As the end of the semester approaches and finals draw near, students are faced with the task of packing up their belongings and moving out of their dorm or apartment. The stress of finals is already enough to handle, so use these handy packing tips to to eliminate more stress.

The first rule when it comes to packing is determaning if the item is something you can get rid of or not. Donating unwanted items is always a good way to downsize the amount of things that need to be packed. Consignment shops, such as The Loft on Main Street, are a great place to give any clothes that are no longer wanted. Other items like decorations and furniture can be given to the Salvation Army or Goodwill.

Many people tend to keep clutter, or unnecessary items like old notebooks and other used school supplies. Throwing away and recycling whatever you can is an easy way to lighten the load of packing. Another overlooked end of the year task is making sure to clean out the fridge. Nobody wants to have to bring home food that has to be refrigerated, especially if it’s a long car ride. Canned foods and non-perishables that one might not need at home during the summer months could also be donated to the Ames shelter. 

Over the school year the amount of clothes in your closet has most likely grown. While many will just cram their clothes into a suitcase and hope for the best there is a much easier way to get the job done. For clothes on hangers, leave them on the hangers. Simply take a garbage bag pulled up over the clothes and tie it around the hangers. This makes for easy travel and zero stress when they get home. For other clothes like pants the same can either be done if the hangers are available; otherwise, rolling your pants like a burrito instead of folding them like normal will create a lot more room for packing.

Make sure to pack items in medium sized containers because they are a lot easier to carry. For those with necklaces, simply hook them all around a single hair tie and hang it on the hook above the door in the car for tangle free transportation. When it comes to lotions, hair products and shower supplies don’t forget to put them in a sealed bag where, incase of a spill, no other items are damaged or soaked in shampoo.

Packing can be frustrating at times but by following these tips it should lead to a worry free move home.