Back to School: The Official Unofficial Guide to Packing for College

I already mentioned what I couldn’t have lived without in my dorm in this post. Now let me share what you actually need to bring with you! 

Clothes/Closet

• Baskets/bins for off-season clothing (you never know when you’ll need a swimsuit)
• Scarf/belt hanger
• Jewelry hanger (mine is similar to this)
• Thin hangers
• Shoe storage

Bring whatever clothes are in season for your respective school. If it is warm, then bring summer clothes! Wait until you go home for Thanksgiving to grab the cold weather wear; however, DO BRING a heavier jacket and some long sleeved shirts and jeans to get you through those unexpected chilly days before break hits. Continue the same rotation with each season and class vacation, and you should be more golden than my Starbucks Gold card.

Bed

• Body pillow
• 2 head pillows
• 2 sets of sheets
• Mattress cover
• MEMORY foam topper
• Comforter or Quilt (I loved my quilt)
• Extra blanket

Desk

• Put me on the wall
• Magnetic pin board (you’ll love it and no sharp pins to step on)
• Calendar
• Write with me (a large pencil cup)
• Ruler
• Scissors
• Sharpie marker
• Pencils
• Pens of many colors
• Highlighters
• Write on me
• Notebook paper
• Notebooks (college ruled)
• 2 binders (you’ll most likely not use them at first then realize you need them to hold the massive amount of papers you’ll accumulate)
• 3 Folders
• Sticky notes
• Note pad
• Index cards
• Envelopes and stamps (for when you need to mail important papers home)
• You’ll use me, I promise
• Stapler
• 3 hole punch (get one that can punch more than 2 papers at a time)
• Tape
• Power strip
• Calculator
• Paperclips
• White out
• Glue stick

Bathroom

• Towels
• Scrubber
• Robe or towel wrap (these work great)
• SHOWER SHOES (communal bathrooms)
• Shower caddy (communal bathrooms)
• Hand Mirror
• Brush and combs
• Hair ties and bobby pins
• Nail clippers/file , nail polish remover wipes, 2 neutral nail polish colors, 3 fun nail polish colors, hand lotion
• Body lotion
• Razor
• Toothbrush/toothpaste
• Shampoo/conditioner/body wash
• Hairspray and dry shampoo

Laundry

• Pods (they work great, but make sure the washing machines can handle them because some can't)
• Color catcher sheets (they will save your life and clothes)
• Dryer sheets
• Stain remover spray
• Laundry bag/basket (like the laundry bag in the photo above? find it here)

Some Random Items

• Ziploc bags
• Lint roller
• Sewing kit and safety pins
• Umbrella (so important, photoed above)
• Disposable dishes
• Reusable water bottles/thermos
• Dish soap

Bring whatever snacks and drinks you like! Brands are totally up to your discretion, but refer back to this post if you are trying to make a decision between items.

When it comes to storage, visit The Container Store. They have plenty of great deals and storage ides for dorm rooms!

Good luck, and if you think of anything else or have any questions please comment!

XOXO,

Jena