This is it. After years of studying, attending pep rallies, and waiting for the last bell to ring, you’re going on to your next step in life—college. And before you worry about attending lectures and writing 20-page papers, you need to think about what you’re bringing to your dorm.
You’ll get to organize your school supplies, choose the best pens and notebooks for college, set up your bed, check dorm room decor ideas, decorate your walls, and add personal touches to your living area (if you have one). While this is exciting and only mildly stress-inducing, college freshmen are bound to make a few rookie mistakes when packing. Luckily, you’ve stumbled across this article. Instead of making a ton of the usual packing mistakes, you’ll make fewer, more unusual mistakes. And definitely, don’t forget to check our campus freshman guide.
So sit back, relax, and grab your notebook. This fall, you should not be packing:
Huge Appliances
Please do not attempt to lug a full-sized refrigerator into your dorm. For one, it’s against regulation for most residence halls. For two, it’ll just be easier for people to steal your food.
In fact, you don’t have a need for most appliances. With a meal plan at the campus dining halls, you won’t need mixers, fridges, freezers, or ovens. Don’t try to sneak in a washing machine, either. Colleges have communal washing units available for students.
As for smaller appliances and devices like microwaves, space heaters, and lava lamps, leave those at home, too. These are considered fire hazards. Not only will you never use these things—you’ll get written up for having them in your room in the first place. Of course, your college or university might have unique regulations, so check on their website before purchasing anything.
Every Item of Clothing You Own
The thing about a dorm room is there’s not a ton of space. This means your closet won’t be very big, either. Even if you really love those neon green corduroy pants you wear once a year, don’t pack them. They’ll take up valuable space in your tiny closet.
That’s not to say that you should skimp on the essentials. No, you need to make sure you have all the underclothing and regular clothing you’ll need to be comfortable for the semester. Just don’t bring along the part of your wardrobe that’s out of season. Odds are, you won’t need a winter coat in August. By packing strategically, you’ll be able to fit everything you absolutely need for the term.
Another strategy? Get creative with the organization. There are all sorts of closets, drawers, and hanging organizers you can shove your clothes into.
Excessive Décor
If you’re the average incoming college freshman, you’re probably excited about decorating your living space. There are so many color palettes to choose from! So many Pinterest boards and vloggers to research!
And you should be excited. After all, you’ll be staying in this dorm for at least a year. You should be able to decorate it the way you’d like. Just keep in mind that you don’t have endless space to work with, and the space you do have, you’ll likely be sharing with one to three other people.
So when you’re shopping for posters, rugs, and LED light strips, be aware of how much room you actually have to work with. Sometimes, it’s easier to contact your roommates ahead of time and decide on décor you all like. If you split it evenly, that’ll cut the cost and make sure you each aren’t crowding the space with all your decorative junk.
Kitchenware
While we already touched on this a bit, it bears repeating: do not bring bulky kitchenware. Unless you have access to a communal kitchen, you won’t need pots, pans, mixing bowls, measuring cups, or sets of cooking knives.
Again, appliances like microwaves are usually prohibited because of their inconvenient ability to cause fires. Campuses may provide bundle options for mini-fridges and microwaves, though you usually have to rent or buy them through the school. If you go this route, you’ll have a place to store and reheat leftovers. Yay!
For snacks and meals outside of the dining halls, you should keep a set of utensils, a bowl, a plate, and a mug. You and your roommates can work out where to store this, where to wash them, etc. But there’s no reason to have a dining set meant for a family of five in your dorm room.
Books
Listen up all you readers—looking at you, English majors. You do not need to bring your entire library with you to your dorm. As smart as that copy of Crime and Punishment would make you look, are you really going to open it this semester?
Of course, it’s always a good idea to have reference books on hand. For example, having a dictionary or study books for subjects you aren’t strong on might actually be helpful. But you won’t have the space or time to store and read every book you own. Don’t worry. You’ll have plenty of reading in your classes, anyway.
Conclusion
To recap: dorms are small. You can’t fit a lot in them. So what you do bring, you need to make the most of it. That means making sure you aren’t packing clothes you haven’t worn in years, books you skimmed once for sophomore English or twenty-seven posters of the same band.
As for appliances and kitchenware, your college or university will make sure you have everything you need. College campuses have washer and dryer units so you can do your laundry. They also have dining halls and even communal cooking areas. Even if there isn’t a full kitchen, they’ll probably have a microwave you can use. The point is, you don’t need to stress about having every single little thing you might possibly need.
Even with all these tips, you might forget something or bring too much of another thing. That’s okay! You’ll still be able to move into your dorm and adjust to college life.
