Making Move-Out Day Easier
Here are a few tips to make move-out day less frustrating for everyone involved, whether your student is moving out of an off-campus house or an on-campus room:

• plan ahead to have enough boxes — many stores will give you some, if you just ask — or consider purchasing some plastic bins with lids that can be reused time and time again
  
• pack according to what will be needed during the summer — nothing's more frustrating than digging through all the "college boxes" to find the item you need
  
• drink water while you're working — it's easy to get overheated and dehydrated
  
• think about what will fit in the available vehicle — just because your student's belongings fit in the family van in September, it doesn't mean they haven't expanded!
  
• check into storage possibilities in town, if needed — think ahead about whether storing the rug, the fridge and other larger items in a storage unit makes more sense than lugging them back and forth
  
• ask your student to be packed by the time you arrive — too many packers can lead to chaos
  
• be prepared for the amount of time the "after-packing clean-up" will take — just because all the boxes are in the car, it doesn't mean that the work is done because room/house cleaning is an important part of the process — students can lose their deposits and/or be charged if they don't do a good job sweeping, removing tape residue, taking out trash and more
  
• know where to put trash — have your student find out where to dump trash and recyclables

And leave time for goodbyes. Your student will likely want to see her friends before she goes and, although you may be chomping at the bit to hit the road, this wrap-up time is important. Students are transitioning from one of their worlds to the other during move-out. Some things just can't be rushed.

Supplies to Have on Hand

• boxes or plastic bins
  
• packing tape
  
• a few thick markers
  
• car carrier (in case everything doesn't fit inside the vehicle)
  
• broom
  
• dustpan
  
• dusting rags
  
• window cleaner
  
• paper towels
  
• water (don't count on vending machines as they can run out when lots of folks are around)
  
• a fan (if it's really warm)
  
• patience