Tag: students in gainesville

Tips for Parents Moving Their Children into a Dorm

Tips for parents moving their children into the dorm

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Our truck in this year’s homecoming parade… Go Gators!!

Parents who are sending a child off to college for the first time may understandably be feeling a mix of emotions. Emotions such as pride, stress and even anxiety and sadness are common. However, these emotions are often mixed with practical concerns, such as how your child will manage living away from you for the first time. One of the best steps that you can take to ensure that your child’s first experience living apart from you is a great one is to help him or her settle in a new dorm room. There are a few parent tips that you can follow to make this transition easier for your child.

Start Shopping Early

Most parents and graduating teens have their college plans established months ahead of time, so there is no point waiting until the last minute to purchase items for the dorm. Some new college students and their parents will wait until moving day to head to the store. While it may sound like a sound plan to purchase bedding, towels, storage bins and more closer to campus and after seeing what items you actually need, everyone else may have this plan to. Stores close to campus may easily run out of supplies when there is a mad dash to get these items by dozens of people all on the same day. You can get a fair idea about what may be needed for the dorm by contacting the college and requesting a list.

Coordinate With a Roommate

In addition, before transitioning into a dorm, consider having your child get in touch with his or her new roommate. Many kids like to coordinate what they will be bringing. After all, you don’t really need to have two microwaves, televisions or other items in the dorm room. If a roommate already has these items, you can save yourself the time and energy associated with purchasing them and moving them into the dorm. Many kids also like to coordinate décor, and selecting comforters and other decorative items with an online purchase makes it easy to ensure that the room looks great.

These parenting tips can help make your child’s move into a new dorm room a pleasant experience. Moving can be stressful for you, but it can also be stressful for your child. Consider helping your child pack several days beforehand, and attempt to take stock of any additional items he or she may need as you pack boxes and suitcases. Preparation and planning are key to making this experience a pleasant one.

Students in Gainesville prepare for the annual “Turn”.

Students in Gainesville Florida and across the state are faced with the daunting apartment turn season every year. If you are not familiar with this concept, it is where all student focused communities turn over their apartments, homes, and other rental properties to prepare for the new influx of renters. This may not sound like much, but when you take into account that it happens over a two day period at the end of July every year, the scope is magnified. Gainesville alone has nearly 100,000 college students between the University of Florida and Santa Fe College. The shear number of students at the two schools creates a huge strain on communities desperate to get properties cleaned and ready for the new renters.

Apartment communities in Gainesville are numbered in the hundreds to accommodate the thousands of students that attend school in the area. Over a two day period, at the end of July, students moving in Gainesville have the daunting task of moving while everyone else is. Moving companies, rental truck companies, and apartment communities alike are strained to the max to accommodate all the needs. Often, students are required to find storage in Gainesville for a period of no more than a week or so, while they wait for their apartments to be ready. Unfortunately every year this is a shocker to many students and their parents alike. Knowing about the impending turn season is imperative for a successful, efficient moving experience.

Although many of the local apartment communities put out information about this well in advance, the knowledge still seems to escape many of the residents. We have decided to put out this information to help ensure that this year, less students in Gainesville will face the unfortunate circumstance of no rental trucks, no storage and no where to go. Below you will find a list of moving tips for the apartment turn to help make the transition a lot smoother.

 

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  • Make Rental Truck arrangements at least one month in advance.
  • Make sure to begin packing your items at least one week prior to move, two is recommended.
  • Get at least three moving quotes from local moving companies in Gainesville at least a month in advance.
  • Purchase packing materials and supplies at least two weeks prior to your move date. They are scarce!
  • Verify your move in and move out time with the respective apartment managers well in advance.
  • Reserve storage in Gainesville at least one to two months in advance and ask about specials.

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Following a seemingly easy list of things to do as mentioned above will save a lot of headaches and frustration come moving day. Be prepared to wait in a line at your apartment on the way in and the way out. Remember that thousands will be doing exactly the same thing as you this weekend. If you can move a week prior, or a week after, this is preferred and may save you some money. Rates are based on availability, and during peak season they are the highest for all things related to moving.