5 answers
Emily
Student
Happy Valley
1
Question
Updated
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What is the most efficient and cost effective way to move into your dorm when you have to move to another state? I am moving across the country for school.
Any advice?
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5 answers
Joanna Haller
Consulting
3
Answers
Updated
Joanna’s Answer
Congratulations on this exciting step! Moving for school can feel both thrilling and a bit much. Here are some tips to help you out:
1. Check if your new school has a social media group for students. Look for threads about traveling to school. You might find other students from your area to travel with or who can help carry some of your things.
2. Remember, you can buy many items locally once you arrive, so you don't need to move everything. Explore your new community for great finds.
Good luck with your move!
1. Check if your new school has a social media group for students. Look for threads about traveling to school. You might find other students from your area to travel with or who can help carry some of your things.
2. Remember, you can buy many items locally once you arrive, so you don't need to move everything. Explore your new community for great finds.
Good luck with your move!
Susannah Hope
Consulting
5
Answers
Detroit, Michigan
Updated
Susannah’s Answer
Hi Emily!
One of the biggest impacts on moving will be what you are bringing. Do you have a lot of stuff that you want to bring? If yes, are those things that you need to bring with you or can you get them in your new location? Especially if you have bigger items that may not fit in a car, it may be cheaper to just get them there.
You can also explore shipping options like USPS or special shipping companies (something like U-Pack although I haven't used them myself). These kinds of services will depend on the size and weight of what you are bringing (hence my comment above!).
When I moved to school, I think I brought a lot that I thought I would need, but didn't actually need. If you are planning to come home during the school year, you can always pick up things you forgot!
Also, looking at future years, I found a lot of good deals at the end of the school year if you need new stuff. A lot of students may try to get rid of their stuff for cheap, so keep an eye out if you see something you might need for the summer or the next year.
Good luck with your move!!
One of the biggest impacts on moving will be what you are bringing. Do you have a lot of stuff that you want to bring? If yes, are those things that you need to bring with you or can you get them in your new location? Especially if you have bigger items that may not fit in a car, it may be cheaper to just get them there.
You can also explore shipping options like USPS or special shipping companies (something like U-Pack although I haven't used them myself). These kinds of services will depend on the size and weight of what you are bringing (hence my comment above!).
When I moved to school, I think I brought a lot that I thought I would need, but didn't actually need. If you are planning to come home during the school year, you can always pick up things you forgot!
Also, looking at future years, I found a lot of good deals at the end of the school year if you need new stuff. A lot of students may try to get rid of their stuff for cheap, so keep an eye out if you see something you might need for the summer or the next year.
Good luck with your move!!
Parker Shikle, MBA
Senior Consultant
2
Answers
Fort Worth, Texas
Updated
Parker’s Answer
Hi Emily, I have moved across states several times and have listed my thoughts below. Hope this helps!
1. I have always rented a u-haul to transport my things and have found the price to be very reasonable (~$300-$500). This price will largely depend on where you are moving from/to and the location's truck availability/demand. One thing to consider when planning expenses is the gas, which will be covered by you personally / not included in the u-haul price. These trucks have large tanks and are not the most fuel efficient, so depending on how far you are driving, this can become significant. If you are bringing your car to school, you can also add-on a trailer to tow your vehicle which may be convenient. Many times after booking, they will reach out about upgrading to a bigger truck for free or actually paying you to add a trailer because they need the equipment at your drop-off location. Just something else to consider and might be worth calling and just asking (answer is always no unless you ask and almost everything is negotiable!)
2. I recommend researching or reaching out to your university about any programs / resources available to students. They may have partnerships / discounts available with moving services or provide volunteers to help with unloading at the dorm.
3. If your move is extremely far, there are services like the company PODs that will drop a container at your current location and then transport your things to your new location which is very efficient; however, the quotes have always been quite expensive when I have looked into this. Also, the company usually provides a window for the delivery the date that can be up to 2 weeks, which can lead to issues (i.e. you move in before your things are there).
1. I have always rented a u-haul to transport my things and have found the price to be very reasonable (~$300-$500). This price will largely depend on where you are moving from/to and the location's truck availability/demand. One thing to consider when planning expenses is the gas, which will be covered by you personally / not included in the u-haul price. These trucks have large tanks and are not the most fuel efficient, so depending on how far you are driving, this can become significant. If you are bringing your car to school, you can also add-on a trailer to tow your vehicle which may be convenient. Many times after booking, they will reach out about upgrading to a bigger truck for free or actually paying you to add a trailer because they need the equipment at your drop-off location. Just something else to consider and might be worth calling and just asking (answer is always no unless you ask and almost everything is negotiable!)
