The Ultimate College Move In Checklist

The thought of moving into your dorm on college move in day can be overwhelming and stressful. To be fair, you will be moving in at the same time as hundreds or thousands of other people who are trying to cram their whole life into a small dorm space. Maybe you live far from campus and the option of returning home for that box of clothes or other essentials is no longer an option.

No matter what your situation might be, here are some ways to ensure you bring everything you intended to college!

1. Storage Containers

Not only will these double as moving boxes for the trip from your home to your campus, but they can provide space for you to store clothing and more while they are not in use! They will protect your food from bugs as well. Make sure you invest in some quality ones to ensure they can last all through college! Double-check that they are the proper size and will fit underneath your bed or wherever else you plan to keep them.

2. Bedding

This includes your comforter, pillows, pillowcases, sheets, blankets, and mattress topper! Make sure to pack two sets of sheets if you can to ensure you will always have clean sheets. The mattress topper is absolutely essential! Most dorm beds are twin XLs so make sure you know what size bedding essentials you are shopping for.

3. Dorm decor

Most of the dorms are bland and boring so you should take advantage of moving into a new space and make it your own! Some roommates coordinate their decor together so the rooms have a unified look while others decorate their side however they want. As long as you are following the rules your college or university has in place for wall hangings and more, you can decorate your space however you like!

4. Desk supplies

Lamps, pens, pencils, and other similar tools are musts when it comes to setting up your study space. This area is where you will spend most of your time, so you should make it a place that makes you want to stay! Dress it up with decorations you love but make sure you give yourself enough space for your books and everything else.

5. Clothing

While you might want to bring all of your clothing from home if you plan to return at all, try to keep your heavy, thick winter and fall clothing there until it becomes cold outside. Dorms are small, and the closet space is even smaller. Try to keep it to the bare essentials to ensure every item you want to hang will have a place in your closet. Do pack a few pieces for cooler weather for when the weather changes and make sure you have at least one outfit appropriate for business casual situations as well as business professionals! If you are planning on participating in Greek life, make sure you bring clothes for that as well.

6. Bathroom supplies

Towels, washcloths, toiletries, and related cleaning supplies are things you need to make sure you bring with you! The last thing you will want to worry about is not having cleaning supplies on college move in weekend. Make sure you bring enough to avoid having to go to the store for a few weeks into the semester!

7. Shower Essentials

If you have to use community showers, you will need to bring a shower caddy, shoes, and a bathrobe. You might need other toiletry bags depending on how you like to get ready for your day or wind down before you go to bed! As long as you have everything you need, you should be able to shower relatively comfortably in the community showers or in the shared shower in your room.

8. Food Devices

You will want to invest in a mini-fridge, microwave, and perhaps a coffee maker to have inside your space. Most meal plans will not cover every single meal so you will want to have the opportunity to make some meals in your room or save leftovers from going out to eat. Making your own food and coffee will save you so much money in the long run! While this will be bulky to move on college move in day, they will be worth the effort.

9. Food and Water

If you have devices to cook and store food and drinks, you will need items to fill them with and consume! Make sure you go for non-perishable items so they can be stored outside the refrigerator. While you will certainly want to keep some perishables in the fridge, make sure you stay on top of the expiration dates and throw out food and beverages as they expire! Keep everything cold on college move in day to ensure your perishables will last as long as you need them to.

10. Electronics

Not all campus housing will include televisions so if you want to drag your own tv up the stairs on college move in day, you will thank yourself later! An alarm clock might be a good investment if you struggling waking up on time. Make a list of all the electronics you want for your space and make sure you pack them up in advance. Don’t forget your remotes!

11. School Supplies

Everyone has their personal taste in school supplies so whatever you prefer to use, make sure you pack everything in an easy-to-find place! Bring your backpack, laptop, charger, sticky notes, paper, and whatever else you need for your college move in day. Supplies are overpriced at your campus bookstore so make sure you buy enough to last you until the end of the semester or until you can make a run to a store nearby!

12. Cutlery and Dishes

Make sure you bring forks, spoons, knives, plates, and bowls. Paper and plastic are great for no matter what you plan to make! Try to limit yourself to two to three items of each to ensure you are not taking up too much space. Wash everything regularly to avoid attracting unwanted pests in your room. Don’t forget a dish drying rack or mat, dishwashing soap, and cups, mugs, and travel containers like reusable water bottles!

13. Dorm Accessories

Anything from bed risers, to rugs, can be included in this category! Make a detailed list of everything you plan to bring with you and try to pack everything with like items for a stress-free unpacking process on college move-in day! If you have space, bring small furniture pieces to really make the room your own.

14. “Home” Essentials

Make sure you pack towels, kitchen towels, wash clothes, baking sheets, and other home items you will need for your first year! Do not forget a small trash can, laundry basket, and shelves if you need them. Try to find out as much information about the hall you will be living in to make sure you bring everything you need.

15. Only Bring Essentials

Look over your extensive packing list, and see if there is anything you can leave at home. Do you need ten throw pillows for your bed? Will you need that many jackets during the summer? Make the hard decisions while packing instead of on college move in day as you and your family cram your vehicles full of items. Chances are, not everything you want to bring will fit inside the small dorms so it is better to downsize earlier in the process than later on! Plus, the less you bring, the less you will have to drag across campus!