Student moving-out guide: 10 top tips

Students everywhere are counting down to the end of term – are you one of them? Maybe you’re the parent of a student moving out this summer?

Whether you are moving home for summer, going travelling or relocating to new digs because your lease is up, you’ll soon be faced with the dreaded move every student hates.

Whatever your circumstances are, we know this time of year can be stressful and chaotic for everyone involved as you make the move out of rented accommodation into your next abode.

So, we’ve put together some handy tips to help your student move run smoothly!

1. Get your facts straight

First things first. Whether you are moving out of halls of residence, a student flat or shared house, make sure you find out what the rules are surrounding your student moving day. Find out which date you need to be out by, any paperwork you are required to complete prior to the end of your tenancy, what access you’ll have during the move and how you hand over your keys.

Trust us, we know it’s tempting to worry about it all later on, but if you get your hands on all the necessary info now, it will set you up for a smooth transition on the day you depart.

If you’re moving out of halls of residence, check the inventory to ensure everything is left as you found it. The chances are, inspections will take place, so find out if and when these will happen and what requirements will be expected of you during this process.

2. Bills, bills, bills

Closing down your utility accounts is a crucial step in your student moving checklist, so don’t neglect it or leave it until the last minute.

If you are leaving a student flat or house share, you will need to contact the council and your energy providers, as well as any internet, TV and phone companies, well in advance to provide them with your moving date and forwarding address, so they can inform you of your closing balance and any payments or refunds due.

Take a final meter reading before leaving the property and keep a record of it for future reference, in case of any confusion or disputes later down the line.

When you have settled the final bills, forward a copy of these payments to your landlord as a reference.

3. Start hinching

Cleaning your student halls or houseshare before the end of your tenancy is a must – especially if you’re banking on getting your deposit back.

Make like Mrs Hinch, armed with your favourite cleaning products and a motivational playlist and get the job done. Rope your friends or flatmates in and make sure you plan your cleaning session for a specific date before everyone starts departing for home, leaving you shouldering all of the responsibility for the big clean.

Many universities and colleges will offer an online guide to cleaning your student accommodation before the end of your tenancy, which could help you ensure that deposit is back in your pocket in no time.

For tips on cleaning your student home in an environmentally friendly way, check out our blog on eco cleaning products.

4. Sell unwanted stuff

Selling unwanted items is a great way to fund your summer fun. So before you skip to point 4, it’s time to declutter.

Gather together anything you think would sell and set up your very own online shop.

Ebay, Depop and other online marketplaces are a great way to sell your stuff online, but more and more of us are using Facebook marketplace now as it’s easier than ever to buy and sell online.

Grab your phone, upload a few pictures and the cash could soon be rolling in – plus, as most items can be listed as collection only, you can make the buyers come to you for the ultimate in stress-free online selling.

Selling on Facebook is a great way to earn money from getting rid of last season’s outfits, old textbooks and any furniture you can’t take with you to your next digs – and you could soon earn enough to fund your summer holiday. Win win!

5. Donate and recycle

Most students acquire a whole lot of random stuff over the course of an academic year, and not everyone can be bothered selling items online when they’re faced with all of the hassles of a student move.

Or maybe, you’re just a kind-hearted person who would prefer to give to charity than make cold hard cash out of your unwanted things?

Whether you are motivated by kindness or laziness, now is a great time to launch your life laundry and sort the gems from the junk.

You know all those charity bags that come through the door? Instead of chucking them away, fill them up with unwanted clothing, books, ornaments and more. Just check on the individual bag what kind of items the charity can and can’t accept. The bonus of donating this way is the charity collects the bags from your doorstep, so it involves minimal effort.

Many charities will also accept clothes that are no longer in a suitable condition to be re-sold, as these items can be recycled. Check out which charities in your local area accept rags, then start filling some bags with your unwearable garments.

While you’re in the recycling zone, clear through those overspilling boxes of beer, wine and water bottles and make sure all your recycling is done before the move.

You could also donate any unused tins, unopened bags of pasta and rice, tea bags and other long-life items to your local food bank to save space and help people in your local community.

6. Write a list

When it comes to actually moving out of student accommodation, it’s time to write a checklist to get organised. If you prefer, you can do this on your phone by creating a tick box list in Google Keep.

Use this blog to start your list, and include items like utilities, council tax, inventories and cleaning.

Next, create an essentials box which includes items you will need up until the last minute, then right away in your new home. This will include items like your kettle, tea, coffee, toilet roll, bedding, towels and toiletries, to ensure you can survive your first night in your new student home without ransacking box after box.