2. I recommend researching or reaching out to your university about any programs / resources available to students. They may have partnerships / discounts available with moving services or provide volunteers to help with unloading at the dorm.
3. If your move is extremely far, there are services like the company PODs that will drop a container at your current location and then transport your things to your new location which is very efficient; however, the quotes have always been quite expensive when I have looked into this. Also, the company usually provides a window for the delivery the date that can be up to 2 weeks, which can lead to issues (i.e. you move in before your things are there).
Reed Cammarota, PMP
3
Answers
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Updated
Reed’s Answer
Hi Emily,
When I moved for college, the first consideration was whether I was going to have a car on campus. Some schools allow students to have cars on campus and allow for parking on campus, either free or via a permit for a fee. When I initially moved into my dorm, I decided to drive to campus (~5 hours) and pack just 1 carload of items to bring to campus. Having a car on campus was reasonable for me and allowed me to make occasional grocery runs. However, for a lot of schools in urban areas, it will not be realistic to have a car on campus due to cost, traffic, lack of parking, etc. Perhaps you have someone who can drive you to campus instead and help with your move-in process.
If you are moving much farther and will have to fly to campus, see what you can fit into one or two suitcases. Checked bags will cost money, but depending on the airline you are flying, the price will vary. You may be able to sign up for a credit card with an airline that would allow you to get free checked bags. Just be aware of any annual fees associated with the credit card. And, as always, make sure you are only using the credit card on items you can afford and always pay your full balance on time.
Consider what you can buy on or near campus. Larger items, like box fans, mini fridges, TVs are difficult to move across the country and are better to buy near campus. Sites like Facebook Marketplace and Buy Nothing may allow you to get items for little to no cost. Over the summer, you may be able to get into contact with your roommate(s). My roommate was able to bring some of these larger items as he lived much closer to campus. A lot of things can be shared and you do not want multiple in a single dorm room.
Also consider the season in which you will be moving to campus and times you will be traveling to/from home. A good approach would be to bring the clothing you need for that season (fall/winter), and then plan to restock on clothes for spring/summer the next time you are traveling from home. That may allow you to get more items to campus overall and save on airline bag fees.
Other things to be aware of are how storage works on campus at your school.
- How much are you allowed to store?
- Is there an associated cost?
Hope this helps a bit and you have some next steps!
When I moved for college, the first consideration was whether I was going to have a car on campus. Some schools allow students to have cars on campus and allow for parking on campus, either free or via a permit for a fee. When I initially moved into my dorm, I decided to drive to campus (~5 hours) and pack just 1 carload of items to bring to campus. Having a car on campus was reasonable for me and allowed me to make occasional grocery runs. However, for a lot of schools in urban areas, it will not be realistic to have a car on campus due to cost, traffic, lack of parking, etc. Perhaps you have someone who can drive you to campus instead and help with your move-in process.
If you are moving much farther and will have to fly to campus, see what you can fit into one or two suitcases. Checked bags will cost money, but depending on the airline you are flying, the price will vary. You may be able to sign up for a credit card with an airline that would allow you to get free checked bags. Just be aware of any annual fees associated with the credit card. And, as always, make sure you are only using the credit card on items you can afford and always pay your full balance on time.
Consider what you can buy on or near campus. Larger items, like box fans, mini fridges, TVs are difficult to move across the country and are better to buy near campus. Sites like Facebook Marketplace and Buy Nothing may allow you to get items for little to no cost. Over the summer, you may be able to get into contact with your roommate(s). My roommate was able to bring some of these larger items as he lived much closer to campus. A lot of things can be shared and you do not want multiple in a single dorm room.
Also consider the season in which you will be moving to campus and times you will be traveling to/from home. A good approach would be to bring the clothing you need for that season (fall/winter), and then plan to restock on clothes for spring/summer the next time you are traveling from home. That may allow you to get more items to campus overall and save on airline bag fees.
Other things to be aware of are how storage works on campus at your school.
- How much are you allowed to store?
- Is there an associated cost?
Hope this helps a bit and you have some next steps!
Michael Polimeno
5
Answers
Updated
Michael’s Answer
Hi Emily, when I went to college far from home, I found the best way to move into a dorm was to pack everything in the car and drive to school. Once you're there, you can visit a nearby Walmart to pick up anything else you need for your dorm.