I rent moving totes for a living, so you can guess which way I lean. But I have also watched enough students move into residence to know where totes earn their keep and where they do not. There is one situation where I would tell you to skip them, and I will get to it.
The short answer
Yes, for most students. A student move is small, the totes do the heavy lifting on move-in day, and nothing is left behind afterwards. The exception is a school far enough away that the empty totes cannot come back home soon after the move.
A real student move: back to Laurier for second year
This fall I helped a young woman heading back to Wilfrid Laurier for her second year. She did not need much. A couple of totes covered it, which is typical once a student has done first year and figured out what they actually use.
Her parents picked the totes up from me, she packed at home, and the family drove up to Waterloo. They unpacked into her room, put the empties back in the car, and dropped them off with me when they got home. No boxes bought, nothing to flatten, nothing to find a recycling bin for.
She loved it. She has already told me she will be using totes again for the spring move back home, which is the best review a student move can get.
What students and parents told us
Two of our Google reviews come from student moves, and they cover different parts of why this works.
The first came from a parent with two kids heading off at once: "With two daughters going to two different universities, ToteMove gave us peace of mind. Thank you for making it so easy." Two schools means two move-in days, two packing lists and two cars' worth of stuff. Having the containers sorted for both was one less thing to manage.
The second came from a student: "Amazing product!! Made moving so easy with no cardboard waste. Filled them to the brim and they were still easy to carry and sturdy. 10/10 would recommend!" That line about filling them to the brim is the part I hear most. Students pack tight because they are trying to fit a bedroom into a car.
Why totes suit a student move better than cardboard
Students do not own much
A residence room is a bed, a desk, a closet and not much else. You are not packing a household, you are packing clothes, bedding, a laptop, some kitchen basics and whatever makes the room feel like theirs. A couple of totes often covers it, so you are not paying for a stack of boxes you will only half use.
They hold up when packed to the brim
Cardboard gets weak the fuller it gets, especially after a few trips in and out of the car. Our totes are rigid plastic with attached lids, so a tote crammed with textbooks and shoes carries the same as a light one and still stacks flat. If you want to get the most into each one, our guide on how to pack a moving tote covers what goes on the bottom.
No cardboard left cluttering residence
This is the one families do not see coming. On move-in weekend, every family on the floor is unpacking at the same time. By mid-morning the halls and the grounds outside are cluttered with flattened boxes that nobody has anywhere to put. Students end up dealing with other people's leftover cardboard on their first day.
With totes, the room gets unpacked and the empties go back in the car. Your kid starts the year with a clear room and a clear hallway.
Two schools at once is easier
When you are moving more than one student, the packing happens at home in the same week even if the drives happen on different weekends. Having all the containers on hand at once means you can label by student and keep each one's things together, which is exactly what that first review was talking about.
When totes are not the right call
If the school is a long way from home and the totes will not be coming back right after the move, I would not rent them. A rental needs to come back to us, and that works when the family drives up, unpacks and brings the empties home in the same trip.
It does not work when a student is flying to the other side of the country, or when the family is not driving home soon after move-in. In that case the totes either sit in a residence room with no space for them or they turn into a separate trip just to return them. Cardboard you can recycle on the spot is honestly the better fit there.
For schools within a day's drive, like Laurier, Guelph, Waterloo, McMaster or Western, it works well because the empties ride home with you.
How a student move works with ToteMove
- A student rate for smaller packages. Most student moves only need a few totes, so we price them that way. Mention it is a student move when you book and ask about the rate.
- Parents handle pickup and drop-off. Grab the totes from us before the move and drop them back off after. The student packs at home.
- A 14-day rental window. That covers packing at home, the drive up and getting the empties back to us without rushing.
- The same again in spring. Everything that went up in September comes home in April. Plenty of families book both.
My advice: do not leave it to the last two days
The most common mistake I see is students waiting until a day or two before move-in to start packing. Move-in weekend is already hectic. There is a drive, a line at residence, a room to set up, and usually a parent who wants to stay longer than the student would like.
You have 14 days with the totes, so use them:
- Pick the totes up early in the window, not the day before you leave.
- Pack a little at a time over a week, starting with things that are not used daily.
- Keep one tote for the first night: bedding, toiletries, chargers and a change of clothes. Load it last so it comes out first.
- If two students are moving, label every tote with a name before it goes in the car.
- Plan the spring move before exams start, not after.
Frequently asked questions
Are moving totes good for students going to college or university?
Yes, for most students. A student move is small, so a couple of totes is often enough. They stay sturdy when packed to the brim and leave no cardboard behind in residence. The exception is a school so far away that the empty totes cannot come back home soon after move-in.
How many totes does a student need?
Fewer than most people expect. The second-year student we moved back to Wilfrid Laurier needed only a couple. A first-year student bringing bedding, a full wardrobe and kitchen basics will need more, but it is still a small fraction of a household move.
Is there a student rate?
Yes. We have a student rate for smaller packages, since most student moves only need a few totes. Mention it is a student move when you book and ask about the rate.
How do the totes get to the student and back?
For student moves, parents usually pick the totes up from us and drop them back off afterwards. The student packs at home, the family drives up, unpacks into the room, and the empty totes ride home in the car.
Can I use totes for the move home in the spring too?
Yes. The Laurier student we moved in the fall is already planning to use totes again for the spring move home. Book it closer to the end of term the same way you booked move-in.