As the end of first year rolls around, posters are peeled off dorm walls, clothes are packed into boxes and keys are handed in to the front desk for the final time. For many, this time also means moving into their first house — a daunting task. Luckily, The Watch is here with a step-by-step guide to all things packing and moving.
Packing
Make a list of everything you and your roommates will need for your new house. Chances are, there will be a lot of things you are forgetting: cleaning supplies, a first aid kit or a toolbox. Some houses don’t even have lightbulbs or curtains. Talk to your landlord and find out exactly what comes with the house.
You don’t have to buy all of your furniture brand new. Scour Facebook Marketplace, browse the yard sales, hit Value Village or ask the previous tenants if there is anything they are willing to sell to you. And you don’t have to keep everything from your dorm — you and your roommates do not need four kettles.
While it may seem efficient to fill a couple huge boxes with all of your stuff, your two visits to the Dalplex have not equipped you with the strength to carry them, so buy more small boxes. It will make for more trips, but your back and arms will thank you. Label all of your boxes, and designate one for things you will need immediately after moving in, like cleaning supplies or a change of clothes.
And, trust me, do not wait until the night before move-out day to pack. You will forget something or run out of boxes or lose your keys inside a packed box.
Planning
Once you have checked in with your landlord and know what time you are allowed to move in, schedule your day. Coordinate with your roommates, split up tasks and make sure everyone knows where they’re meant to be when they’re meant to be there. And don’t forget to schedule in time to eat.
If you don’t have a car or a friend with a car, find your transportation early. Half of Halifax will be moving on May 1 and you don’t want to be caught lugging boxes on the bus. Anyone who is 18 with a driver’s license can rent a U-Haul truck.
Moving
It’s the big day. Maybe you’re excited, or maybe you’re out of your mind with stress. Maybe all of your meticulous planning will pay off or maybe it will all go out the window. Either way, go with the flow. Don’t scream at your roommates when your couch won’t fit through the front doorway or if you realize no one remembered to buy toilet paper. Just laugh it off and solve the problem — it’s really not that deep.
When you first get to your house, take pictures of any damage. This will save you from losing your damage deposit. Next, give the house a good clean. You never know who was there before you. If you see your landlord or meet your neighbours, take the chance to get to know them (and get on their good sides.)
Settling In
Once you have unloaded all of your worldly possessions into your new home, take a minute to revel in the newness, the unknown. Tonight, you’ll lay in bed awake, listening to the not yet familiar sounds of the house. You’ll wake up and, for a moment, you will have no clue where you are.
But in a couple of months, you’ll come home from a night out and you won’t have to turn the lights on, because you’ll be able to find your way through the house in the dark. You’ll know which stairs creak and which windows whistle with the wind.
But right now, this house is still full of plain walls and empty closets. So take an extra moment to appreciate sitting on your bare living room floor, surrounded by unpacked boxes, sharing pizza with your roommates.
