The following is a guest post from Transit Systems (TSI), a nationwide moving and shipping company.

Everything in life takes preparation—including the start of a new year away at college.  Tuition, buying new supplies and clothes, getting your schedule straight, and buying books are just a few things you need to prepare before the start of school. And you can’t forget—moving in!  Believe it or not, preparing for your move to college will help make it less stressful. Here are a few ways to better prepare for your move to school:

1. Protect Your Electronics: Students today are taking more than clothes and school supplies to campus; they’re packing computers, printers, gaming systems and other electronics. We recommend packing electronics in their original boxes when possible. If not, use a strong cardboard and wrap the components generously with plastic bubble wrap. Keep in mind that packing peanuts or any shredded materials can get into your electronics and damage them, so wrap your electronics efficiently!
2. Keep Your Boxes Full: Whether boxes are filled with hangers, power strips/surge protectors, extra-long sheets or shower necessities, they should always be full or things can move around and get damaged. If there is space at the top and the box is already heavy, some lightweight filler like plastic cushioning wrap, packing peanuts or crumpled paper should be added to secure the items in the box.
3. Get Some Help: Rather than renting and spending your first day at school lifting and shifting boxes and furniture, you can hire a college moving service to assist. These services will pick up your items from home and deliver them safely to the inside of your new dorm or apartment. Then all you have to do is unpack and enjoy!
4. Book Ahead of Time: This is busy season for moving companies, so plan ahead and book now! Many companies that specialize in college moving offer early bird specials and have limited supplies of college cubes, etc. To ensure availability, reservations should be made as far in advance as possible.

Moving is stressful—and you don’t want to spend your last moments with your family fussing over who put what where and why, so prepare ahead of time and let your move to college be as exciting and adventurous as it should be!

TSI is one of the best small moving companies to turn to for your moving or shipping needs. TSI specializes in shipping furniture and assisting with long distance moves, so TSI is a great fit whether you’re off to college across the state or even the country!

Keith Lipke is a careers and college recruiter, coach, mentor and blogger at TheCareerCloset. His passion is to educate, inspire, and give hope to young people who need it upon their search for the right career and college