Tip, Tricks, & Move-In Day Must-Haves
College move-in day is full of emotions for both students and parents. As a parent, the emotions that come with dropping your child off at college is an entirely different blog post (or podcast) of its own. For now, let’s focus on the fun stuff… moving into a dorm or apartment!
Preparation is the key to a successful move-in day! Leading up to the big day, my daughter and her roommate had planned their room decor to perfection – matching headboards, bed skirts, pillows, you name it (most from Room 422). Though extensively prepared for the finished look, Kennedy was less concerned with the nitty gritty of move-in day (shocking, right?😂). After extensive research on my end, we arrived for move-in day as prepared as we possibly could be. There were many items we brought that came in handy, as well as items we regretted not bringing along. When preparing your own move-in day checklist, make sure to consult my list of day-of essentials below!
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Tools & Tool Kit
A small tool kit will come in extremely handy on move-in day and is also useful throughout the school year (you never know when your student may need tools). Even a basic tool kit is essential when hanging art, assembling storage, etc. If your student plans to loft/unloft their bed, make sure to also bring a hammer or rubber mallet.
Other tools to include: zip ties, scissors, duct tape, small nails, electric screwdriver.
Door Stopper
A door stopper is a move-in day MUST! With so many people and boxes crammed into one (usually tiny) room at once, overflow into the hallways isn’t uncommon. Having to fight with the door is the last thing you want to deal with. It’s also certain to get pretty hot in the rooms, and door stoppers allow added airflow into the room. Just trust me and pack a door stopper!
Cleaning Supplies
Dorms are typically cleaned by the university prior to move-in day. However, I would highly recommend having a few basic cleaning products on hand to wipe down surfaces prior to unpacking. Bring something that you can organize and store the products in before you leave… your student is (hopefully) going to reach for the cleaning supplies at some point! This Dorm Room Multipurpose Cleaning Kit is a great place to start.
Basic products I recommend: Clorox Wipes, All-Purpose Cleaning Spray, Paper Towels, and a Dustpan,
Mini Vacuum
The mini vacuum deserves its own separate discussion. Helpful for move-in day cleaning but extremely useful for the remainder of the school year. My daughter swears her mini vacuum was the most utilized item in their room, especially given how quickly dust builds up in dorm rooms. Kennedy and her roomie became known as the girls with the mini hand vacuum… so girls throughout their hall frequently asked to borrow it throughout the year.
Great options at different price points: Dyson Handheld Vacuum (a splurge), Shark Cord-Free Handheld Vacuum (under $150), Black+Decker Cordless Hand Vacuum (under $100), BISSELL Hand Vacuum (under $80), Dirt Devil Cordless Hand Vacuum (under $40).
Rolling Cart
If your child is anything like mine, college move-in day will consist of LOTS of items to unload and multiple trips back-and-forth to the car. A rolling cart is a game changer… it maximizes each trip to the car and helps you easily transport items of any size. Don’t forget to bring bungee cords to secure larger loads/items to the cart.
Etc…
While there are plenty of additional items that should be in your students’ dorm room for move-in day and thereafter, I’ll keep the remainder of the list short!
- Storage Bins: Great way to transport and store clothing and other personal goods. Anything from The Container Store is great!
- Label Maker: We labeled drawers for easy access to clothing.
- Tape Measure: Emergency runs to The Container Store are almost a guarantee. A tape measure allows exact measurements when picking up last-minute items.
- Zip Ties: Speaking of emergency trips, we had to take one for zip ties to attach a bed skirt to a lofted bed (and other projects). They came in so handy!
- Command Strips & Small Nails: Make sure to check the university’s guidelines on hanging items, required nail size, etc.
- Trash Bags: Just trust me on this one… you’ll likely need LOTS of trash bags of varying sizes.
- Flashlight: Even in the world of smartphones with flashlights… an old-fashioned flashlight is still a must.
- First Aid Kit: Though (hopefully) not a move-in day staple, this is something your student should definitely keep on hand in their dorm room!
- More medical must-haves: Thermometer, Dorm + Doc Medicine Kit
- Clip Mini Fan: Highly recommend this small personal fan that can be attached to the bed or desk.
- Surge Protector & Extension Cord: Such easily forgotten necessities!
- Over Door Rack: The girls put this over the end of their beds to conveniently store backpacks, raincoats, umbrellas, etc. Another option here!
- Hanging Storage Mirror: Functional and takes up minimal space!
- Mini Fridge (if allowed): My daughter loved having her own fridge for water and a few small snacks.
- Small Safe: This is a great way to store personal medications, important documents, emergency cash, jewelry, etc.
Interiors
The process of planning and shopping for dorm room decor is an entirely separate blog post. However, for many students, this is the exciting part of college move-in! The beauty of the items we purchased for Kennedy’s freshman dorm is that we were able to repurpose them year after year. Many are still used in her home… 6 years later! Kennedy loved Room 422, but here are a few more options: Pottery Barn Dorm and Dormify.
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