Packing for the Summer

It's intercession. If your like me, you put off packing until the last minute. After all finals were the priority, and now you have four hours of class. You may have already moved of your dorm last week, but are you still struggling to find what you put where? If you left packing until the last moment you may have just thrown everything in to boxes and bags as fast as you could. Forget about organizing! You had to be out of the room and clean as quickly as possible.

This year my holiday plans were crazy. I flew to see friends during Thanksgiving and Spring Break. I got to see family during Christmas Break, but split my time flying and driving between three different states. As a result, I didn't have a chance to drop off things at my parents place. Additionally, my parents moved after I graduated from high school. I haven't lived at home during the summer in two years. My dorm's contents grew to include everything I use during the year from winter clothes to pots and pans.

How did I organize and pack everything that I owned with less than 12 hours?

1. Set aside an overnight bag and all the essentials you need until you reach the place you will be staying for the summer   
2. Divide you living space into zones determined by what they contain
• Ex: I divided my apartment into Kitchen/common area, Bathroom and Bedroom. Then I subdivided my bedroom into: clothes and shoes; Bedding and towels; school supplies, technology, and decor. I use six zones because I store six boxes.
3. Each zone has three categories which you pack in the following order:
• What do I need now (for the summer)?
• Things I won't need until fall
• Donations

The best rule for donations: "When in doubt throw it out." . Every semester, I always have a handful of things that I thought I would need that I never used, a couple of outfits that I haven't worn in over a year, and several things which I loved until they were thread bare. For me, moving is the easiest time to 'spring clean.' I have a limited amount of space to move and store my belongings. While the process can be stressful, looking at the packed finished product can often be cathartic. It can be a great way to renew your environment and prepare for the fall semester.

Disclaimer: I keep everything relatively organized throughout the semester, and when I do start to pack I often pack without stopping until it's done.Even if your dorm is organized in a way only you can understand, this method will help you when you unpack in the fall. If you have enough space you might want to consider storing the sale worthy items at the beginning of the next semester. I hope you all have a great summer!