From packing to making the most of your setup time, these tricks will help ensure your college move-in goes as smoothly as possible.

As move-in dates approach for many, especially for those who are getting ready to drop off their first college-bound student, knowing a bit more about what to expect and how to prepare can help make sure your energy and efforts are well-organized and as effective as possible. Here are my top tips for making move-in as smooth sailing as possible.

1. Pack so the most-needed items are the most accessible.

It's very likely that there will be some aspects of unpacking and getting settled that get put off until later. To make sure you don't get yourself into a situation where you have to keep going, pack the essentials in easy-to-access places so you can get to a functional level of unpacked without having to make it through everything.

What should be kept in arm's reach? A week or two worth of clothes, standard school supplies, any frequently-used medications or related items, toiletries, a clean towel or two, and anything necessary for facing future weather conditions (rain gear, sunscreen, etc.) is a great start. Things like decorations, seasonal items, and clothes outside your student's normal rotation are fine to save for later unpacking sessions. I also recommend having a cleaning kit that you can use not only during move-in but also leave with your student for cleaning during the semester....more on that in item 4.

2. Use big labels on EVERYTHING!

Most campuses have upperclassmen to help with unloading items from cars and getting them into dorm rooms. This means there's a good chance that most of your items will be handled by someone else.

In my experience, most of the student helpers are great at their work, and mix-ups are few and far between. Still, if you want to put yourself in as good a situation as possible, don't underestimate the value of a big label.

Be a bit obnoxious about it. Stick those babies on everything you don't plan to keep in your own hands. Put your student's last name and room number on each one. For bonus points, pick up some labels with a unique color scheme or graphic so you and campus helpers can see at a glance which items are yours!

3. Have a game plan for move-in...

There are a lot of moving pieces (pun somewhat intended) to move-in. Having a divide-and-conquer strategy can not only help things move more efficiently and reduce tensions in the moment but can also maximize what you can actually accomplish in the time allotted. Once you know who all is going to move-in with you, plan ahead some jobs or areas of focus for each person so everyone can leap into action.

This is also a great system for students like me who may already be dealing with lots of nerves and stress related to move-in. Having a bunch of family members, well-intentioned as they might be, ask you 15 times what they should be doing is a strong annoyance at best for someone already feeling overwhelmed and unsteady.

4. ...and make sure that game plan includes cleaning!

One thing I definitely didn't think about in my own move-in experience was pre-cleaning everything in my room. Luckily, my mom was on top of things and had put a whole kit together complete with everything my roommate and I would need to keep our room at least somewhat tidy. Some of the items that made the biggest impact were a Swiffer for our linoleum floors, a hand vacuum, and wipe versions of various cleaners so we didn't have to worry about rags or tear through paper towels when cleaning.

So, why am I mentioning this in regards to move-in? Because the very first thing we did before starting to unpack my stuff was to give everything a thorough cleaning. From floors and the closet to the spaces between the walls and furniture and the insides of drawers and storage areas, that room got a thorough hose-down before we really started arranging my belongings within it. The cleaning was greatly needed, and it also provided me a chance to take some ownership of and begin to feel a little more comfortable within my new home.

5. Celebrate small victories.

Move-in is, frankly, overwhelming. My own move-in experience was so hectic that my memory of it only exists as anxiety- and exhaustion-fueled snapshots. Admittedly, I created a lot of extra work for us in that I opted to disassemble the provided bed in favor of a really snazzy loft bed that my dad and I built. Nevertheless, I distinctly remember several moments in which it felt like there was no way everything could get done.

There will likely be several stages to your move-in experience. Take a moment to celebrate the progress you've made anytime you move on to a new stage. It helps immensely to build in space to focus on how far you've come instead of fixating on how far there is yet to go. Boost morale, give yourself a pat on the back for all you've done, and take breaks or shift focus to something else when needed.

Final Thoughts

College move-in is a stressful time; there's no doubt about it and no getting around it. Nevertheless, these tips can help reduce stress and make the process as smooth as possible. Doing a bit of planning ahead of time and arranging and packing your belongings strategically can minimize the need for in-the-moment decision making, minimizing overwhelm and keeping the experience as positive as possible.

It's pretty amazing how quickly an unfamiliar dorm room becomes home. You can help make the first memories in that new home happy ones!