Finals are here and so are on-campus move outs. Residence halls are working with residents to make sure they are ready to move out and to make sure that they know what they can do to prepare.
UT Parking and Transit Services sent out a “Getting Around UT” newsletter to residential students which includes information about moving out, donations, and a reminder to parents to purchase a $5 parking permit if they plan to stay on campus to help a child move.
With so many people preparing to go home for the summer or move to new apartments, homes or other dorms, here are some tips to use as you pack and get ready to move out.
Trash and recycling
Make sure that you get rid of all trash in your dorm room. Recycle what you can and leave nothing but what is meant to be in the room. This prevents you from being charged cleaning fees, which start at $50.
Recycling can also mean items like clothing, dishware or furniture. If there is something that you don’t want, you can always see if your roommate or someone on your floor or in your residence hall could make use of it so that way you aren’t throwing things away.
Maintenance
Get all your maintenance requests in as soon as possible. You don’t want to risk being charged for something that you haven’t reported since it broke. This goes for furniture, major spills or leaking, your A/C unit and even towel racks. Get those requests in to alleviate stress and damage costs.
Donations
In each residence hall, there are donation bins in the lobbies. These are for non-perishable food items, clothing, furniture and more. Anything that you don’t want, need or just don’t see yourself using during finals week can be donated. Residence halls then take these bins to different organizations on campus that accept food and clothing.
You can also donate individually to Smokey’s Closet, the Free Store and Big Orange Pantry. Or, you can take your items to different thrift stores around Knoxville or even local shelters.
Packing
Be mindful as you pack. You might look at one item differently than when you first got it and decide to donate it. You might also want to label your boxes and totes in certain ways so that way you know what is in each box.
Make sure that you look at all your items so you do know what you’re packing. This helps you know what is in each box or bag and it also helps you know what you will bring back with you if you move back to campus or to your own space.
Also, make sure you have tape and boxes. You don’t want to be scrambling last minute to get these items.
Memories
As you pack and clean your dorm room, think about what all happened in that space and in the hall. You might have studied really hard in the space and aced an exam you were stressed about, or you might have met your best friend upon moving in. You might have participated in an amazing program or you might not have had the best time in your dorm.
Dorm life has shaped you in some way, and it’s important to think back on all of it and think about where you are now and where you’re going.
Timing
Make sure you give yourself enough time to get packed. If you have an appointment time, make sure you start packing so that you don’t miss it.
Something else to think about: if you are able to get some of your items home now, go ahead and do it. This saves you time and will only leave you with a little bit to move out by the time your appointment rolls around.
Don’t wait until the last minute to pack or clean. Try to allow enough time between studying, packing and cleaning. This saves you time and will let you get it all done.
No matter where you’re going next, make sure you do what you can to make move outs as smoothly as possible for yourself. Take your time and take some breaks if you can. This can get stressful, so make sure that you are able to make this time as stress-free as you possibly can.
Note: This article was updated to include information provided by UT Parking and Transit Services.
