Hi future students of MBKU, congratulations on your acceptance!
I’m an out-of-state student who drove here all the way from Houston, TX the summer before my first year. I remember being really overwhelmed by how much there was to do as I got ready to move, so I put together a list of some of the things I learned to hopefully help you all out.
Everyone’s circumstances are going to be different depending on where you’re moving from and what type of situation you’re moving out of (ex. never left living at home before, coming from a college dorm, independent living situation), so please keep that in mind as you read this.
I’ll share tips on what worked best for me and why it made sense to me, but I highly encourage you guys to take information from this article and apply it to your situation to do what suits you best!
Tip 0.5: A brief aside about furniture
Generally, the options I found for getting furniture was to rent a U-Haul to bring stuff from home, hire movers, or buy things once I arrived. Since I was coming from Texas and driving an older sedan, it really wasn’t viable for me to try to tow a trailer for the entire drive over. It can be dangerous to force your car to drag a load it’s not meant for for that long of a time, and it’s a lot more expensive to fix a car than to buy furniture. Also, if you (like me) had a lot of leftover furniture from college, reselling your furniture to buy new stuff can make buying new furniture cheaper than the cost of moving the old stuff over . For getting new furniture, I recommend shopping on Facebook marketplace and Amazon! A lot of college students are moving out in May, so that can be a great time to shop for resell things if you’re moving earlier.
Tip #1: Packing Advice
First and foremost, please learn from my mistakes and know that one or two large containers and a bunch of smaller things are a lot easier to Tetris into a car than a bunch of big boxes.
For kitchen items, make sure to pack anything fragile with lots of cushioning. Small roads tend to have a lot of unexpected potholes and having a cherished mug or plate break on the way is really one of the saddest things. I would also not recommend bringing things like spices and seasonings that can be bought anywhere. If you end up with extra room, these things can certainly come with you, but they generally can be bought for cheap on arrival and can easily go bad or leak on the way making them a nuisance.
For bedroom/school items, I used my bedding (ex. blankets, pillows, sheets) to pad a lot of my larger fragile items. Specifically, I brought my PC, monitors, and keyboard over. I was worried about these items jostling around too much, so I surrounded them with blankets and pillows to pack them tightly in a box while also making sure they were well padded. Also, make sure to wipe/clean everything before you pack them, so you’re not bringing dust across the country with you. For clothes, I would recommend just packing them in plastic garbage bags. It might seem a bit chaotic, but bags can easily be shoved in small nooks making them easier to load into a car.
Finally, I found my bathroom things to be the most tedious. If you’re bringing makeup/skincare, make sure you’re putting them in some sort of ziploc/leakproof container and packing them tightly in an upright position. The worst thing that can happen is for you to go to grab your stuff, and you see that something (like random example argan oil) has leaked all over your boxes and car. Generally, the less liquids you can bring, the better.
Tip #2: The shipping vs. driving vs. flying dilemma
Alright, so you’ve got your things packed. Now, how are you going to transport it? If you’re flying, consider the cost of getting additional checked baggage or flying Southwest (which gives 2 free checked bags per flier at the time of me writing this). This can sometimes be cheaper than shipping items.
If you’re driving, I would recommend taking anything fragile or valuable with you in the car. Shipping services are not always the kindest with packages (even those marked fragile), so your best bet is to just transport it yourself. If you find yourself running out of room, I would recommend shipping clothes.
Tip #3: Getting ready for the big day
Great, everything’s figured out. Now all that’s left is to do it. My biggest advice here is to start packing early and (if you can) set aside an area in your current residence for things that are packed and ready. Pack things that you’re not using regularly first. For instance, I packed my kitchen things a good month in advance since I wasn’t using any of it at my parents’ house. I also packed away my winter clothes and miscellaneous room things. Packing early gives you a chance to really look through the things you’re bringing and sort out what you do and don’t need (and remember things you might’ve forgotten at first).
Closer to your departure date, I would recommend setting aside about 2 weeks of “moving clothes” for your travel time and a little window after you arrive.I also packed a small suitcase with things that I would need to use on the trip and right after arrival. Putting aside essentials for arrival will give you space to unpack things in a less rushed fashion. Especially if you’re building furniture or receiving packages, it can help a lot to be able to leave the big boxes untouched until you’re ready for them.
Tip #4: How to road trip with a car full of lots of things
And now you’re on the road! Driving with a really full car was honestly a first for me, but wow was it mildly stressful. I’m certainly not an expert in road trips, but I did pick up a few things.
The most important thing for me was to be careful turning. Everything in the car will move when you turn. It’s inevitable and okay. Just do your best to not make anything move too fast. If your trunk doesn’t share air space with your car (aka will not be air conditioned along with you), make sure to put anything temperature sensitive (like those nice skincare products) in the backseat. Also, if you’re staying at a shared accommodation (ex. a hotel), I would recommend bringing valuable and temperature sensitive things inside your lodging when you stop for the night. If you are staying at a hotel, many of them have luggage carts you can use to move your stuff inside..
Lastly, either make a playlist or find a podcast you like. Long drives can be really boring (especially in the deserts that make up Arizona and some of East California). Road hypnosis is a real thing and can be very dangerous on long roads. Make sure you’re prepared with something to keep you alert and driving safe.
Tip #5: Remember to have fun :)
Ultimately, this is a big time in your life that marks the start of something new and exciting! Moving can be stressful, but don’t forget to keep in mind the fun things that await you. It’s only the beginning of the four year long journey you’re embarking on, so start it with something fun. I would highly recommend bringing a friend or loved one with you on the move. Road trips can be a ton of fun with the right person along for the ride, so do whatever makes the trip enjoyable and memorable for you!
I hope you guys found some of this information helpful for planning your cross country moves. It can definitely be an adventure but what a way to start graduate school. Make sure to take lots of pictures to show your new classmates, and feel free to reach out to me at JoannaHe.SCCO27@ketchum.edu if you have any specific questions or want advice!