Moving into your first apartment as a college student can be exciting, but going off-campus puts you on your own regarding things like finding furnishings and setting a budget for your living expenses. Such a shift can bring unforeseen challenges and stressors. Once you’ve signed the paperwork on a place you can afford, you’ll also need to find a reliable roommate, get utilities hooked up, stock up on supplies and recruit people to help with your move, if necessary. Here are our top tips for moving to your first apartment.

1. Set a Sensible Move-In Date

If you’re moving to your first apartment between semesters, make sure to give yourself plenty of time to get settled into your apartment before classes start. You don’t want to try to pull off a move and all its associated logistics with the added stress of a brand-new semester looming over you.

2. Determine Your Monthly Budget

Paying rent on time is crucial, and you’ll also have monthly bills for things like groceries, electricity, water and internet service. Having a roommate can help take some of this burden off your shoulders, but before moving in together, you will need to set some ground rules on how to divide these living expenses and what happens if there is ever a shortfall.

3. Gather the Essentials

When you live on campus, your school’s housing department usually supplies any necessary furniture, but now that you’re preparing to be independent, you will need to furnish each room in your first apartment. To save money, you can look for secondhand furniture and household appliances on websites like Facebook Marketplace, or ask relatives to consider giving you anything they aren’t using. If you’re planning to live with a roommate, ask what they plan to contribute to shared spaces. That way, you won’t end up with two coffeemakers and no microwave.

4. Pick up Packing Supplies

Packing supplies may seem like an opportunity to cut corners if you are trying to save money on your off-campus move, but you owe it to yourself and your precious possessions to stock up on high-quality boxes, tape and packing paper. That way, you can give yourself peace of mind that anything that gets jostled during your move will stay protected, and you won’t find yourself needing to buy any replacements after unpacking.

5. Hire a Moving Company

Moving to your first apartment will be a lot less stressful with experienced professional movers by your side to help. Don’t assume you can’t afford to hire movers as a college student. At Fox Moving and Storage, we work with residential moves of all sizes and distances to and from the Knoxville area. We can help you pack and unpack, and we even provide budget-friendly storage solutions for your temporary or long-term needs. We also offer free moving boxes to any local Knoxville moving clients, along with packing materials at wholesale rates.

Neighbors Helping Neighbors

At Fox Moving and Storage, we specialize in dormitory moves because we recognize that the University of Tennessee plays such a vital role in our community. We offer reliable moving services at a rate you can afford, even on a college student’s tight budget. Contact us today to request your free quote for moving to your first apartment.