Formatting a SSD

Is there some special procedure that needs to be taken when formatting an SSD or is it done the same as always?

Make it fast format only.

During the initial partitioning of the drive, you'll want to make sure that the partition boundaries are aligned with the SSD's block boundaries (automatic with Win7). You may also wish to leave some extra unpartitioned space for the controller to use as spare area.

Use a Win7 disc to format it, as it sets the correct boundries for the partitions.

If you don't have a Win7 install disc, you can download a Win 7 Recovery disc from MS, which will let you format the drive. Then install your other OS.

Also a full format would reset the performance level of the SSD; in case you've used the SSD under worse circumstances before. If you don't do a full format or secure erase; bad SSD usage in the past would still degrade performance after your fresh install; you don't want that.

And leave some 10GB unused/unallocated as InvisiBill said.

Is leaving the unallocated space needed even with TRIM? I have read both that it is needed and is not needed (more posts seem to indicate that it is in fact not needed), but I'm purchasing an SSD shortly so I figured I would ask to make sure.

No, with TRIM, any free space on your (NTFS) filesystem will be available to the SSD for internal usage. That means that, as long as you do not fill the filesystem more than 80%, you should be fine.

Without TRIM, using the SSD with one full-size partition would eventually mean the SSD has no free blocks except its own internal 'non-public' reserved space. Intel SSDs have the difference between GiB and GB reserved, which is about 8%. But you may need more. Either do that by using TRIM, or create a smaller partition so some space on the SSD is never used.