Quirk Number One

#1: Throwing random things away just so you feel like you are doing a decent job at packing.
Packing scares us.
Oh, who cares?! Just throw it all into a box.

As you can see, I was packing for college during this time. I really dislike packing. I've moved many times during my life and I have touched, smelled, taped, and opened way too many cardboard boxes in my day. If you want advice on moving, then I am the person to talk to. 

During my past, I have moved about 5 times. I lived in an apartment as an infant (I know, this might not count, but it was still a move), then moved to Aurora, Illinois where I went to Kindergarten. We then moved to Batavia, Illinois because there were too many knives in our backyard. True story. Anyway, after living in Batavia for 3 years, I moved to Cortland, Illinois and stayed there until my Junior year of High School. Our home was about to be foreclosed, so I moved into Dekalb, Illinois for the rest of my Senior year. After graduation, I moved in with my Mom in Saint Charles, Illinois for the summer. Now, I am back in Dekalb, Illinois for school. See, I wasn't kidding around here.

Let's get back to the quirk.

"Packing scares us." Yes, it quite does when you are packing to go live on campus because you have NO IDEA what to bring with you. Your mind races with thoughts about what to bring, why you are bringing it, how much of it to bring,  what box to pack it with, and where to put it later. Whoa. Slow down there, Betsy. I know, it is very overwhelming, but here are some tips to make your packing day go smoothly:

Packin' Tips:

1). Throw away clothes that you hate, but still have, that do not fit anymore, or that has no purpose for your body. Give away your ugly shoes, your ugly underwear, tight pants, small shirts all to a thrift store or sell it at a garage sale. There will always be someone who want's your things. You and the other person will both benefit from your wardrobe-downsize. (See picture at bottom).

2). Only bring your summer clothes. If you can come back home in the Fall, then exchange your shorts for sweaters. (See picture at bottom).

3). Get rid of old papers or desk junk. You won't have room for any of that later if your desk has small drawers.

4). Don't bring everything you own. If you bring all of that to your dorm, then you will have no place to sit down and relax without thinking, "Where am I going to put all of this??"

5). Make a schedule of the days you want to pack so you aren't doing it last minute.

6). Make a list of what you want to bring. Look for lists of what to bring and what not to bring to your dorm. Your College's website will have a list of the basics. Also, search online for lists to build your own!

7). Take breaks! I know you may be excited, but you will get too stressed. 

8). Save money for the things you would like in your dorm. Most stores around campus during the beginning of the year will have sales for incoming/returning students.

 9). Make sure you bring a lot of different storage pieces. For example: baskets, tubs, smaller boxes, bags, crates, storage ottomans, etc. (See pictures at bottom).

10). Talk to your roommate about what they are bringing so you can compare. You want as much space as possible! Double items will ruin the space!

I will stop at ten tips. I think you collegeboundladies and laddies can manage from here. I hope this was useful! 

*If you are wondering about community bathrooms in college, then stay tuned for quirk number two. I will be posting some advice for that in a couple of days! *

Love you, kiddies!

-Tiffany G. Carwile