Exams are finished, the sun is shining and university is finished for another year. It’s time to get out, make the most of summer and enjoy your freedom.
But before you do, you’ll need to pack up and move out of your student accommodation. And sometimes, knowing where to start can be a challenge, but it doesn’t have to be a stressful experience.
Instead, seize the moment and take the opportunity to have a cleanse and get things in order before you look to the future. And to help you out, we’ve put together a few handy tips and reminders for leaving your student accommodation.
1. Have a clear out
Don’t just empty your cupboards, throw everything you own in bags and boxes, fill the car boot and hope for the best. Take time to sort through your belongings and decide whether you really need to be taking everything away with you; you’ll be surprised at how much stuff you have accumulated since moving in.
If it’s rubbish, throw it. If it can be reused, recycle it. And if it’s something you don’t want or need, but it’s still in great condition, give it to someone else who can benefit from it or make some extra cash and sell it – eBay and Gumtree are a great way to sell unwanted items.
2. Donate
Now you’ve sorted through your belongings, you might find yourself with a pile of things that you don’t want. You’ve offered them to your flatmates but they don’t want them either. So why not donate to charity?
Whether it’s unopened tins of food from the back of the kitchen cupboard, or great condition clothes that you no longer want, don’t just bin them, donate to a worthy cause.
Local food banks such as The Trussell Trust provide emergency food for people in crisis, and welcome any donations of non-perishable food. And charities such as Cancer Research UK or the British Heart Foundation, always appreciate clean clothing in good condition.
If you do have items you’d like to donate, pop down to reception and speak to the Host team as we can collect items from you on behalf of the charity.
3. Pack smart
Before you chuck everything in boxes, think carefully about what you’re packing and when you might need it.
Pack any items you’re less likely to need such as decorative items and kitchen utensils, pack at the bottom of boxes. And any essential items such as phone chargers and your toothbrush should be packed at the top and easy to access; you don’t want to be rummaging through all your boxes trying to find these items.
If you’re packing fragile or sharp items such as glasses, picture frames and knives, wrap them up and keep them safe. You don’t want any accidents or damages in transit, so use bubble wrap, clothing or newspapers to protect your items.
4. Update mail
If you’re leaving your student accommodation, it means you’ll no longer be living at that address. Which means, any mail and deliveries you currently receive to your accommodation will need to be redirected to your new address.
From mobile phone contracts to online shops, the easiest way to avoid missing any post or parcels, is to update your billing and delivery addresses on any accounts, bills and documents that you have.
5. Clean
When you’re ready to vacate your room, don’t just up and leave your accommodation without giving it a good clean before you go. Your room was left in a good, clean condition when you moved in and should be left how you found it.
Try to tackle the mess and clean as thoroughly as you can. Having a clean room and flat will help to ensure you pass the room inspection upon checking out and avoid any additional charges incurred from hiring professional cleaners to come in.
6. Make use of storage
If you’re leaving your accommodation, but don’t have a new place to move into straight away then you might be wondering what to do with all of your belongings.
A simple solution is to put everything into storage temporarily. There are lots of storage providers such as Pinglocker who offer affordable and convenient student storage in the UK.
They make it easy for you by sending you boxes, collecting your items to put into storage and they can even re-deliver your items to your new address when needed; it’s storage made simple.
7. Return your keys
Amongst the commotion and hustle and bustle of moving, it can be easy to forget to hand your keys back to reception. But if you don’t return them, you could incur additional charges for replacements keys.
So, make sure you leave them out on the side and don’t pack them away. Then as you leave your room, they’ll be clearly visible for you to see and remember to pick up.
Pop them into reception and say goodbye to the Host team as you make your way out of the building and leave your accommodation.
Whether you’re leaving because you’ve finished uni, or are just moving out for summer, we hope that your move goes well and you enjoy the next chapter of your journey. And if you’re returning, we look forward to welcoming you back for the new term in September.