Moving to College and Into Your First Apartment: What to Bring and How to Move It

Dorm or first apartment: two very different moves

Moving to college can mean a carload of bins for a furnished dorm room or a truck full of furniture for an empty apartment. Work out which one you are planning before you buy or pack anything.

What to bring to a dorm and what to leave home

Before you decide what to bring to a dorm, read the housing office's own list. Every school has different rules about appliances, wall hangings, and furniture, and that list beats any general one.

• Bedding. Check the mattress size first. Many dorm beds are longer than a standard twin
• Bath. Towels, a shower caddy, and shower shoes
• Laundry. A bag or basket you can carry down the hall, plus detergent
• Desk. Lamp, chargers, and a surge protector if the school permits one
• Storage. Bins that fit under the bed, hangers, and a few removable hooks
• Basics. A small tool kit, a first-aid kit, an umbrella, and a reusable water bottle
• Papers. Identification, insurance cards, and bank information, kept in one folder

Leave home the full wardrobe, anything your roommate is already bringing, and whatever is on the school's prohibited list. Talk to your roommate before buying a refrigerator, microwave, or rug so the room does not end up with two. If you are traveling by air, order the bulky items for pickup near campus instead of shipping them.

College move-in day: how to make it quick

College move-in day is crowded, hot, and short on parking. A little preparation turns it into a short job instead of a long afternoon.

1. Arrive at your assigned time, not early. Many schools stagger arrivals to keep the elevators and stairwells moving
2. Pack in bins and bags that one person can carry. Skip the oversized boxes
3. Label everything with your name, building, and room number
4. Bring a folding hand truck, a doorstop, basic tools, cleaning wipes, and water
5. Unload at the curb, move the car, then carry things up
6. Make the bed first. It clears floor space and makes the room feel finished

A word for parents: help with the heavy things, let your student decide where everything goes, and then say goodbye and let them meet the hall. It is a big day for you too.

First apartment checklist: before you sign and before you move

An apartment adds paperwork that a dorm never asked of you. Work through this first apartment checklist before moving day.

• Read the whole lease. Note the start and end dates, the deposit, who is responsible for rent if a roommate leaves, and the rules on subletting. If something is unclear, ask before you sign. Many schools have a student legal services or off-campus housing office that can help
• Document the condition. On the day you get the keys, photograph every room, including existing damage, and send the photos to the landlord
• Ask about renters insurance. Some leases require it
• Set up utilities. Find out which ones are in your name and schedule electricity and internet before you arrive. See setting up utilities at a new home
• Change your address with the post office, your bank, and your school. Our change of address checklist has the full list
• Measure. Doorways, stairwells, and the elevator decide whether that couch is coming
• Ask the building where a truck can park and whether the elevator must be reserved

First apartment essentials for the first night

You do not need a fully furnished place on day one. Cover these first apartment essentials and add the rest over the first few months.

• Sleep: mattress, sheets, pillow, blanket
• Bathroom: shower curtain and rings, towels, toilet paper, soap
• Kitchen: one pot, one pan, a knife, a cutting board, and a plate, bowl, cup, and utensils for each person
• Cleaning: trash can and bags, dish soap, sponge, broom, all-purpose cleaner
• Tools: screwdriver, hammer, tape measure, flashlight, and light bulbs

Pack these together so they come off the truck first. Our first-night box guide shows how. Ask family for spare furniture and kitchenware before you buy new, and split shared items with roommates in writing so everyone knows who owns what at move-out.

How to move it: carload, rental truck, or movers

The right method depends on how much you own and how far it is going.

• A dorm room or a single bedroom: one or two cars, or a small rental van
• A studio or one-bedroom across town: a rental truck with friends, a rental truck with labor-only moving help, or a small local crew
• An apartment in another state: a long-distance mover, or a portable container loaded by a crew

Allpoints Moving Services handles all three sizes. Our local moving is billed hourly based on crew size and truck needs, which keeps a small apartment move simple. Labor-only moving help means our crew loads or unloads your rental truck or container and you do the driving. We also take apart and reassemble beds and desks. For a move to a campus or a first job in another state, long-distance moving is quoted as a flat rate.

Metro Atlanta is home to many college campuses, so dates near the start of a semester can fill up quickly. Book 1 to 2 weeks ahead for a local move, and earlier in summer and at month-end. Quotes are free, so request one as soon as you have a date.

Moving out of a dorm and moving after graduation

Move-out deadlines are firm, and they arrive during finals. Start a week early.

• Take home or donate what you did not use this year
• Decide early between hauling everything home and renting a small storage unit near campus for the summer
• Clean to the standard in your housing agreement or lease, then photograph the empty room
• Return keys on time and give the landlord a forwarding address for your deposit

After graduation, the move is often a longer one: a new city, a first job, and a first lease signed from far away. Ask the employer whether relocation help is offered, get the lease dates settled, and then line up the truck or the movers. The moving checklist lays out the weeks before any move.