After scouring the internet and getting advice from college freshmen boys and girls as well as a recent college grad, I present my Ultimate College Packing List!
Please keep in mind, tastes on food certainly differ, and boys and girls don’t need all of the same items (e.g. tampons!), but this is a robust list that will help you get ‘er done!
Parents, maybe shopping can take your mind off the whole LEAVING part…
[Printable Version-PDF]
Bed
- Bed Sheets (usually Twin XL for dorm beds)
- Blankets/Comforter
- Mattress Pad – because dorm mattresses suck
- Pillows (at least one extra for when people crash at your pad)
- Pillowcases
- over the side of bed hanging storage
Under Bed Storage – check these out: bed leg raisers with USB and outlet chargers built right in! Helps make more room for storage while letting you charge your gear on or under your bed. Target has some too.
Desk
- Agenda/Calendar – at the very least an app on your phone, but writing helps to remember!
- Desk Lamp
- Paper Clips
- Pens & Pencils
- Post-It Notes
- Postage Stamps and Envelopes
- Rubber Bands
- Ruler
- A small safe or lockbox (for meds, money, laptop, video games, iPod…)
- Scissors
- Stapler, Staples, Staple Remover
- Three-hole punch
- Wastebasket
- White-out
- A package of simple, professional Thank You notes
Tech Related
- Cell Phone & Charger
- Computer with software, iPad
- Cables, Chargers, Power Strip, Extension Cords, etc.
Fan (clip on?)- a couple Flash Drives
- Flashlight, batteries
- Google Drive/Docs Account
- Headphones
- Keyboard
- Light Bulbs (rarely)
- Mouse
- MP3 Player
- Printer with ink and paper
- Surge Protector
- Speakers
- TV
- Video Game console
- Some students take a small lock box or a locking cable for their tech. If your roommate fails to lock the room, or someone breaks in, or you make new friends who are a little sketchy – you can lock up valuables while keeping them in your room.
Room
- Alarm Clock (be careful if you rely on your phone, because you may be up late and the battery will die!)
- Command Hooks
- Duct Tape
- Games
- Earplugs, Eyemask
- Instrument & accessories, if you play one
- Posters / Photos
- Safety Pins
- Safety Whistle
- Sewing Kit
- Sleep Mask
- Sports Equip.
- Sunglasses
- Umbrella
Classroom
- Backpack
- Calculator / Graphing Calculator
- Dividers
- Erasers
Folders, Binders- Highlighters
- Index cards
- Notebooks, Notepaper, Graph paper
- Textbooks
- Large schools may require you to buy a clicker for students to answer questions and take attendance in large lecture halls
Clothing
- Belts
- Dress Clothes
- Gloves
- Hat
- Jackets (coats, rain jacket, fleece)
- Jeans
- Jewelry
Pajamas- Pants
- Purses
- Scarves
- Shoes, Boots, Flip Flops
- Socks, stockings, tights
- Shorts
- Skirts
- Sweaters, Sweatshirts
- Swimsuit
- Underwear, bras
- Watch
- Workout Clothes
Laundry
- App (some school have an app to download to track when your laundry is ready for the dryer. If your school doesn’t have one, set an alarm on your phone for 45 minutes.)
love these for better smells!
- Detergent + yummy scented beads
- Collapsable drying rack or this great IKEA tool
- Fabric Softener, if you use it
- Hamper
- Hangers
- Iron & Board (Ha! Yah right)
- Quarters, if the machines need them
- Stain Remover
- My daughter has a separate, zip-up lingerie bag so favorite bras or bikini-top strings don’t get caught on the washer drum.
Food
Of course everyone has their own favorites, but here are some staples for many college students:
- Bagels, Bread
- Cereal
- Chocolate Chips
- Coffee, Tea, Cocoa
- Condiments
- Crackers
- Fruit
- Granola bars
- Ketchup
- Mints
Nut Butter & Jelly- Pasta
- Pepper
- Popcorn
- Salt
- Soup
- Veggies
Kitchen Supplies
- Bowls
- Can/Bottle Opener
- Chip Clips
- Coffee Maker
- Cups
- Microwave
- Microwavable mug/plate
- Minifridge
- Paper Towels
Pizza Cutter- Plates
- Plastic food containers
- Sponges
- Sports Bottles
- Towels
- Utensils
- Ziplock bags
- If you have a real kitchen, a crock pot or mini crock pot is super helpful.
Bathroom
Bath Towels & Mat- Bathrobe
- Bobby Pins
- Contact Lens gear
- Cosmetics
- Cotton Balls, Q-Tips, Tissues (apparently these can be hard to come by)
- Deodorant
- Eye Glasses
- Face wash
- Feminine Care
- Hairbrush / comb
- Hairspray / products
- Hair Appliances: Hair Dryer, Curling Iron, Flat Iron, etc.
- Hand Lotion
- Lip Balm with SPF (boys too!)
- Mirror
- Nail Clippers, file, nail polish, remover
- Razor, shave gel
- Shampoo / Conditioner
- Shower Caddy
- Shower flip flops
- Soap
- Sunscreen
- Toiletry Kit
- Toothpaste, Toothbrush, Mouthwash, Floss
- Tweezers
- Washcloths
- My daughter’s suite had a shower that had a plastic liner already hung for them, but they added a pretty shower curtain. The school provided toilet paper.
Medicinal
- Acne wash, cream
- Antibiotic ointment
- Band-Aids
- Birth Control, Condoms
- Bug Repellent
- Cough Drops
- Decongestant
- First Aid Kit
- Hot / Cold Packs
- Pain Reliever
- Pepto Bismol
- Thermometer (digital)
- Vitamins, if desired
Important Docs
- Bank Info, Checks, Cash Card (You might want to see which bank has an ATM on campus before opening your account)
- Car Registration (if driving on campus)
- Drivers License
- Financial Aid Forms
- Medical Insurance Card
- Renters Insurance – I called my insurance and they made it sound like a chore to search my policy about dorm rooms specifically, but once they did we found out exactly what was covered for a student on my plan in a dorm room! Very helpful.
- Resumes – printed on nice paper & saved digitally. [Learn more here.]
- Social Security Card
- Student ID, holder
- Do you get extra time for test taking? Bring a copy of the paperwork supporting your need.
- Some parents also discuss health care surrogacy forms with their college kids
For athletes
Compression socks- Foam Roller
- GPS watch/tool & charger
- Gym Bag
- Nuun and a few sports bottles to stay hydrated
- Specialty Equipment
- Yoga Mat and carrier
[Printable Version-PDF]
If you have something to add to my list, please leave a comment and let me know! I’ll keep this updated.
