Moving out of residences is a wild time of the year, every year. The move out process is often rushed and incredibly stressful as it is preceded by endless studying for final exams. Katie Tissington-Turner, this year’s Sustainability in Residence Co-ordinator, shares a few tips to make this process more enjoyable – and sustainable.

It is truly amazing how many things you can fit into a dorm room or apartment, and, as you pack up your dorm room, you are likely to find a lot of great stuff that you don’t need anymore. However, with the clock ticking, the temptation rises to toss some of these useful items in the garbage. So…how does one avoid this unpleasant situation?

GET A HEAD START

There is no better way to avoid stress and needless garbage than getting organized early. However, this has been a persistent challenge for me every year as I end up spending my last twenty-four hours in residence packing up and sorting out. It would have been much easier if I had taken the following steps to avoid the last-minute suffering:

  1. If you have breaks between exams, devote 15-30 minutes each day to organize your space. Make sure you look through your closet, fridge, and bookshelves.
  2. Start packing boxes as soon as possible. Don’t wait – they disappear fast. Leave them sitting open in your room so that you pack a little each day.
  3. Every time you finish an exam, pack up or recycle all of the materials for that course.

SORT IT OUT

Did you know that over 30% of landfill material at UBC could have been sorted properly? Don’t add to waste during move-out because of last-minute rush. Most items can stay out of landfills and be used by people who need them. After six years of living in residence, I take personal responsibility for ensuring that I don’t put unnecessary items in the garbage. Sorting out while moving out is something I have done dozens of times during my years at UBC and so can you. Here are a few tips:

  1. Your fridge: If you leave the fridge clean-up until the last day of move out, you may find some unpleasant surprises in there. Take out your old food, compost it, and clean the containers for reuse or recycling. For those with mini fridges, it can be tough to say good-bye. However, take the time to send it to a good home. Consider selling it to a fellow student or finding an appropriate place to donate it.
  2. Clothing: A major source of moving pains for some people because of the sheer amount of it. Donate your clothes to a worthy cause. There is often a place to do this in your residence area during final exam season. For example, in Place Vanier you can drop it off in the Commons Block boardroom, while in other residences you can often find donation bins in the building lobby. Make your move easier and someone else’s life better by dropping your clothes off.
  3. Household items: Moving far away? If so, you may not want to bring items like dishes, kettles, and irons with you. Consider donating these items to people who need them more than you do. You can usually find a spot to drop them off in your residence area during the final exam period. Ask your RA or Residence Life Manager!
  4. Miscellaneous: If your item is in excellent condition and doesn’t fit into a category for donation in your residence area, consider dropping it off to a thrift store or the UBC Free Store! Whatever you do, please do not put your useful items into the garbage!

MAKE IT FUN

Moving out doesn’t have to be stressful – you really can have fun in the process! I don’t enjoy the many hours of packing up in solitude so I like to take breaks to destress with exercise, baked cookies, or social moments with friends. Here’s few other ideas:

  1. Write letters to friends that you won’t be seeing over the summer and reminisce about how good your year together was at UBC!
  2. Host a clothing swap and grab some new threads before heading out.
  3. Reward yourself for a job-well-done packing by getting a hot chocolate, seeing a movie, or attending a program being hosted in your residence area.
  4. Take a before and after photo of your room so that you can see your progress and hard work!

LIVING OFF CAMPUS?

You can still move out sustainably! Many of the tips discussed above will still apply. In fact, I briefly lived out of residence and moving out was a real pain because I had gathered a lot of items due to the extra space in my apartment. You can avoid this situation with a bit of planning:

  1. Start early: Don’t leave all of your recycling to the last day of your contract! Your recycling bins will almost certainly be too full and you won’t be able to sort out your “stuff” in a sustainable way. Start a week or two early so that there are a few city collection cycles in between.
  2. Donate: Kitchen supplies? Housewares? Furniture? Call ahead and find out whether you can bring select items to thrift stores and other donation companies. Better yet, ask if they can pick up items at your place free of charge!
  3. Find a friend: Friends can save you a major headache when it comes to moving out. If it wasn’t for my friends, I would have never gotten out on time! If you need to drop off items for donation, have your friend drive the donation materials away while you keep cleaning so that you’re getting more done in less time.

If you need tips on how to move out in a more stress-free and sustainable way, reach out to your Residence Advisor or the Sustainability in Residence Program Coordinator at rez.sustainability@ubc.ca, or consult the SHHS website.