Packing for college, especially if it's your first time living in a dorm, can be overwhelming. You want to pack your entire closet but know you can't. You don't know what you need, what you might need, and what you absolutely don't need. I remember being frustrated and confused.
Sure, colleges provide lists of what to bring on move-in day, but they're not that helpful beyond the essentials. Of course you need sheets and a blanket. It's probably best to bring a surge protector. Yeah, you can only use a certain type of tape on the walls. Blah blah blah. That stuff is easy.
No one really tells you what you don't need. That's what I'm here for!
Although I think I packed pretty well for college, I definitely could have saved space in my dorm (and in the car) by leaving the things on this list at home.
1. More than one under-the-bed storage container or bag.
But it saves space! Dorms are way too small.
Sure, it may save some space, but hear me out: It's not convenient to go under your bed to get stuff. You probably won't open the containers often. I had one under-the-bed storage bag and just ended up storing stuff I didn't need in there.
If you really do need to store stuff under your bed, limit yourself to one storage container. If you need to store more than that, you've brought too many unnecessary things.
I found that the best place to store stuff is in a shelf in your closet. A lot of dorms don't have that, though, so limit your storage.
2. Food.
Of course you'll need food in your dorm, but don't buy all of your food before coming to campus. It's a waste of precious car space. You can just make a trip to the grocery store after unpacking your stuff.
Also, it's risky to bring food in the car when you have a bunch of heavy boxes. There's a chance that your food will spill or get crushed by other things. Save yourself the trouble.
3. Tons of blankets and pillows.
I went up north for college, and I guess I expected to freeze. I brought five blankets. Despite my fear of freezing, I was just fine with a bedspread and one extra. The other blankets just stayed in my closet.
Yeah, dorms get cold, but you don't need five blankets to stay warm. One extra blanket should suffice.
Decorative pillows also look cool, but you don't need tons of them. You probably won't have time to make your bed with pretty pillows and throw blankets every morning. This is especially the case if you have 8 AM classes.
4. Extra chairs.
Yeah, I know, that beanbag chair would look really cool in your dorm. But you don't need it. Just leave it at home.
Dorm rooms simply are not big enough for extra chairs. When I had friends come over, I just had them sit on my bed. Unless you're moving into an apartment, you definitely won't have enough space for extra chairs.
5. Tons of shoes.
Who doesn't love shoes? I get it, but just bring the essentials. Instead of bringing your leopard print 6-inch heels, bring black heels that you can wear with anything. You'll save a lot of closet space!
Remember that you won't be spending all of your time in your dorm. You don't need to bring everything from home. Limiting what you bring to your dorm now will save you a lot of time and effort when you're moving out at the end of the semester.
Move-in day is probably one of the most exciting (and annoying) days ever. Make it a bit easier for yourself by not bringing anything unnecessary.
