<p>I could almost cry!!! It seems like just yesterday we were making lists of what to buy and how to get everything TO college, now we’re obsessing about coming home.</p>
<p>We’re going to be shipping a whole lot via UPS as someone else mentioned. I’m not storing anything directly from school as I believe whatever it is will need to be re-cleaned and stored. She’s also moving off campus next year so that means different needs.</p>
<p>I remember when I first moved into the city after college I moved so many times I had my life compressed into 3 cartons and 2 suitcases. Don’t think that’s what I’m going to find with my daughter!</p>
<p>Our son went in with other students to rent a storage unit over the summers. That thing was packed to the ceiling! Remind the student to prop open the doors of any refrigerators in storage unless a mold-filled refrigerator sounds appetizing. Our son was always heading home and then to a furnished apartment for an internship, so we mostly brought back clothing and electronics.</p>
<p>No cleaning supplies. At D’s college, students were hired to stay and clean all those rooms. They get a job and you don’t have to clean. Just make sure any take , etc. is removed and toothpast works wonders on those nail holes!!!</p>
<p>After being in my son’s dorm room yesterday, I am going to assume all clothes and bedding need to be laundered upon arrival at home. Even if he says they are clean, they are not clean.</p>
<p>The very best idea is what I am lucky enough to have this year: S rented a house with others this past school year; they are renting the same house next school year. It’s a 12month lease. Everything stays just where it is. They are each even keeping the same bedrooms. I did tell him to clean out the fridge, open the door, and unplug it. I doubt that happens…his problem, not mine!</p>
<p>Previous years, we just crammed everything into lawn trash bags and shoved it in the truck. Luckily though, I have a full size truck with extended cab. Soph. year was MUCH better than freshman, and that’s entirely my fault–as I sent him enough “stuff” his freshman year that he could have survived on Artarctica for a couple of years.</p>
<p>Our school never charged for cleaning. Just required the room be emptied. As for charging the kids’ accounts though, his bills come to Mr. and Mrs. Sryrstress (us!)</p>
<p>Even after leaving a perfectly inspected dorm room, you might get a bill for “community damage assessment” on a summertime or pre-autumn statement. The college encounters messes and necessary repairs from student damage in hallways and dorm social lounges. They divide it equally among all residents, or sometimes have formulas, for example, charging several rooms on a damaged hallway but not others elsewhere in the dorm. </p>
<p>I never found a way out of that and just paid it. No I wasn’t happy to be billed for “carpet cleaning vomit stains in dorm lounge” or “floor refinishing/unidentifiable liquids,” but DNA testing to pin down the perpetrator is very costly. :(</p>
<p>My other recollection was that the dorm’s vacuum cleaner was often loaned out and hard to locate at the specific time you want it. Eventually I began bringing my own vacuum cleaner in the car, rather than be charged for an unvacuumed room departure. If you can’t do that, just be patient and track down the machine. One student can usually tell you where it is. Just keep it light-hearted, remembering that students are stressed, exhausted, and some have to run to planes. It’s not a smooth scene. I had to get used to it, and I’m pretty calm about housecleaning.</p>
<p>My kids got better each year about pre-packing before we arrived. Freshman year took us all by surprise.</p>
<p>This was probably mentioned but I think it’s important - the week before move out make sure student has returned all library books, borrowed material from college, returned anything borrowed from friends and gotten back anything borrowed from them by anyone else - this can take hours and hours if not done ahead of time!
