By Maria Tulio

Your dorm room is about to become your home away from home.  You will need a thousand and one items and you'll need to fit them into a small space.  Plan on using closet space and space under the bed as efficiently as you can.  Coordinate with your roommate ahead of time so that you don't duplicate shared items like refrigerators or area rugs.  Before you assemble your pile of dorm furnishings, contact the housing office at your school and get the dimensions of the room, closet, and windows. Ask what furniture comes with it and if the rooms are wired for Internet access.  Ask whether there's overhead lighting or bookshelves, and find out if you are permitted to mount shelves and other items on the walls. 

This list should help you get outfitted with the basics.  Make a printout, plan which stores you need to go to, and check things off the list as you buy them.  Consider checking things off a second time as you load them into your vehicle.  Good luck and happy packing!

  1. Desk supplies:
    1. Pens, pencils, highlighters, and erasers
    2. Whiteout
    3. Stapler and staple remover 
    4. Ruler 
    5. Scissors 
    6. Paper clips 
    7. Rubber bands 
    8. Post-its 
    9. Calculator 
    10. Push pins 
    11. Stationery, stamps, greeting cards
    12. Good quality bond paper and matching envelopes 
    13. Dictionary
    14. Calendar 
    15. Hole punch 
    16. Printer paper 
    17. Phone line if needed. 
    18. Notebooks 
    19. Address book
    20. Extra printer cartridges

2.  Laundry, shower, linens:

  1. Laundry bag, detergent, bleach, stain remover, and dryer sheets
  2. Basket to carry toiletries into the bathroom 
  3. Flip-flops for shower 
  4. Sheets, comforter, pillows 
  5. Cotton padding or other cover for mattress 
  6. Towels and washcloths

3.  Toiletries:

  1. Soap, shampoo, conditioner
  2. Toothpaste, toothbrush, floss 
  3. Lotion 
  4. Deodorant 
  5. Brush and comb 
  6. Razor
  7. Hair gel/mousse

4.  For snacking:

  1. Miniature refrigerator
  2. Microwave
  3. Mug, glass, plate, bowls, utensils 
  4. Dish soap and scrubbing pad 
  5. Can opener 
  6. Paper towels
  7. Trash bags
  8. Your favorite snack foods

5.  Lamps:

  1. Desk lamp
  2. Floor lamp if the room doesn't have overhead lighting 
  3. Lamp for your nightstand or a clip-on lamp for the headboard

 
6.  Hardware and storage:

  1. Screwdriver and small hammer, small nails (if allowed)
  2. Swiss army knife 
  3. Hooks of all sizes for the walls and doors 
  4. Power strip/surge protector 
  5. Extension cords 
  6. Duct tape 
  7. Shelves and brackets (if permitted) 
  8. Bookshelves if there is room (consider a bookshelf on top of the desk if it doesn't already have one) 
  9. Closet organizer
  10. Hangers
  11. Under-bed storage boxes
  12. Shelf and drawer liners
  13. Curtains and curtain hardware
  14. Light bulbs 
  15. Storage containers of various sizes 
  16. Storage rack for CDs 
  17. Milk crates 

7.  First aid box:

  1. Band-Aids
  2. Antibiotic ointment 
  3. Tweezers 
  4. Bandage tape and gauze pads 
  5. Hydrogen peroxide 
  6. Rubbing alcohol 
  7. Thermometer 
  8. Tylenol, ibuprofen, Benadryl, aspirin, cough drops, sore throat drops 
  9. Pepto-Bismol 
  10. Ace bandage 
  11. Freezable ice pack

8.  Paperwork and important documents:

  1. Driver's license
  2. Social security card 
  3. Health insurance information  

9.  Miscellaneous

  1. Shoe bags (one in closet for shoes, and one to mount on wall or side of dresser to use for holding things you need to grab often, like your brush and comb, makeup, deodorant, etc.)
  2. Removable adhesive for hanging posters. 
  3. Wall decorations
  4. Photos of family and friends
  5. Area rug
  6. Door mat
  7. Cork bulletin board 
  8. Small dry erase  board 
  9. Wastepaper basket 
  10. Mirror 
  11. Small fan 
  12. Sewing kit, safety pins 
  13. Flashlight 
  14. Batteries 
  15. String 
  16. Broom and/or dustbuster 
  17. Alarm clock
  18. Camera
  19. Hair dryer
  20. Phone