Leaving your university accommodation soon? Current student, Megan Thomas, shares everything you need to know about the moving out process.
For many students, moving out of university accommodation can feel daunting. However, it doesn’t have to be stressful. As someone with anxiety, I was terrified of moving out.
In reality, moving out was easy. It was time consuming, but I found keeping organised helped reduce my stress. Here are some of my best tips for moving out to help make the process easier for you:
Be Prepared
It might seem obvious, but you would be surprised how many people wait until moving out day to pack. Remembering to bring everything with you is stressful enough, so don’t wait to start.
At the end of Spring Term, I started to pack away things I didn’t need: notepads, jewellery, blankets, etc. If you’re lucky enough to have someone to pick you up from university, it is a great idea to start taking things home early. After all, the fewer boxes you lug down the stairs in one go, the better!
If you’re not leaving until summer, it is still a good idea to pack in advance. The last thing you want to be doing is scrambling trying to get all your stuff. Lessen your stress!
Donate stuff!
Did you know that the university is involved in various donation schemes? If you don’t want to (or can’t) take all your things with you, consider donating them. The university wastes a lot of resources removing items that previous students have left behind. The Moving On campaign donates items to the British Heart Foundation, meaning that your pots, pans, and plates can go to a good home and will be supporting an amazing charity. Or, Gift it, Reuse it passes on your functioning but unwanted goods to new students arriving in September for free.
Cleaning
Cleaning your room and flat before you leave is super important. Not only does it prevent you from being charged, but it is also sets up the accommodation for its next resident. It also reduces the amount of time that University staff have to spend getting your flat and room ready so that it is clean, sanitary, and safe for the next person.
For communal spaces, talk to your housemates about when they are leaving and split up the jobs evenly. Sadly, there will always be people who don’t clean. If that is the case, try your best to organize a collective flat clean to get everyone involved.
Leaving Day
Handing in my key was the easiest part of moving out. After triple checking my room and packing all my stuff, all I had to do was hand in my key to my designated reception. Just make sure you don’t have any post outstanding, and the university will do everything else.
Overall, moving out is a simple process. It can be hard to say goodbye to somewhere you’ve dedicated a year of your life to, so don’t be embarrassed if you feel sad to leave it all behind.