To pack it or not to pack it? For many college bound kids and their parents, that is the question. Moving their whole life into a small dorm room can be a little overwhelming, to say the least. One way to master the move—and avoid the mayhem—is to create a checklist right from the start.
College Dorm Checklist to make your packing stress-free
Begin with the basics, like what kind of clothes to pack. Remember that dorm room closets are usually pretty small. Only pack seasonal clothes because your kid can exchange them when they come back at break. Also, try to pack clothes in duffle bags instead of big suitcases if you can (the bags will be easier to store in the dorm rooms).
Once you have clothing covered, it’s time to think about what they need for their room. Alarm clock, laptop, bedding, storage bins, garbage cans, school supplies, decorations and desk lamp are some of the college dorm room essentials (apartment essentials are slightly different). It’s also nice to have something that will remind your college kid of home for when they get homesick.
The college or university your kid is attending should have a college dorm checklist of what they recommend freshmen bring to school based on their dorms—be sure to check their website.
What about beyond the basics? We put together a college packing list of some of the most overlooked items your kid will need that you may want to pack:
• Mini toolkit with hammer, screwdriver, pliers, picture hangers and duct tape
• Flip flops for the shower
• Roll of quarters for laundry
• Cleaning supplies (maybe you have extra around the house that your kid could use)
• Small medicine kit
• Power strip/extension cords
• Laptop lock
• Air freshener
• Ear plugs
• Door hangers
If you’re not quite sure how to get your college dorm checklist started, we found a great guide from CollegeBoard.com. You can see their checklist here.
Do you have anything to add to the “don’t forget to pack it” list? Share your ideas with us!
Next week’s topic: Your August checklist.
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One item that truly saved me while I was in the dorm was a mini fan with a clamp. The dorms were so hot in the summer (and even in the winter when the heat kicked on). I would clamp the fan to the end of my bed, and could instantly fall asleep. Something to keep in mind, especially if you are the type that likes to fall asleep to white noise instead of your roommate snoring.
Mini tool-kit and ear plugs are especially good ideas. The lack of the former caused a few too many struggles, and actually, as did an initial lack of the latter. A rug, if one is not already in the room, is great, especially during the winter when a bare floor is not going to be fun to walk on. Also, a (sturdy!) laundry bag is a good idea as well. There’s a few more worth checking out that I wrote about on the Ship2School blog – http://ship2school.com/the-ultimate-college-packing-list
Great post – can definitely never have enough power strips in a dorm room! Especially if your child has an in-room-roommate – I remember dropping off my eldest daughter for the first time and there were only 2 plugs for 3 girls! If you’re looking for more off-to-college gift ideas for your kid I’ve been flipping through StudentAdvisor’s guide and there’s some really neat stuff in there: http://www.studentadvisor.com/guides/ultimate-dorm-living
Feeling a bit jealous of all these kids today and their gadgets – must be so much easier being a college student today than it was when I went!
I don’t know if it is easier being a college student today, but they definitely have cooler gadgets and better dorm room decorating options. I had the most difficult time finding Twin XL (extra long) sheets for the dorm beds. Now there are so many options.
Thank you for posting the StudentAdvisor’s Guide. There are really great gift ideas in there. The extension cords and power strips are certainly a must, but I would also include some of those cord clips (or twisty ties) because with wires all over the room, there could be trouble.
Great suggestions Marie. Let us know if you stumble across any other useful tips.
Listing down important things that you will be packing is a lot more better for you can be able to identify what things should be brought with you. being able to make this will help you out because you will not be over packing things that are not useful.
Don’t forget a shower caddy!
and bedsox! They’re disposable sheets so they will actually have clean sheets if they don’t have to bother washing them. I saw them on Amazon. Very cool idea.