College Packing

Ena Lehmann
May 2, 2022

As the year comes to an end, some seniors are preparing for collage. With that, they must decide what to pack and what to leave behind. This document will inform you on everything you should know before packing.

The first thing to do is keep track of all the personal objects you want to bring. Try to limit these types of objects and focus more on things that you will need. Items like toiletries and bedding are much more vital than expensive things that just take up space.

Clothing is one of the most important and frustrating things to pack. A great tip is pack for only a season or two. When you go back home for winter break or another event you can change out your clothes as the season changes. Another thing you can do when packing is to leave the hangers on your clothes when boxing them. Then you won’t need to make room to separately pack hangers and hanging up your clothes will go a lot faster.

Remember to check what your school allows and prohibits. Frequently, colleges ban string lights, extension cords, cooking appliances, electric blankets, candles, pets and more.

To learn more about packing for college go to https://www.neighbor.com/storage-blog/ultimate-college-packing-list/

Some of the seniors here are planning for what to bring. “I want to bring my squishmallows and I’m just really excited for the new experience that college will give me,” said Lulu Van-Winkle. Another senior Bryanna Farman is also planning for college. “I’m so excited for college! I want to bring some of my pillows because they are really comfy. I’ll also bring my weighted blanket!”

Here are some lists from Big Future’s collage board.

https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/plan-for-college/after-youve-applied/off-to-college-checklist

Room Needs/Storage

Bedside lamp
Alarm clock/clock radio
Mini trash can
Storage bins
Under-the-bed storage trays
Desk lamp
Fan
Drying rack for laundry
Bulletin board and pushpins
Dry-erase wall calendar/board
Mini toolkit (including screwdriver, hammer, wrench)
Picture hangers (double-sided tape for concrete walls)

Linens/Laundry Supplies

Sheets and pillowcases (2 sets. Check with college for size needed — some college twin beds are extra long.)
Towels (3 each of bath, hand and face)
Pillows (2)
Mattress pad (check with college for size needed)
Blankets (2)
Comforter/bedspread
Clothes hangers
Laundry bag/basket
Laundry detergent, fabric softener and stain remover
Lint brush
Mini sewing kit

Office/Desk Supplies

Electronic storage media such as memory cards and USB flash drives
Stapler and staples
Printer paper (if you decide to bring a printer)
Pens and pencils
Pencil holder and sharpener
Notebooks
Folder with pockets
Labels of various sizes
3 × 5 index cards
Sticky notes
Paper clips and binder clips
Rubber bands
Tape
Scissors
Highlighter pens (multiple colors)
Ruler
Stackable desk trays (at least 4)
Stamps and envelope

Electronics

Laptop (printer is optional; there are usually computer labs where you can print)
Portable speakers (if you want to play music from laptop/MP3 player)
HDMI cord, Ethernet cord for computer (check if your room has wireless)
Surge protector
Extension cords
3-2 prong adapters
MP3 player
Headphones
Camera
Cell phone

Shared Items — Check with roommate(s)