By Becca Day and Cheyenne Main
With all of the stress of moving to a university in what could be a completely foreign area with brand new people all alone, figuring out what to take with you can seem daunting. This comprehensive list will hopefully help you alleviate some of that anxiety so you can start thinking about things you need to take. Before you throwing random things in your room into boxes or buying items on this list you might not need, research what specifically your college already provides versus what you will need that they don’t have available, and decide what’s right for you personally.
Dorm Room
- TV / Second monitor for computer
- Laundry Basket
- Laundry Hamper
- Desk lamp
- Candle* / Air Freshener
- Mini fridge*
- Portable Microwave*
- Coffeemaker* and KCups / Coffee grounds and filters
- Sticky wall hangers and hooks
- Floor rug
- Doorstop
- Bed risers*
- Bedsheets
- Pillows – for sleeping and decoration
- Pillowcases
- Blankets
- Clothes hangers
- All-purpose cleaner / furniture polish
- Desk organizers
- Under the bed storage containers
- Posters / wall decorations
- Corkboard / whiteboard
- String lights
- Phone and computer chargers
- Headphones – regular or soundproof
- Easy-to-maintain plants
- Books
- Video game consoles
- Board games / card games
- Speaker for music
- Light Bulbs
- Laundry room supplies* – detergent, fabric softeners, bleach, stain removers
- Batteries
- Small tool kit
- Photos for room personalization
Kitchen
- Mugs
- Dishes
- Dining utensils
Bathroom
- Toothbrush + Toothpaste
- Dental floss
- Hair straightener / curler
- Makeup
- Hairdryer
- Q tips
- Tissues
- Shampoo + Conditioner
- Feminine pads / tampons
- Facial and/or body lotion
- Aspirin
- Deodorant
- First aid kit
- Hair ties
- Hair Mousse / Gel
- Comb / Hair Brush
- Makeup remover
- Body wash
- Bar soap
- Bobby pins
Classroom
- Laptop
- Backpack / tote bag
- Planner
- Highlighters
- Mechanical pencils
- Pencil Lead
- Paperclips / Binder clips
- Notebooks
- File folders
- Index Cards
- Markers
- Stapler and staples
- Stapler remover
- USB drives / Google Drive account
Closet
Some things depend on the weather and climate of the place where you’re going, so make sure to research to see what you need during the school year.
- Tennis shoes
- Flip flops / sandals
- Dress shoes
- Jeans
- Shorts for hot weather
- Light jacket / hoodie
- Heavy winter jacket
- Gloves / Mittens
- Rain jacket
- Sunglasses
- Business formal wear for interviews
- More casual formal wear for special occasions and events
- Shower shoes – flip flops, swim shoes
Miscellaneous Useful Stuff
- Money Management Apps – Monefy, Money Manager, and Venmo are good ones
- Folders (or other ways of organizing) to keep bank details, college information, resume copies, etc.
- Bicycle / car / bus pass / some form of transportation — research your university and the town around it so you can determine the best way to get around. Also think about how you’re getting home for vacations, or where you’re going to stay during those periods.
* Check campus rules and guidelines
