Moving is a massive task to undertake. Whether that be to or from the dorms or into or from a new apartment, each have some of the same challenges that can be aided by good planning.
If possible, making sure the place you are moving into is set up around a month in advance is a great place to start. That way you not only have time to get your tour through the new place but also save up whatever amount is needed for a deposit and first month’s rent. Though, the process of deciding what price range you can afford takes longer, and start saving far before that.
The best way to decide what you can reasonably afford for rent is based on a few factors. Rent should never exceed a full paycheck. This is still true if there is more than one income at play. One other thing to look at is what utilities you would be expected to pay for. From there, you can call utility companies and ask what the average rate per month was for previous tenants to be able to accurately calculate total housing costs per month.
After that is budgeting for groceries, household items like toilet paper and such, pets if you have them, and anything new you may have to buy after moving in. One thing to remember is that more is better when budgeting. You can always put the extra money into other things as needed or into an entertainment budget, but the best thing is to put that extra money into your savings account.
The biggest hurdle is always making sure you have enough boxes to hold everything and how you are getting things from one place to the next. While cardboard boxes are convenient and cheap, they can often break at inopportune moments, so you have to be careful with how much weight you put in them.
The advice my dad always gave me was to not buy furniture that you cannot either lift yourself or easily lift with one other person. The other being to invest in some good stackable plastic tubs. They can take up space when not in use, but they are sturdy and can hold more weight than a cardboard box.
Some of the common tips are helpful too, like labeling multiple sides of whatever box or container you use, wrap fragile items with bubble wrap or loose clothing, and keep things organized by what they are. Like putting books in small boxes, decor items sorted by room, kitchen items in another box, etc.
How you lift boxes is more important than you think, too. You cannot just lift with your arms; you have to lift with your legs. The best way to describe it is having your pelvis under your shoulders, lock your arms the best you can, and then stand using only your legs.
If you are not careful when lifting heavy things, you will have more than just sore muscles to worry about. It can lead to spraining ligaments, herniated discs in your back, and issues with your joints long term. Those issues often lead to long term or chronic pain, which is not what you want at all.