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Packing Part 1 (Dorm Room Essentials): College may seem ages away for recent high school grads, but it's never too early to start shopping for your new dorm room! I majorly overpacked for my cross-country move to university and ended up having to send some stuff back home. Hopefully, this list of dorm room essentials will save you time, money and mistakes so you can spend less time setting up your room and more time making friends!
- Storage: Check out your room beforehand! If you're visiting the school, ask to see a sample freshman dorm or look online to see the floor plan and photos of the room you'll be living in. Most colleges post floor plans online. If you have any questions don't hesistate to call the Office of Residential Life at your university (you can even call anonymously if you're embarrassed)- that's what they are there for!
- Under Bed Storage: Most dorm room beds can be lofted about 4 or 5 feet off the ground, which adds a lot of storage space. College beds are size Twin Extra-Long (about 6.5-7 feet long by about 4 feet wide).
- Drawers: these can be used for anything! Make sure you measure the width and length of the drawers so they fit under your bed. I used two square sets of drawers by Elfa from the Container Store.
- Storage bins: I had room for two medium sized plastic storage bins and then stacked two more on top for out of season shoes, clean towels, clean sheets and other things that I don't use all the time.
- Closet Storage:
- One closet rod extender (it's an extra rod that adds another layer of hanging space)
- Many hangers (I like the Huggable Hangers brand so clothes don't slip off)
- One multi-level shoe rack-- maximize vertical space by choosing a shoe rack that has multiple levels
- Two or three storage bins (I like fabric ones) for bulky sweaters or purses. My closet was actually a free-standing wardrobe, so I just put these on top, but most closets have a shelf above the clothes hanging rod.
- Bedding
- One Twin XL quilt and throw (or duvet insert/cover and throw)- trust me, you don't need and won't want any more than that
- Two pillows with one sham and two cotton pillowcases
- One Twin XL bed cover that zips over your mattress and keeps out bed bugs/bacteria
- One mattress pad for back support that goes over the bed cover
- Two sets of sheets that go over the mattress pad
- One decorative pillow
- Favorite stuffed animal
- School supplies
- One notebook for each class
- One folder for each class (you really won't want to be lugging bulky binders around)
- One laptop-- I recommend the MacBook Air or a lightweight equivalent. I have the MacBook Pro and it is heavy to carry around all day, although it has some pretty nifty features.
- One pack of mechanical or number 2 pencils (you'll be filling out lots of Scantrons)
- One pack of black or blue pens (you may have essay exams that require work in pen)
- Three or four highlighters
- One scientific calculator (I recommend the TI-84 or TI-89 if you aren't a math major, if you are a math major then I'm not much help to you here unfortunately...)
- One pair of scissors- you will need these
- One stapler- many professors actually take points off if your papers are paper-clipped and not stapled
- One three hole punch- just in case
- One academic agenda for writing down assignments (I love my Kate Spade agenda)
- One book bag (I'll post more about this later)
- One pack of loose leaf binder paper
- Various sticky notes, page flags and list papers
- Drawer dividers
- Toiletries
- One Shower Caddy filled with...
- Shampoo/conditioner
- Body wash
- Shaving cream
- Razor
- Body lotion
- Face wash
- Face moisturizer
- Sunblock
- Tooth brush with sanitary container
- Toothpaste
- Dental floss
- Mouthwash
- Hair blow dryer/straightener/curling iron (whichever you use)
- Hair elastics, bobby pins, headbands
- Three large towels
- Five hand towels
- Two medium towels
- Medicine & Cleaning Supplies
- One Medicine Kit (you won't want to make a trip to CVS when you're feeling sick or when it's closed) filled with...
- Advil/fever reducer
- Tylenol
- Thermometer
- Zyrtec/Claritin/Allegra/Allergy Medicine
- Benadryl
- NyQuil/DayQuil
- Pepto Bismol
- Cough suppressant
- Cough drops
- Neosporin
- Bandaids
- One Cleaning Kit filled with
- Mini dish soap
- Laundry detergent
- Bleach for delicates
- Clorox disinfectant wipes
- Room freshener
- Fun stuff
- Appliances: Make sure to check your college's rules/regulations about this (I only had a mini fridge/cart and a coffee pot)
- Mini fridge
- Refrigerator cart that has shelves/drawers below for storing nonperishables
- Microwave
- Coffee pot/hot water boiler
- Blender
- Iron
- Lots of command hooks for hanging everything and anything
- Mini fan
- One reusable mug
- One reusable water bottle
- Pictures of family/friends with frames
- Posters for your wall
- Cork boards/magnetic boards
- White board for your door where friends who stop by can leave notes
- Full length mirror- most dorms don't have these
- A table lamp
- A futon or chair
- Portable wireless speakers (a small set is usually best)
- What not to bring
- A printer- most schools have a relatively affordable printing service and finding/buying ink is a hassle and is expensive
- An ironing board, even in miniature size (what was I thinking...)
- A bean bag- these are huge and only seat one person
- Multiple quilts or more than two pillows- there really won't be room
- Books: I promise you won't read them and if you want to, your school has them in the library
- Lots of expensive tech equipment: limit yourself to a few gadgets and chargers (your cell phone, your laptop, your iPod/MP3 player and perhaps a Kindle/iPad with reading material)
Up Next: Packing Part 2 (Clothes)