The thought of moving out can bring stress to some and excitement to others. With the anticipation of leaving the place you called home the past school year, here’s what you can keep in mind to move out as smoothly as possible.

Being proactive is best, especially in this case when thinking about moving out. Students should start making plans for their move out early, according to Nick North, Oregon State University University Housing and Dining Services resident area director. He said it can be easy to push your move out plans until the last minute while focusing on midterms and wrapping up the end of the year.

“Planning early can relieve stress and make it easier to complete,” North said. “If students need family or friends to help moving out, they should communicate the date now to make sure they are available. Parents may need to take time off work to assist with move out.”

North said students need to be moved out by the time residence hall contracts end which is on Friday, June 10 at 5:00 p.m. Moving carts are in limited supply during finals week, so it’s good to consider getting your own dolly or cart.

Ammar Asghar, UHDS customer service representative, said it’s important that carts and parking are provided to the family and friends of residents because that’s the biggest issue they face. He recommends students also check their myUHDS portal and pick a time slot for room inspection.

Calvin Krech, Cal’s Moving Help owner, recommends having at least two people to help you move in the event that something is too heavy. This prevents injury or damage to the walls or any of the items. He said it depends how much stuff and what kind of pieces are being moved—it’s fine if it’s some boxes that can be handled on your own.

To avoid any cleaning fees, students should clean their rooms before inspection and check out. North said students need to empty all belongings, wipe down surfaces and garbage bins, remove all tacks and tape adhesives from the walls and vacuum, sweep or mop floors. UHDS has a cleaning guide and a list of common damage charges.

Asghar said sometimes students don’t realize that they acquired a lot of things before moving out. It’s good to be aware of this before the last few weeks of the term sneak up.

“They could be organized by using various apps or things that are available to them,” Asghar said. “They can kind of have a list on Excel or wherever. Just know the things that they have, how many boxes or bags or trash bags they’re going to have and have them organized.”

Krech said students should pack their belongings into boxes. His packing service makes sure not to pack items from different rooms so things from the kitchen and bedroom don’t get mixed, for example. Labeling the box with a quick summary of what is inside is useful too.

North recommends going through your belongings in shared spaces with your roommates a week or two before leaving. This along with getting rid of items you no longer want or need before the final week of the term can keep students organized.

“Roommates should talk with their roommates about how to divide up shared items in the room,” North said. “If they split the cost of the fridge, who gets to take it?”

UHDS partners with Materials Management in The Great Move Out, North noted. The program is available to both on and off-campus students where they can donate items to large bins that will be placed in residence halls. He said students should be mindful about donating clean items that aren’t broken and open toiletries and cleaning supplies that are half-full are also accepted.

UHDS tries to provide appliances for residents since things like toasters aren’t really allowed in the dorms, according to Asghar. He said students should not have much of those items, but if they do, they have to make arrangements for getting rid of them.

Krech said students can take their items to a donation center or use a junk removal company. These appliances and furniture can also just be taken to a nearby dumpster in the residential area or complex.

“If you’re going to be using a U-Haul or anything like that, make sure to rent moving pads and then that way your furniture don’t get all scratched up and banged from point A to point B,” Krech said.

North said students should remember to remove belongings and clean their rooms, complete room inspection at the scheduled time with a staff member and check out and return their key at the Service Center by 5:00 p.m. on June 10. Asghar added that it’s a $75 charge for not returning your room key.

Following these steps ensures that move out goes smoothly and to avoid unnecessary charges. North said those charges or fees based on their room’s condition can be found on their student account after.