Shipping out for the summer can seem daunting, but with some minor prep work, it will be a breeze. While it is best to space this out over several days, it can be condensed into a daylong operation.
Eric Rosentreter loads up some games and DVD's in preparation for moving out of his current residence.
Phase 1: Clean your room
It is tempting to start packing and clean as you go, but that can become time-consuming and create a disorganized mess. Clean your room thoroughly. This includes doing all of your laundry, which includes all of your linens as well. Make sure everything is in its proper place before you move on. If you live in one of the University of Idaho residence halls, this step is also a good time to start working on the checklist taped to your door. Take out the trash, sweep, vacuum and wipe down all surfaces so when your room is emptied, there isn’t much left to clean.
Phase 2: Purge
Before you begin packing, it is imperative to go through all of your belongings and decide what you actually want to keep. Chances are, you have too much stuff. Will Drier, junior in environmental science and dorm-leaving aficionado, makes moving out easier by maintaining a light load.
“For the past two years, I have managed to bring only a duffel, a smaller bag and my backpack to school,” Drier said.
Be ruthless in deciding what you want to keep and consider gathering all of your still-usable clothing, housewares and other items and donating them to the Freecycle program. Whatever you choose to do, make sure everything you don’t want is out of your room before you move on to the next step.
Phase 3: Pack items to be stored
If you are returning to the residence halls in the fall, you can choose to store some of your items in the trunk room. At this juncture, decide if there are any items you can live without for the summer. Take inventory of everything you are storing in the trunk room, and pack it neatly, clearly labeling each container with your name and phone number.
Contact your RA to store items in the trunk room (they are only open for a couple of hours each day). Bicycles, cinder blocks, futons, wood, flammable liquids, guns, ammunition and mattresses cannot be stored in the trunk room. If you would like to store your bike at UI over the summer, you need to obtain a tag from the residence halls office. Items not allowed in the trunk room or of significant value (residence halls are not liable for theft or damage of items stored in the trunk room) can be stored off-campus in storage sheds.
Phase 4: Pack items to be transported home
Pack everything you need for two days and nights in a separate bag, so you can easily locate important items such as money, credit cards, important documents and travel information. Group like items together and pack them neatly in clean, sturdy containers. Linens and clothing are best transported in suitcases and other items in cardboard boxes. Package breakables carefully, and once again clearly label all containers with your name and phone number. At this point, it is important to make sure that all of your personal items are either thrown away in the outside dumpster, donated, stored for the summer or packed and ready to make the trip home with you.
Phase 5: Clean like you have never cleaned before
If you live in the residence halls, you must make sure your room is spotless before you leave or risk incurring a fine.
“Make sure you sweep under your bed. You have to be careful not to miss spots, or you will be fined,” Drier said.
Sweep and vacuum the floor, make sure your windows are closed and locked, wipe all surfaces and drawers, empty and defrost your refrigerator/freezer, clean garbage cans, take down all decorations, make a check-out appointment with your RA, return all keys and leave a forwarding address.
Phase 6: Head out
Make sure you are out of residence halls by May 12, or have obtained permission for an extension.
Nicole Lichtenberg can be reached at [email protected]