The Big Day - Moving In

You've signed the lease, bought most of what you need to buy, and now, the time has come to make your move! Just a few things to remember before you load up the ol' U-haul:

1. Unless you've made a special agreement with the landlord, don't expect to move in before your lease starts. Odds are, it's not gonna happen. This also means you won't be able to pick up your keys early. Often times, the last phase in the unit’s preparation is to change the locks. The landlord may very well not even have any keys to give you before move-in day.
2. Call in advance - Before you make any long treks or drag your sofa all the way to your new place, be sure to call and make sure the unit’s ready. Even though the property manager should notify you if things aren’t ready, don’t rely on them. I know of one company that notified some of their tenants via text message that the unit wasn't ready... on the afternoon they were supposed to move in. Many other students didn’t find out until they arrived that their unit wasn’t prepared.
3. Have a Backup Plan - No matter what they tell you, have a backup plan. Move-ins and Move-outs are the craziest time for a Student Housing company, and there is a lot of room for miscommunication. While the odds are good, if you call ahead, that the place will be all ready, there’s a possibility that something got overlooked (some repair team hasn’t had a chance to finish up, etc). If you don’t have friends or family nearby, look up some hotels in the area. You don't necessarily have to book a room, but know where the vacancies are. Also, while you may be able to keep your stuff in the unfinished apartment, call around ahead of time to make sure there are storage facilities with space, so you don’t get stuck with a pile of furniture and no place to put it. In fact, if possible, you may want to spread out your move in: You can come down with a small load, pick up the keys, etc, and then bring the U-Haul a few days later.
4. Don't send someone else to pick up the keys - Landlords rarely will give out keys to people other than the tenant. If you can't pick up the keys yourself for whatever reason, be sure to talk with your landlord ahead of time to figure out a solution.