List everything else room by room, so you pack in an orderly fashion which enables you to unpack more easily when you arrive in your new digs.

Finally, add anything to your list you may forget to do, like defrosting the fridge freezer, transferring your TV licence and anything else you might forget. Here’s a starter for you to add to and personalise before your move:

Student move checklist:

• Arrange maintenance jobs
• Cancel gas and electricity
• Final meter readings
• Cancel council tax
• Cancel TV and broadband
• Cancel TV Licence
• Buy boxes and packaging materials (tape, labels, markers, bubble wrap etc)
• Pack up bedroom
• Pack up kitchen
• Pack up bathroom
• Pack up living room
• Create essentials box
• Book storage unit and free pickup
• Defrost fridge freezer
• Clean!
• Hand over keys

7. Maintenance

You and your flatmates are responsible for maintaining your property in the condition you found it in, so if anything has broken during your stay, the chances are you’ll be expected to repair it. This could include bed frames, doors, leaky taps, broken shelves or door handles.

Check out your contract to see where you stand on any broken items or other maintenance issues – and don’t leave it too late. 

It may work out easier for you to simply report breakages and any other issues and lose part of your deposit. Or, it may be a lot cheaper for you to get things fixed before you leave, to avoid losing out on your deposit. Either way, deal with it as early as you can, to avoid a stressful situation later.

8. Sort out your student storage

Can self-storage help when moving house? In most instances, the answer is yes. And for student moves in particular, self-storage can really come into its own as a life-saving solution which can save students (and parents of students) so much time and hassle.

During your time as a student, it’s more than likely you will move house several times, from halls of residence or university accommodation to student flats and houseshares after your first year.

Moving from one student digs to another can be time-consuming and stressful enough as it is, but when you factor in the trips back and forth to your parents’ home in between each move, with a car loaded up with your worldly goods, it quickly becomes unbearable for all concerned.

Taking out a self-storage unit as a student is the answer to your problems. If you choose the right company for your student storage needs, you can make life so much easier for yourself when you’re in between accommodation.

Find a storage centre close to your university that offers a free pickup service, then make them come to you to take away your items for safekeeping.

Avoiding that dreaded trip back home for the holidays with all of your stuff will not only save you time and save your parents petrol money, it will ease family relations all round and make for a much happier home life during the uni holidays.

Top tip! Many students looking for storage solutions close to uni join forces with friends to rent out a larger unit which can be shared between them, to keep their belongings locked up securely throughout the summer holidays. This can be a great way to save money on storage while reaping all of the benefits of a cheap and secure storage solution.

We offer student storage close to the University Of Central Lancashire (UCLAN), student storage for Leeds University, Derby University student storage solutions as well as Manchester student storage close to Manchester University, MMU and Salford University.

Don’t forget, as we offer free collection there’s no need to worry about how close the centre is to your student digs, as we’ll come and collect your stuff for you. Then, all you need to do on your return is stop by your student storage unit to pick up your things, ready to move into your new student flat.

Another benefit of our student storage solutions is the 24 hour access we offer to customers, which means you can access your storage unit at any time, night or day, if you need to add anything or collect something important.

9. Pack smart

Once you have your list prepared and your storage unit booked, make sure you pack smartly to make the move a hassle-free one.

Here are a few tips on how to pack up your student flat in the best way:

• Label everything
• Mark up fragile boxes
• Make sure fragile items don’t get dumped underneath heavier boxes
• Use odd or spare socks to pack glasses to prevent breakages
• Fill empty gaps in boxes
• Take photos of cables and wires (so you can set up correctly in your new home)
• Roll up rugs
• Empty and clean out your toaster before packing
• Keep cupboards and drawers open once cleared to spot anything you may forget
• Don’t overload boxes
• Fill suitcases, holdalls and even laundry baskets to save space

10. Review your landlord

Student accommodation can be seriously hit and miss, and if you haven’t had a bad experience you probably know someone who has. As you move out, another group of students will likely be moving into your student digs, so do them a favour and give them a heads up on whether it will be a smart or disastrous move.

Websites like Student View allow you to review landlords and accommodation to help other students make an informed choice about which property to rent. If you don’t use a site like this already, it’s a great place to start when finding your next student flat or house. Just make sure you continue to share the love and make sure your experiences (good or bad) can help other students in your shoes.

Now you’ve got a plan in place, along with some smart tips for moving out of student accommodation, go and put them to good use. Then, whether you’re off travelling, on holiday, working or chilling, you can do it all with zero stress!