<p>Well as an OOS parent, I can try to give you some hints and advice.</p>
<p>It is difficult to pack up while the other suitemates need quiet for studying. So you can have your student check with the suitemates as to their final schedules and try to plan accordingly. Otherwise you can pack up their room very quietly, close the bedroom door, no music, no trips to the bathroom etc…this way you are as unobtrusive as possible. The time it takes to pack will differ for each student based on how much stuff they have to put into storage. </p>
<p>They can certainly start to prepack some of their items into storage containers; things like books, school supplies and extra items that they won’t need could be packed. They can discard items that they no longer need or want. This can all be done prior to your even arriving. All laundry can be washed and folded to avoid bringing home dirty clothes. I encourage all students to put a donation box in the common room where they can put their unwanted items.</p>
<p>You will need to find a storage unit by April and put a deposit down. Some facilities are fairly close to campus, but you will need a car if your student doesn’t have one on campus to move all the boxes, clothes, school supplies, kitchen items, the bike etc. It can certainly take more than one trip to the storage unit depending on the size of your vehicle and the size of the items. Many students have extra furniture like storage units or bookcases, mattress toppers, exercise equipment, printers and other items too. Some students have musical instruments to store but you might have to make separate arrangements for these. Musical instruments are very sensitive to humidity and temperature fluctuations which can happen in a storage unit. </p>
<p>If you set your student up at the beginning of the semester, you should be able to judge the size of the storage unit you will need. You can even coordinate and share a larger space between several students.</p>
<p>Don’t forget that you will need to vacuum and clean the bedroom, kitchen and bath before you leave. If you are the last student/parent combo to leave, I would bank on being the one to clean the common areas. You hope that each student dumps their own food, washes their dishes and cleans up after themselves. Don’t bank on that…especially if you have messy ones residing in the suite. Sometimes it can be downright gross when they leave.</p>
<p>You are not responsible for the other bedrooms but you are responsible for the common areas because if there are broken items or damage in the common areas, all the students will be billed equally. I have always been the last one out, and I can tell you that I come prepared to clean. You can take photos of the room(s) once you are done to dispute any repair charges. Hopefully if anything was broken when your student moved in, he/she reported that on their check-in sheet. The RA will do a fairly thorough walk through, and then lock the bedroom. Reminder: move the furniture and check behind dresser/desk to make sure nothing is left behind.</p>
<p>I would also recommend a climate controlled storage unit. I also pack all clothes, bedding, and soft items into vacuum sealed bags. Everything else goes into plastic storage buckets and then into large black plastic bags. This will prevent dust or bugs from finding a home. </p>
<p>When I arrive in T-Town, I make a run to Walmart or Target and get all my supplies. If you are driving you can bring storage buckets, plastic bags and anything else you will need with you.</p>
<p>With planning, it can all go very smoothly. I would plan on staying at least one night so you have time to pack and clean. Don’t count on any help from your student if their exams go to the last day. They need the time to study, so you will be doing the work. If you can’t lift boxes and large items, you might need someone to assist you.</p>
<p>I always bring snacks and plenty of beverages so I don’t have to waste time once I get packing.</p>
<p>Just remember that you need to be out of the suite by the time they close the residence hall.</p>
<p>You can usually find parking in the lots but risk a ticket if you don’t have a permit. DO NOT ever park in the spots reserved for campus police, you will be towed. You do not need to line up like on move in day and there is no set move out time. Just drive up and let someone (your helper or student) bring the stuff to the car. There are usually carts in the lobby to help you move the items. Don’t forget a small toolbox if you need to dismantle something.</p>