Today's post is all about what to buy and pack when you're heading off to college! Last year when I was going through this, I hit up a ton of Pinterest boards, HerCampus.com documents, and lists from around the web and compiled the most all-inclusive list possible. This year, I've cut down on the list and removed anything that I didn't really use at school, as well as things that were redundant from the multiple lists I had.
I think this list would work for all college students, not just incoming freshman, since even after a year or two of college packing, having a handy list can still be a real help! I know I'll be pulling out this list come August to make sure that I don't leave anything behind.
BEDDING
Two sets of Twin XL sheets
Twin comforter (this doesn't need to be XL, a regular Twin size will work)
Pillows (1 or 2)
Sham and Throw Pillows*
Husband Pillow
Bedbug Protection Mattress Cover and Pillow Covers
Foam Topper
Blanket (winter and spring)
Additional throw blankets
ROOM
Command hooks and strips
Alarm clock
6-cube shelf and cubes
Dry erase board / chalkboard
Coffee table (I used one as a mini table next to my desk and another one to hold my printer)
Full length mirror
Hangers
Garment bag for nice dresses
Hanging jewelry organizer
Over the door hooks*
Photos and frames / other decor (you may prefer hanging photos from clothespins or another type of decor! Pintrest is great for ideas)
Shoe rack
Clip hangers for skirts or strapless tops
Stepstool or ottoman
Trashcan (if your room doesn't come with one)
Plastic bins for under the bed or other storage
Rolling storage cart
Air freshener
LAUNDRY
Bleach
Fabric softener
Dryer sheets
Mini iron and ironing board
Drying rack
Laundry detergent (I found that Pods worked much better than liquid!)
Landry basket
Laundry hamper*
Lint brush
Tide-To-Go stick
Lingerie bag
Money for the laundry room (either in coins or on your School ID)
Sewing kit
Oxyclean stain remover
Wrinkle release spray
FOOD
Reusable water bottle
Brita pitcher*
Plastic utensils
Paper plates and bowls
Bulk snacks (granola bars, cashews/other nuts, individual bags of chips, etc)
Cereal and milk
Coffee maker and anything you need for your coffee (if you have room and if your school allows)
Easy Mac n Cheese
Salsa and queso
Hot chocolate mix
Oatmeal
Peanut butter
Microwave popcorn
Ramen
KITCHEN NECESSITIES / CLEANING
Bottle opener
Corkscrew
Chip Clips
Mini vacuum
Broom
Microfridge (Microwave and mini fridge combined)
Tupperware to take food from the dining hall
Tight sealed bin to store snacks in the room
Dishwashing soap
Sponges
Dish towels
Disinfecting wipes and glass wipes
Duster or dust cloth
Tumbler
Travel thermos
Mugs
Paper towels
Plastic wrap
Tin foil
Zip loc bags
Trash bags*
BATHROOM NECESSITIES
Bath towels or bath sheets (bath sheets are bigger!)
Bathrobe*
Bathroom cleaning supplies (if needed)
Bath mat (if needed)
Hand and face towels
Scale*
Loofah (if desired)
Shower caddy
Shower shoes
TOILETRIES
Bar soap
Shampoo
Conditioner
Body wash
Shaving cream or lotion
Razors (disposable)
Toothbrush
Toothpaste
Listerine
Dixie cups
Dental floss
Acne medication/cream/lotion
Face lotion
Body lotion
Moisturizer
Sunscreen
Hand sanitizer
Deodorant
Perfume
Makeup products
Makeup remover (pads and wipes)
Nail polish
Nail polish remover
Chapstick
Tweezers
Hairspray
Hair brush
Comb
Contacts with case, solution and drops
Cotton pads
Q-tips
Blow dryer and diffuser
Hair straightener and curler
Eyeglasses with case, and cleaner
Hair ties
Hair clips
Bobby pins
Nail clippers
Nail file
Small hand or desk mirror
Tampons and pads
Tissues (SO MANY TISSUES)*
CLOTHING
Athletic sneakers
Casual sneakers and closed toed shoes
Sandals and flip flops
Heels
Wedges
Riding boots
Rain boots
Winter weather boots / Bean boots
Going out shoes
Slippers
Bras
Strapless bras
Sticky bra or petals
Sports bras
Dress tape
Underwear
Tights and/or hosiery
Socks
Boot socks / Camp socks
Belts
Jewelry
Watch
Everyday purse
Going out purse (highly recommend a crossbody)
Smartphone wristlet
Wallet
Formal clutch
Backpack or totebag
Travel bag
Cosmetic or toiletry bag
Gym bag or drawstring bag
Scarves (both lightweight and winter-weight)
Winter hat
Winter gloves
Leather gloves
Baseball hats
Bathing suit (just 1 or 2)
Casual dresses
Semi formal dresses (at least one black)
Formal dress
Business casual / professional clothing
Lightweight jacket or denim jacket
Raincoat
Peacoat
Winter puffer jacket
Short sleeve tops
Long sleeve tops
Tank tops
T-shirts*
Lightweight sweaters
Heavy sweaters
Button down shirts
Sweatshirts
Sweatpants
Yoga pants
Workout clothes
Pajamas*
Jeans
Leggings
Pants
Shorts
Skirts
Going out clothing
Costume clothing for themed events
Umbrella
Sunglasses
TECHNOLOGY
Phone and charger
Laptop and charger
Portable charger
Camera and charger
Camera USB cord
Camera memory or SD card
Laptop case
Laptop portable DVD player (if needed)
DVDs
Ethernet cable
Extension cords
Power strip
Flash drive
Backup hard drive
Headphones
Flashlight
Batteries
Laptop case
Lap desk
Printer
Printer paper
Printer ink
Printer USB cord (if you don't have a router, you can't print wirelessly)
Wireless mouse
Speakers
Microsoft Office software
IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS
Bank documents
Copy of birth certificate
Copy of social security card
Insurance cards (health and dental)
Checks and checkbook
Driver's license
Credit card
Debit card
Student ID
Passport
Emergency contact list
SCHOOL AND DESK SUPPLIES
Wall or desk calendar
Planner
Notecards
Stamps
Pushpins
Magnets
Dry erase markers
iClicker
Graphing calculator
Desk organization bins (utensil organizers also work!)
