Moving to a New School — How to Prepare Your Home for a College Transfer

Transferring colleges offers an exciting new opportunity, but getting ready for the move can be a stressful time. You can’t control many of the variables involved with a move, but advance planning helps make the move to your transfer college less hectic. Here are some things to consider as you’re making plans for transferring colleges.

What to Bring with You

Before you start packing your possessions, make a list of essentials to take with you. This will help you decide on the right packing and moving supplies, such as boxes and bubble wrap.

Give priority to clothes, bedding, small appliances like a microwave and toaster, dishes, personal care items like towels and a hair dryer, and school-related electronics and supplies, such as a desk organizer and white board.

As you make your list of items to pack, consider things like:

• Weather — If you’re moving to a warm climate, you probably don’t need your winter gear.
• Space — Example: If you depend on a bicycle to get around, you need to know if you have space to keep it at your new apartment or dorm.
• Packing — You may not want to move items that are very fragile, such as mirrors, because they are difficult to pack, and some moving companies do not insure these items against damage.

What Not to Bring

As a transfer student, chances are you’ll be living off-campus and will need to furnish your own apartment. Unless you have family heirloom pieces that you absolutely must display at your apartment while you’re in college, you may want to consider renting furniture locally instead.

Renting furniture is a convenient way to furnish your apartment with trendy and practical pieces. It gives you a fresh chance to create an inviting, homey atmosphere at your new place — why not have fun with it? Some of the advantages of renting include:

• You can save time on packing and moving your furniture to a new city.
• If you’re moving from a dorm, where all the furnishings were provided, you don’t have to go out and invest in new pieces.
• If you’re only planning to live in your new city to finish college, you won’t have to worry about moving your furniture in a couple of years.
• Renting is a very convenient option that saves you both time and the hassle of hauling large, heavy pieces.

If you’re looking for a convenient solution for furniture rental in your new city, CORT offers affordable student packages in cities across the country. You even have the option of getting your furniture delivered and installed before you arrive, and CORT will remove it for you when you no longer need it. It’s one less thing to worry about when you start your new life in a new city.