Between boarding school and college entering a total of 6 move outs - I also bring extra boxes that are suitable for mailing thngs that just won’t fit in the car because stuff has a way of growing over the year - packing tape and duct tape too</p>
<p>We rent the van, head down with boxes and garbage bags. Have stuff ready when we get there. Leaving this weekend.</p>
<p>Kid has us staying an extra day because <em>oops final is on Tuesday, not Monday</em> Get to leave right after the final. Will try hard to get out of DC before the funky rush hour. Grrrr</p>
<p>Best sight ever…2 young ladies pulling up in a U-haul truck, loading it up and pulling off :)</p>
<p>Expect that her possessions somehow increased since moving in and there won’t be the room in your car that you expect. She really needs to figure out the difference between what she moved in with and what she has now and then you need to figure out if it’ll fit and if not make some decisions as to what to do with it. There’s nothing like standing there with a packed full car and a few extra boxes that don’t fit. I agree with another poster that the sloppier packing that tends to accompany move-out versus move-in makes the stuff expand and take up more room.</p>
<p>Depending on the school expect that a lot of other students are moving out at the same time. This can present parking problems and problems negotiating hallways, elevators, etc. Moving out of UCLA last year was a real pain for parking. One of the other move-outs the elevator broke so I made 328749 trips up/down 4 flights of stairs and then a ways to the car with heavy boxes (not fun). </p>
<p>Remember to bring some kind of dolly or cart unless the college provides some kind of cart for move out.</p>
<p>If she has a rental fridge that’ll need to get turned back in. She also might need to turn in keys. Plan on adding a little bit of time for this.</p>
<p>My sons pack everything in plastic bags because they know that everything gets washed when they get home. The only things that go in boxes are textbooks, notebooks and office supplies. They have almost everything ready when husband gets them. I go to move-in because everything goes back clean and organized. My daughter was the easiest. She was completely packed and ready and all we had to do was pack up the car.</p>
<p>If you’re driving, a canvas roof carrier helps. We just bagged up the bedding and soft bulky items and put them in the carrier for the trip home. Maybe taking two cars would be helpful. I have friends who have rented a larger vehicles for the trip home too.</p>
<p>I am a model of efficiency and organization. Prepared to move S1 out of his dorm with bins from Target, extra duffelbags, hanging bags for clothes, etc. Then he calls last night to say - don’t bother! He is going to the beach with a friend right after finals are over. Packing up his room himself (really??) and shlepping all of his stuff in friend’s SUV to the beach (really???) and then friend will drive him home to Maryland. Which friend? What beach? OMG. DH says I need to chill. Trying to chill. No luck as of yet.</p>
<p>Mom, your boy is growing up and he doesn’t need you any more… Congrautlations!!!
He will figure it out, after all he is smart enough to be in college!</p>
<p>abuwalker, our kid did all the packing and toting to storage on his own (with the help of friends with vehicles), even though we did show up to drive him and the remainder home. If the storage company is picking the boxes up, so much the better! One more thing to put into the “I can do it myself” column!</p>
<p>We did it after freshman year. Flew out, each checking an empty suitcase with garbage bags, tape, marker, tools, etc. that we might need. Our stuff was in our carry on. Rented a van one way at the airport. S used his large & small suitcase and 2 plastic tubs to pack fragile or small items. Put clothes/bedding/toiletries in garbage bags. Note: use white bags as it is easier to determine what’s in them and less likely to throw away the wrong things. He was able to leave large items (refrigerator, chair, plastic bin) in storage and had access to 2 lockers where he left a number things (winter coat, pillows, dorm rug, cleaning / laundry supplies). Unfortunately, this year he’ll have to clean out the lockers. </p>
<p>It was relatively easy to stow things in the van because of the bags. Big problem was plants because they took up a lot of space. S ended up having to hold the largest one on his lap all the way home (2 days). Another problem was that he had several musical instruments which had to be brought into the hotel room at night, so we had to make sure and pack those so they were accessible. </p>
<p>Also gave S instructions for preparing the refrigerator. Told him to empty it and turn it off 2 days before moving it to storage. To wash out the inside thoroughly and then go over it with Clorox wipes. I also told him to take pieces of cardboard and duct tape and prop the door ajar. He stored some things in it, but I told him to make sure there were not things that would damage the interior and/or pick up any stray odors. He wrapped dishes/silverware/extension cords/power strip/etc. in plastic and stowed them in the fridge for the summer.</p>
<p>Good idea about returning any books/rented items, etc. several days before.</p>
<p>Our big problem was an impatient H who wanted to help, but instead picked up things that had already been sorted and asked S or I what to do with them, which prevented any of us from being productive. Tried have him dismantle wire shelving and he managed to break a couple of pieces and lose a couple more while wanting me to watch him will he did it. Finally, sent him off to buy a newspaper until it was time to load the car.</p>
<p>This year, S is doing it all by himself and driving home. I’ve been trying to urge him to start sorting/organizing/throwing out/cleaning already.</p>
<p>Get cute girls/guys who are staying over the summer for classes to babysit your plants.
Good excuse to keep in touch with said cute girl/guy until you get back in the fall, wink, wink.</p>