Large eraser
Pencils
Pens (blue and black)
Pens (colored)
Marker pens (Papermate Flair)
Sharpies
Highlighters
Pencil topper erasers
Pencil sharpener
Folders
Notebooks or Binders with looseleaf paper
Three hole punch
Stapler
Staples
Staple remover
Index cards
Journal
Leisure books
Notepad
Post-It notes
Post-It flags
Paper clips
Binder clips
Chalk (if you have a chalkboard)
Scotch Tape (with or without dispenser)
Wite Out
Scissors
Ruler
Rubber bands
Pencil case for carrying items to class
Textbooks and rental information
Password notebook
MEDICINES
OTC pain medication
Allergy medicine
Aloe
Bandaids
Birth control pills (if needed)
Cold medicine
Contraceptives (if needed)
Eye drops
First aid kit
Bug spray
Multivitamins
Other vitamins and supplements (iron, calcium, etc)
Prescription medications
Prescription refill information
Asthma inhaler (if needed)
Retainer
Rubbing alcohol
Thermometer
Thermometer covers
Blister bandaids
Coaches tape
Moleskin
Upset stomach medicine
Cough drops
Nasal spray
OTHER
Suitcase (perfect for storing out-of-season clothes!)
Computer lock*
Bike and bike lock
Beach towel
Duct tape or other heavy duty tape
Tool kit*
Box fan
Tower fan
Door stop
Safety pins
Luggage tags
Pepper spray
Safety whistle
Sports equipment / dance equipment / etc
NOTES
This list is based on what I had with me and used during my freshman year of college. I lived in a co-ed communal dorm with both girls' and boys' bathrooms at the end of the hall. I lived with one other person; my room had no air conditioning and got very hot during the first two and the last two weeks of school.
You don't need as many shams and throw pillows as you think. I had one sham and four throw pillows and 90% of the time they were not on my bed. I did not fully make my bed most of the time (just re-tucked in my sheets and fixed my pillows). However, the sham came in handy because there was a gap between my mattress and the wall and my pillow would always slip into that crevice; I doubled up my pillows instead!
I used an over the door hook on my closet door to hold purses, an umbrella, and my jacket if I was running in and out of my room frequently.
I also found it really helpful to have both a laundry hamper and basket. Both were kept under my bed. I would use the hamper for dirty laundry, and when it was time to sort, used the hamper for whites/lights and the laundry basket for darks (you'll find you have a lot more darks than lights!). It made it easier for carrying to and from the laundry room, as well as kept my clothes separated neatly in my room so I didn't have to scramble a lot in the busy laundry room.
Check to see if your dorm has filtered water fountains! I had gotten a Brita pitcher but ended up never using it because the water fountains in the hallway were filtered. They even had a motion-sensored spot for your water bottle so that you could refill your reusable bottle on the go!
You can save money on trash bags by using old plastic grocery bags after you put away your groceries. Or if you don't want to use trash bags, stick to keeping only dry items in your room's garbage pail. My roommate and I always threw out food, liquids, and very dirty things in the hallway garbage, that way we wouldn't have any undesired visitors in our room. We used the room's garbage pail for things like paper, tissues, wrappers, etc!
I never had a bathrobe before college, but it's an essential for walking up and down the hallways from your room to the bathroom. Just in case the fire alarm goes off while you're showering, you won't want to be holding up a skimpy towel for who knows how long!!
Having a scale is also more important than you think! There were so many times I wish I could have hopped on a scale, but I didn't have one. No need to keep it out all the time; you can stash it in your closet or under your bed when you're not using it!
I cannot stress this one enough: YOU WILL USE AN ABUNDANCE OF TISSUES. My roommate and I were always shocked at how quickly tissues disappeared. Make sure to stock up on a lot and always have extra on hand!! YOU WILL USE THEM ALL, I PROMISE.
As a college student, you will also received a ton of free t-shirts. Save room in your bags and in your closet by not bringing a ton of your own. You will end up with so many more than you need! They also make great sleep shirts, so don't bring too many pairs of pajamas either!!
A computer lock is also extremely important! Things are bound to get stolen and even if you think that no one on your hall would take something out of your room, I've seen it happen multiple times. Make sure to lock up your items at all times. My computer lock was attached to my Microfridge, and I had my computer locked almost all times I left the room. Also carry your key with your everywhere, even down the hall to the bathroom. I never left my door open unless my roommate was in the room, or if I was going outside into the hallway for a second and could keep watch over my door.
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Best of luck to everyone heading off to school for the first time this fall! I would be happy to help answer any questions you have about college. I hope this list was helpful for you and you can use it well this summer. Feel free to pass it along to your friends as well.
PS. Who's planning to coordinate their bedding with a roommate? I've seen some really cute coordinated rooms!
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