Packing The Dorm Room At the End Of The First Year Away From Home
Packing up a dorm room can feel like solving a complex puzzle, especially for students with dyslexia and ADHD. But more so for the parent, as you will be planning the strategic pickup and drop off of all those boxes. Your role in this process is invaluable, as you provide the necessary support and guidance. The challenges of organization, focus, and time management come to the forefront in such bustling times. But, as I discovered when flying out to help my dyslexic student pack up, some strategies and tools can turn this hectic task into a manageable, even enjoyable, process. For instance, breaking the task into smaller, more manageable chunks can help maintain focus and avoid feeling overwhelmed.
You Already Know The Unique Challenges Of Your Child
Students with dyslexia and ADHD often encounter difficulties with tasks that require detailed organization and sustained focus. As a parent, you are well aware that they may need help with decision-making, remembering where items go, and maintaining focus on a task for an extended period. Let’s face it, moving is just not fun. Packing up an entire dorm room is the kind of task that can be challenging for them. At the end of a long year away, a student simply wants to get home. Your help at this time of the year means more than they can express. Recognizing these challenges and planning is crucial for a successful departure home.
Break Tasks Into Manageable Chunks
Breaking the packing process into smaller, more manageable tasks can help students with ADHD maintain focus and avoid feeling overwhelmed. Have your student work on a specific area of the room. I am not a tech person, so I put my child in charge of all tech, electronics, and cords. Delegating at the end of the first-year pack-up will help you get things on the right track. It’s crucial to start thinking about your game plan before the packing day to ensure you have all the needed materials for the big move-out and avoid last-minute stress. Supplies shipped to their dorm through Amazon are one of the easiest things; the Amazon packaging can be recycled at the school.
Decluttering and Prioritizing
Encourage your student to declutter and prioritize items a month before you arrive. This will make the packing process smoother and reduce stress by ensuring that only essential items are returned home or stored in storage. You will not end up in an emotional tug of war. You want to avoid going through the process of keeping, donating, or throwing away on move-out day. Have them start a pile of things to give away or donate. This helps reduce the number of items to pack and teaches your child the value of letting go of things they no longer need. I love to turn to The Home Edit for decluttering and organizing information. The pre-decluter your student does without you is crucial as it helps your child identify what they want to keep for next year and what can be left behind. Have them go through their clothes. Throw out t-shirts that were once white and are now gray. Have them ask themself if this item is serving a purpose. Does it have a memory attached? If your child has difficulty letting things go, plan on bringing a special box for those things. When your student gets home, you can have them go through it later. They will likely only want half of what’s in the box after summer.
Leveraging Products and Apps
Several organizational tools and apps can assist students with dyslexia and ADHD. From simple checklist notes on your phone to texting yourself essential information as it pops into your head that you want to remember. Then, you can make a list from your text messages to yourself in a quiet place. Packing totes worked wonders for us. We bought them in two colors. One color is for donating items, and one color is for putting them into storage. These helped every item get to where it needs to go. I like the simple Note app on an Apple phone. Organizing your to-do list and sharing it with your students is beneficial. It allows you to create a detailed checklist of all the needed materials, ensuring that nothing is forgotten and making the packing process more efficient. On the fly, I like to text myself things to add to my list. Share this with your child as they always look at their text; that green, unread message will not be forgotten.
Not Too Many People Helping
Bring only a few people to help pack up your child. One parent usually stands in the doorway, overseeing the controlled chaos. Use this person as a runner to and from the car, managing the transportation of packed items. Additionally, inquiring about storing bulky items at school over the summer can save a lot of hassle and expense. Things like snowboarding and TVs are great things to store.
Cleaning Tools
Start with the basics: a vacuum, which boarding schools usually have on the floors for students. Paper towels for dusting and wiping down surfaces. Consider environmentally friendly cleaning products that reduce exposure to harsh chemicals, making the cleaning process safer and more pleasant.
Here are a few cleaning supplies to have on hand on move-out day.
Final Thought For Now
The packing process with these strategies was less stressful than the first day of setting up in the new dorm room. Not only did we pack efficiently, but we also did so without needing to ship anything, thanks to extra suitcases and on-site storage options. This experience underscored the crucial role of parents in understanding and adapting to their child’s needs. Your support, love, and guidance make this process less daunting and more manageable. Rest assured, these strategies have been tested and proven effective.
Packing up a dorm room doesn’t have to be a source of stress for students with dyslexia and ADHD or their parents. With your help, it can be an opportunity for students to demonstrate their independence, resilience, and creativity. This process can be a valuable learning opportunity where they can practice their organizational skills and learn to manage their time effectively. Last, help pack the dorm room to support your student’s unique thinking and learning processes and foster their growth and development.
