<p>Not sure where I'll end up yet, but it'll be far from home in any case. Does anyone have tips for HOW to move/ship my stuff, what to bring? I'm having a hard time wrapping my brain around this chore and could use some help from people who've done it (or have at least thought it through.) :)</p>
<p>I moved 2,100 miles for college, and while it wasn't the easiest thing I've ever done, it was a lot less hassle than I thought it would be.</p>
<p>Try to take as little with you as possible, because you're going to end up collecting stuff once you're at the college... and that means more stuff to come back.</p>
<p>Remember, unless you have a way to store everything on-campus or nearby during the summer break, or you're staying on campus for the summer... it's all got to be packed and shipped back when the dorms close.</p>
<p>I managed to get everything I took to Fairbanks into my airline baggage allowance. One laptop-bag carry-on, one wheeled roll-aboard bag carry-on, and two big shipping boxes as checked luggage. Check with your airline to find out what size boxes they consider to be the maximum for regular checked bags, and find some boxes that size.</p>
<p>Get those vacuum-store bags to pack your clothes and bedding into... I laughed at those commercials, until I made my comforter (a must up here in Alaska!) like, 3 times smaller than it was before. They make packing so much easier.</p>
<p>As for what to bring... make a checklist, either written or mental. Think about what you can buy once you're at the college, and consider doing that if you can. Laundry detergent, a desk lamp, binders, three-hole punches, stuff like that you can always get when you're there, so pack it if you can, but don't consider it a must-have.</p>
<p>Consider very carefully what you're really going to need. Go through your stuff and take only the stuff you absolutely can't live without. Books, for example... I only brought with me a tiny fraction of my home library. I stripped my DVDs out of their plastic cases, and stuck them into a couple CD wallet things... all those empty plastic cases are wasted space.</p>
<p>Search for collapsible/foldable items. I found a nifty clothes hamper at Target that goes from three feet high and one foot square, to one foot around and an inch thick.</p>
<p>thanks! most helpful!</p>