USC Move-Out Hacks
By Joy Ofodu ‘18
We all want to get out of here with our limbs intact. That was an odd way to start, but you know what I mean. Leaving Troy can be intense and stressful, but these hacks may help you manage the madness:
Trash First
Look around your room, kitchen or restroom: What can go now? Start with wall decor, old assignments and outdated flyers. This weekend, get rid of anything that won’t travel with you, especially if you live in USC Housing. No one likes a hallway full of trash on May 10th. No one.
Box Out
Don’t pay for big, brown boxes; start gathering them from around campus! Offices and mailrooms are clearing out fast - try the open recycling cage between WPH and THH. That’s right - reach right in and grab you a 12 x 20. Don’t be shy.
‘Tis the Season to GIVE!
You can donate and recycle good and not-so-good clothing in the giant, blue Goodwill bins in the lobby of each Residence Hall (i.e. Birnkrant). You can also take small furniture items datway. One bin in Birnkrant is also accepting school supplies for a local elementary school, so haul your unused notebooks and binders over to North Area (by TroGro).
What You Can’t Donate, Sell
The USC Free & For Sale Facebook Group is the go-to place for Move-Out mercantilism: From vacuums and coffee tables to cars and breast milk, Trojans have Really, Really Tried It. You can, too.
Baggy is Back In
Ziploc Space Bags can shrink your comforters, towels and winter coats (why do you have those in SoCal?) down to size for optimal storage in your suitcase. And they’re re-usable (my freshman year bags are still going strong).
Get Those Books Outta The Way
Return your textbooks to Amazon, the Bookstore Buyback or one of the 100+ apps that will rush a kid to your dorm to take it from you! Do it now, before you forget!
Have a Friend Babysit Your Bike….
Register your bike with DPS and lend it (and a lock) to someone responsible who’s hanging around campus this summer! You can re-claim it when you return in August.
…And Your Box!
If they’re SoCal based, your friend may not mind sending an extra box of your dorm things home with their family. Ask nicely, and you may receive #TrojanFamily
Too Expensive to Store? Ship It or Shyp It
Use the on-campus Mail Stop or Shyp app to get valuable things out of your cluttered dorm or apartment and back home where they belong! Shyp is an Uber-like service that sends a Hero to your location to pick up your things - you don’t even need to box, pack or label them! When my Hero came to Parkside Apartments last year, I nearly cried.
What Did I Put in That Box?
Save yourself from unpacking nightmares by labeling what you put in each box or suitcase now (i.e. This case contains my chargers, makeup and any dignity left after finals)
Tell Them Where to Go
Finally, once you’re all packed up, visit USPS and tell the world where to forward your mail from here on out.
Good Luck & Move On!
(Yikes, and Fight On, Too)
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