For Those Who Don't Even Know Where to Begin
This list was inspired by one found from Her Campus. They offer a downloadable version if you're like me and need to physically check off items as you shop. I adapted their ultimate packing list to fit the needs of my freshman living situation. I lived in an on-campus dorm with a communal bathroom and a small kitchen on my floor. Keep in mind I did have a meal plan offered through my sorority meaning I hardly used the kitchen in my dorm. Therefore, I did not keep many kitchen/cooking supplies on hand. The communal bathroom (not my favorite living situation) also meant I did not have to pack any extra bathroom decorations or bathroom cleaning supplies. I did not include clothes or accessories in my list nor did I include all the knickknacks/decor I had on my desk and dresser.
My college essentials shopping list includes most of what I brought, along with what I shared with my roommate, to decorate our room and make it as homey as possible for two semesters.
Bedding
Comforter set
Twin XL Sheet set
Mattress pad
Blankets (lots of blankets)
Twin XL bed skirt
Pillows
Throw pillows (I believe I got mine from At Home and Wayfair.)
Mattress cover to protect from bugs
Organization
Storage containers and luggage
Adhesive strips and hooks
Closet organizers
Hangers
Jewelry organizer (I liked this one because it hangs in the closet so it helped me save room on my desk and dresser. I kept the jewelry I wore regularly on a jewelry dish.)
Trash can (The dorm provides one but my roommate and I decided to have one for each of us.)
Shoe rack (My roommate and I each got one and placed ours side-by-side. I used the top shelf to display decorations, such as a basket, memo-board, flowers and a succulent and on the bottom put my shoes.)
Organizer for makeup
Bathroom
Shampoo and conditioner
Towels
Wash clothes
Sponge
Hand towel
Toothbrush
Tooth paste
Body wash
Razors
Hand soap
Robe
Skincare
Kitchen
Brita
Mugs
Water bottles
Cups
Microwave
Keurig
Utensils (I bought a fork, knife and spoon set from Goodwill)
Napkins
Chip clips
Paper towels
Broom
Disinfecting wipes
Utility cart (I use this for my food and supplies, but it's good for other organization. Right now at home I have all my shoes on the cart.)
Mini Fridge
Laundry
Laundry bag (I got one from TJ Maxx, but the style is similar to this one from Target.)
Laundry detergent/Tide Pods
Stain remover
Dryer sheets
Iron/steamer (I think its easier for a steamer if you don't have an ironing board but either works)
Quarters (The machines in my dorm did take card but sometimes the card reader didn't work.)
Portable stain remover pen (Tide Stick)
Desk/School
Calculator
Notebooks/notebook paper
Sticky notes
Pencils/Pens
Scissors
Stapler
Tape
Textbooks
Desk lamp
Tech
Laptop
Flash drive
Chargers
Headphones
Printer (I usually just end up using the Residence Hall Printer to avoid paying for ink, I'm not sure which is cheaper, but it's more convenient for me to do so.)
Printer ink
Printer paper
Etc.
Weekend bag
Duffel bag/suitcase
Toiletries bag
Umbrella
Flashlight
Pepper spray
Tool kit
Pool towel
Decoration (not all essential, just some ideas)
String lights
Bulletin board/dry erase board
Push pins/magnets/markers (for above items)
Posters (I had a world map and a Florida map above my bed.)
Lightening Bolt Wall Light (I got this as a birthday present before I went to college and it matched my room perfectly!)
Plants/Succulents
Vase
Wall art
Photos
Picture frames
Full length mirror
Bungee Chair (I got mine from Target for a lot cheaper, but it was very similar to this one.)
Closet Curtain and Curtain Rod (I used a Tapestry and hung it up with push pins in front of my closet space but definitely recommend using a curtain rod instead.)
I loved decorating my dorm and making the space my own. I spent an embarrassing amount of time on Pinterest looking at dorm rooms. I hope you find this useful and look forward to your upcoming adventure!
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