We know from experience packing for university can be a nightmare. You’ve left it until the last minute and you have no idea what you’re actually going to need.
Whether you’re the kind of person that wouldn’t be caught dead wearing the same outfit twice, or the type that will happily wear the same pair of jeans until they perish, here’s a few tips from the Glide team to make packing less painful.
1. What does my room already have?
Whether you’re moving into private accommodation or student halls, it’s worth checking what your property already comes equipped with. Most student halls will provide bedding and pillows. Knowing such details can save an awful lot of room in your car.
2. Making the most of your suitcase.
Packing a suitcase correctly is a hotly debated topic (seriously, just Google it), but the majority of packing warriors seem to adhere to two schools of thought: rolling vs. folding.
However, the reason for such debate seems to stem from a desire to keep all of your clothes perfectly iron-fresh when taken out of the suitcase at your destination. The most important thing to remember is to use the free space as efficiently as possible. Fold all of your clothes and fill your shoes with bundles of socks. Leave any smaller miscellaneous items until the end to fill any leftover nooks and crannies.
3. Do I use it at home?
This is perhaps the question you should ask yourself with every item you consider taking to uni. Seriously, have you ever actually worn that gigantic ski jacket you bought four years ago? If you don’t wear an item of clothing at home, chances are it won’t ever see the light of day when you get to university.
4. Will you need every item immediately?
As most students will be heading to university in September, it’s important to pack with the weather in mind. Winter is going to be cold so opt for warm clothing rather than beach gear that you aren’t going to use for months. In fact, when you head home at Christmas or New Year, you’ll probably end up taking a load of stuff home you’ve realised you don’t need.
5. Would it be easier to buy it once you’re there?
At first glance, this question can seem a little counter-intuitive as you definitely don’t want to shell out your hard-earned savings or student loan on things you can easily grab from home, but transporting 24 rolls of toilet paper and filling a huge space in your car in the process is something worth avoiding. Especially when it leaves you more room to pack important things, like a chair.
We could go on but that just about sums up the most important things we learnt from our time at university. If you have any packing tips to share with the Glide community let us know on Twitter or Facebook and we’ll spread the word.