Moving Into a Dorm? This Is the Only Packing List You’ll Ever Need, Straight From Pros

Preparing to send your child off to college this fall? Now is the time to start thinking about all that you will need to stock up on to ensure that their dorm room is organized, functional, and stylish.

“The goal is comfort, a room that encourages rest and productivity, and one you can maintain throughout the year,” Perri Kersh, the founder of Neat Freak Professional Organizing, LLC, says.

Here, we asked pros to share their best college packing tips as well as all of the essentials to bring to college, including items that you’re better off leaving back home.

Best Tips for Packing

Kersh is a proponent of packing clothing in large zippered bags.

“They’re large, sturdy, inexpensive, and can be used to pack just about anything for your dorm room,” she says, noting that she would use these for clothes, linens, shoes, toiletries, and beyond.

To ensure that your bags don’t get mixed up with anyone else’s, the organizer suggests adhering a labeled name badge to the front.

You can also pack items in a small carry-on suitcase that you can later tuck under your dorm room bed, Kersh says. This suitcase will then come in handy for weekend trips all throughout the school year.

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Everything You Need to Pack

Room Essentials

Cover unsightly dorm floors with an area rug that reflects your style. Andrea Sinkin, the founder of Andrea Sinkin Design, recommends ordering your rug after you’ve arrived and evaluated your space and its size. The designer suggests choosing a style that is low-pile and machine washable for easy maintenance.

While most dorm rooms come with basic furniture, Kersh recommends also buying a three-tiered rolling cart.

“This inexpensive storage piece on wheels has so many potential functions,” she says, noting that it’s great to hold everything from extra toiletries and cosmetics to snacks and drinks to textbooks, and is very small space-friendly.

Bedding and Linens

You’ll want to come prepared with at least two sets of sheets that fit your twin extra-long dorm bed so that you can put on a clean set while one is in the wash. Make your bed even cozier with the addition of a mattress topper, Sinkin suggests, noting that these can be purchased for $20 or so but make all the difference in comfort.

Don’t forget two sleeping pillows and a quilt or comforter, either, Sinkin adds. As for bath supplies, she suggests packing at least two towels, a set of washcloths, and a robe.

Clothing and Laundry Supplies

Sinkin finds that laundry pods are easier for dorm living. As a bonus, they’re lighter weight to carry downstairs to the communal laundry room—no need to lug a huge jar of detergent. Sara Aparacio, Homeaglow’s resident cleaning expert, recommends opting for the same scent you use at home.

“Having a familiar smell and freshness in your clothes can help to keep you in a ‘safe’ space,'” she says.

A drying rack is useful for dorm life, too, whether the dryer is broken or you just want to air dry some of your more special pieces. Finally, she adds, you will need a laundry basket or hamper to make bringing clothes from your dorm room to the laundry room and back again a total breeze.

Cleaning and Organizational Supplies

Aparacio recommends stocking up on a few basic cleaning essentials, including disinfectant wipes, bleach, multipurpose surface cleaner, microfiber towels and cloths, a dust pan and brush, dish soap, and trash bags. Other basics include a roll of paper towels and some sponges.

“These can be incredibly helpful in the early days, should you need to do some cleaning, and only weigh a small amount,” she says.

Miscellaneous

A shower caddy will come in handy as you transport toiletries from your dorm room to the communal bathroom down the hall, Sinkin says. She also recommends stocking up and filling a small tool box with some basic DIY essentials including a glue gun, stick-on wall hooks, a screw driver, a measuring tape, a hammer, and the like.

These items will come in handy while assembling dorm furniture and hanging posters and art on the wall.

Things to Not Bring

Too Many Extras

When packing for your college dorm, remember that less is more, Kersh urges.

“While you want to feel at home while away at college, dorm rooms are incredibly small, and the more you try to cram in there, the harder it may be to function in that space,” she says.

She abides by the philosophy that it’s better to arrive with fewer items and purchase additional things as space allows.

Duplicates

It’s also important to communicate with your roommate(s) regarding who will bring what in terms of basic, shareable items, including mini fridges, coffee makers, microwaves, and the like, to avoid duplicates, which will only take up more valuable space, Kersh adds.

Expensive Jewelry or Sentimental Items

It’s better to leave these pieces at home for safekeeping, Kersh shares. If you do end up bringing a couple of pieces with you, bring a reliable vessel that can be locked or stored away to keep it safe.

Too Many Kitchen Appliances

While the basics mentioned above are great, there’s no need to pack anything too complicated—after all, many schools limit what students can keep in their dorm rooms due to fire risk, Kersh explains.

A Vacuum Cleaner

Your dorm will likely have a communal vacuum on hand, Aparacio says, adding that if you really end up needing one, you can likely purchase one inexpensively at a local thrift store.