your parents are always complaining about needing to pay the bills on time? Well, it’s your turn. While living in a dormitory, your expenses probably weren’t a big deal. Especially if you had a meal plan paid for the year. Now that you’re moving into an apartment off campus, it’s time to calculate. If you’ve gone through our step one, you have a list of a couple of possible apartments. Now, you should put some things on paper and in perspective:

• How much is the rent?
• How much are the utilities at this apartment?
• Is it too much for my pre-set budget?
• Should I get a roommate?
• If I’m getting a roommate when moving out of my dorm, who should it be?

And after you’re done with these questions, you’ll have a more complete picture of what your apartment life will be like. Finally, we’d suggest that you also take into account the furniture of the different apartment choices. After all, there could be some extra costs there, in buying or transport.

Now that you’ve planned out your after relocating future, the packing begins

It’s all fun and games until you need to pack, right? When you were moving into the dorm, some years ago, it was a piece of cake. All of the clothes were perfectly folded, courtesy of your mom. And, all of the sheets and pillows had been placed into bags with the use of a vacuum, right? Well, if you want to be half as efficient as back then, begin with a plan. Moving out of the dorm and into an apartment means sorting through all of your possessions. It will help you get rid of the clutter. Not to mention that it will prevent you from taking your dorm mates’ things with you. So, we’d suggest three piles when you’re moving out of the dorms:

• I will use this every day after moving into my new apartment: the Bare Necessities
  

  Be sure to sift through your belongings by putting them on three piles before moving out of the dorms.

This is a pile for your daily clothing and bathroom necessities. If you’re having trouble deciding what these items are, here’s a thought. If I wasn’t moving into an apartment, but trying to survive a zombie apocalypse, what would I pack? And, you will surely get all of your necessities in order. You will absolutely have to take these items with you when you are moving out of the dorm.

• I like these things, but I haven’t used them in a while: the Uncertain Items

These can really be anything, from an amazing, fancy dress to a hat your mom knitted you for winter. So, we’d advise going through this pile twice. Think about if these items are going into the ‘Bare necessities’ pile or the ‘Lose it’ pile. You will, after all, need the seasonal clothing after moving from a college dorm to an apartment, right? And, if these are a couple of fancy wears for the evening, why not keep them? Who knows when your parents will pop in to check out your new apartment?

• I’ve bought this, but haven’t used it: the Lose & Re-Gift Items

As you’re moving from the dorm into an apartment, be sure to remember your friends.

Ah, the bane of impulse buying. We’ve all been there. And now, my friend, it’s time to be honest with yourself. When moving from a college dorm to an apartment, impulse buys are the worst. Not only do they take up your time and space, but also money. After all, in a relocating process weight is money. So, save a few dollars for that night out with your friends and lose these things. The best part is, if they are in pristine conditions, they can be given away to your dorm mates. So, here’s a couple of things you can do with these items before moving into an apartment:

• Be a good Samaritan – there are surely a number of places where you can donate nearby
• Share some love with your mates – if you’re moving out of the dorms, your roomies aren’t. See if they will need anything, like that cooler or some of the old books?
• See if your parents want it – your folks are surely sentimental about some of the items you own. Check with them if they want any of the items before moving out, so you won’t incur their wrath later on

Finally, it’s time for moving from a college dorm to an apartment

After you’ve read this short post, we hope that we’ve prepared you a bit for the chaos of relocating out of the dorms. We do have some more advice at the end, before you begin moving into the apartment. So, here it is: Remember to ask for help. You don’t need to tackle this beast on your own. When you’re moving from a college dorm to an apartment, see if your folks or your dorm mates will lend you a hand. We wish you luck with moving!