Student Moving Guide for Kelowna: UBCO and College Moves
Updated: 2 days ago
Moving out of a student place in Kelowna? The easiest student move is a 10-day plan: book your totes as soon as you know your move date, pack the things you won't need until the new place first, keep a small finals kit out of the totes, and load everything in one trip on move day. With moving tote rental from Bin Ready, you get clean 102L totes with yellow snap-on lids and a free dolly dropped at your door, whether you're leaving a room near UBC Okanagan, a basement suite by Okanagan College or a shared house in Rutland or Glenmore.
This guide is for students, roommates and the parents who help them. It covers how many totes a student move takes, how to split a package with roommates, how to pack around exams, and how to get it all into a small car.
Why student moves in Kelowna need their own plan
Student moves happen at the busiest, most tired times of the year: the end of a term, right after exams, often on the same weekend as hundreds of other students. Leases near the campuses tend to turn over on the 1st of the month, so trucks, helpers and parking spots go fast.
Most students also move with a small car, a few friends and not much time. Cardboard boxes from the liquor store come in every size, crush in the trunk and end up in the recycling bin a week later. Same-size totes stack square, roll on a dolly and go back to us empty when you're done.
How many totes does a student move take?
Count before you book. Here's what we see on most Kelowna student moves:
A residence room or one bedroom in a shared house: 8 to 15 totes.
A studio or small one-bedroom suite: 15 to 20 totes.
A two-bedroom apartment shared by roommates: 25 to 30 totes.
A shared house with three or four roommates: 35 to 40 totes, or 65 if everyone has a full kitchen's worth of stuff.
The Start package (20 totes) fits most single-student moves. Roommates moving together usually pick the Apartment (30 totes) or Home (40 totes) package. Still not sure? Our how many moving totes guide walks through it room by room.
Split a package with your roommates
If you and your roommates are moving together to the same new place, one package is usually cheaper than everyone buying their own boxes. Every package covers 14 days, which is about 35¢ a tote per day:
Start (20 totes): $99
Apartment (30 totes): $149
Home (40 totes): $189
Family (65 totes): $249
Two roommates splitting the Apartment package pay about $75 each.75 for the whole package, or about $56 each. Need longer because exams ran late? Just $2 a tote per extra week.
The 10-day student packing plan
Days 10 to 7: book and sort
Book your totes the day you know your move date. Then sort your room into three piles: keep, sell or donate, and toss. Old notes, dead pens, worn-out runners and the mystery cables in your desk drawer can go now. Kelowna has plenty of donation drop-offs and buy-and-sell groups for furniture you won't take.
Days 7 to 4: pack what you won't need
Pack off-season clothes, books from finished courses, decor, extra bedding and anything under the bed. Clothes can go straight into a tote folded or rolled, no boxes or bags needed. Books fill only the bottom half of a tote, then top it up with towels or a pillow so it stays easy to lift. Our clothes packing guide has more tricks.
Days 3 to 1: the kitchen and the bathroom
Shared kitchens are where student moves get messy. Agree on who owns what before anything goes in a tote. Wrap mugs and plates in tea towels, stand plates on edge, and eat down the fridge so nothing spoils. Seal every bottle in the bathroom with plastic wrap under the cap and a zip bag.
Exam week: keep a finals kit out of the totes
Don't pack your laptop, charger, notes, calculator, student ID or the one hoodie you study in. Keep a small finals kit in your backpack until your last exam is done. It rides with you on move day, never on the dolly.
Label every tote, especially with roommates
When four people pack into identical black totes, labels save friendships. Slide a card into the clear label sleeve on the side of each tote with your name, the room and a number, like ALEX, BEDROOM, 3 OF 8. Never write on the tote itself. No tape needed. Our labelling guide shows a simple system.
Move day with a small car
Most student moves are done with a hatchback, an SUV or a friend's pickup. A few tips:
Clear the path first: prop doors open and book the elevator if your building needs it.
Roll 2 or 3 totes at a time on the free dolly from your room to the car. The dolly moves totes between the house and the vehicle only.
Heavy totes go flat on the floor of the trunk, lighter ones on top. Keep stacks no more than 3 or 4 high.
Snap every lid on. Same-size totes fit together like bricks, so you usually get more into a small car than with mixed boxes.
Bin Ready isn't a moving company. We don't haul your totes or hold your belongings. We drop off clean, sanitized totes and a free dolly, you and your friends do the move, and we pick up the empties when you're settled.
Parents helping from out of town
If you're a parent booking for a student at UBC Okanagan or Okanagan College, you can book online and have the totes dropped at your student's address. Free drop-off and pickup of empties covers Kelowna, West Kelowna, Glenmore, Dilworth, the Upper and Lower Mission, Rutland, Peachland, Lake Country, Vernon and Penticton. Have a look at How It Works for the full process.
Leave your old place clean
Empty rooms show every scuff. Vacuum and wipe each room as it empties, take photos of every room before you hand back the keys, and check closets, the fridge and the bathroom drawers one last time. Our damage deposit checklist covers the rest.
Student moving FAQ
How many moving totes do I need for a dorm or student room?
Most residence rooms and single bedrooms fit in 8 to 15 totes, so the Start package with 20 totes covers most single-student moves with room to spare.
Can roommates share one tote rental package?
Yes. If you're moving together to the same new place, one package works well.
Will moving totes fit in a small car?
Yes. Our 102L totes are all the same size, so they stack square in a hatchback or SUV. Load heavy totes on the floor first and keep stacks no more than 3 or 4 high.
Do you pick up the totes from my new place?
Yes. We drop off clean totes and a free dolly, then pick up the empties from your new place when you're settled. Drop-off and pickup are free across our service area.
More moving help
Browse our moving tips, the FAQ and the Bin Ready blog. Ready to move? Book your moving totes or text (250) 826-6990.
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