As every freshman has learned by now, packing all of your belongings into a car for move-in day can be pretty stressful. Unfortunately, several people are going to have to go through this process again when moving out at the end of the semester. So, whether you’re studying abroad next semester, changing housing or just want to take a lot of stuff home for winter break, these tips can help you out.

Find a place for storage

When you’re moving away from campus for only a month, you won’t need to take everything back home. Only pack the essentials. This means that every free thing you got on Quad Day doesn’t need to go back home. Instead, find a friend who is willing to keep a few boxes in their room for the break. If you can’t find a friend willing to do this, there are plenty of storage facilities near campus. Browse your options to avoid the hassle of loading and unloading your car for only a one-month stay at home.

Buy lots of boxes

If you brought a lot of clothes to school like I did, storage bins are an essential item. My freshman year, I put all of my clothes in storage bins and then kept them below my mid-lofted bed in my dorm room. This will help you pack everything quickly and efficiently before your parents pick you up, and they will greatly appreciate you for that.

Sell your books

Now that you’ve finished all of your classes for the semester, it’s time to get rid all of those textbooks. If you rented your books, don’t forget to return them to the bookstore. But if you bought books, there are plenty of options to sell them. If you’re looking for a quick sell, try the Illini Union Bookstore, but don’t expect a lot of money. I sold all of my books back last semester and only got $5. You can also try selling your textbooks to Chegg or Amazon. This might require a little extra work to ship them, but you’ll get a lot more money back.

Empty the refrigerator

It’s best not to forget to do this one to avoid mold growing over the break. The end of the semester is the time to completely clean out the back of your fridge. To finish this quickly, I advise grabbing a trash bag and throwing in anything you don’t want to take back. This way, you won’t be making trips back and forth to the trash can.

Brooke is a junior in Media.

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