After you've finished a year (or a semester) at school, it is likely that you'll
have to leave your dorm for some other place to live. Whether that is a friend's
house, a new apartment, or back to your parents' place, you're going to be
taking part in move-out day, a time that can be nearly as hectic as
move-in day.
Thankfully, reading this guide should give you an idea of what to expect and how
to prepare.
Packing
Try to get some of this out of the way early on. In the
week leading up to your last final,
start packing
clothes you aren't going to wear, decorations you don't need up, and cookware
and dishes that you aren't going to use.
Decide which books you want to
keep for after this year, and set the others aside to sell back to the campus
bookstore or online. Also, sort through your papers and other documents you've
accumulated over the course of the year and decide which of those you would like
to keep. Disposing of or recycling all that paper is going to make your move
significantly easier and more organized.
TIP: You can often get a better deal for your
used books online than at your school's bookstore. On the other hand, you
sacrifice convenience and instant cash in your hand. Weigh your options.
Cleaning
While the really heavy-duty cleaning will be done after
you leave, many schools will charge you for messes left behind in your wake.
When moving out, leave yourself enough time to clean your bedroom and whatever
common areas, if any, you had with your roommates (e.g., bathroom, kitchen,
living area). Make sure to talk the cleaning responsibilities over with them so
that you don't get stuck doing everything by yourself.
Anything that is
left in the room or that the school deems unacceptably messy will probably show
up as a charge on your check-out form and be taken out of your room deposit.
This includes any damage to the room. It would be a good idea, then, to clean
very well, move all of your things out, and try to make any inexpensive repairs
yourself.
Paperwork
Before you leave the dorm (i.e., most likely well in
advance of move-out day), you are going to have to let the school know where
you're going to be living next year and with whom. Housing paperwork needs to be
submitted on time, or you won't be able to reserve a spot or dictate whom you
live with. Without this information, the school will assume you are living
off-campus next year, and you will have to scramble to find an empty
slot.
Many dorms have "squatters" privileges, which means you have first
dibs on the room you are living in. Again, this privilege is revoked if you do
not reserve the room in time. Failing that, someone else will likely take your
place, and you will have to fend for yourself elsewhere.
TIP: Make returning your key the last thing you
do. You never know what you might forget to do or bring with you from the room.
Double-check everything that needs to be done before you hand it in.
The key
to a successful move-out day is being prepared. Check your mailbox, school
e-mail, and bulletin boards to make sure you are informed concerning your
school's end-of-year and move-out policies. If you stay on top of everything,
however, it should be a cinch.
