The summer before my freshman year, I watched numerous YouTube videos to tell me what to bring and what to leave behind. These videos saved my life. I knew there was no way that I was going to be able to fit everything into my room.

1. Make a game plan.

If you have no idea of what to bring to college, then start with the basics. Pillows, comforter, clothes, shoes, laundry supplies, towels, school supplies, etc. You could also Google some lists so that you are less likely to forget something important.

2. Do not procrastinate.

You should start packing as early as possible and not wait until the last minute. If you do step one, then you should feel good about your game plan so far! If you use a list and you need to buy something, then go to Walmart and buy it. If you start packing earlier then you have more time to spread out your purchases rather than buying everything for your dorm all at once.

3. Leave your clothes on the hangers.

Do not pack and then unpack to rehang your clothes, just leave your clothes on the hangers and wrap it in a trash bag. Your clothes will not get dirty and you also would not have another box to worry about moving.

4. Invest in bedding.

College beds are not very comfy so if you feel like spoiling yourself, invest in your bedding. College students’ day-to-day schedules can be unpredictable, so when it is time to go to sleep, make sure you have a really comfy bed like the mattress topper, comforter, and pillows. The little sleep you do get will matter the next morning, trust me on this.

5. Shower shoes and a caddy.

Just to reiterate how important they are- shower shoes. Never go into the bathroom barefoot. Ever. Community bathrooms can get gross regardless of how many times they have been clean. A shower caddy is helpful so you are not carrying an armful of items to the shower every night. In a shower caddy, I would recommend bringing: shampoo, conditioner, body wash, razors, shaving cream, face wash, wash cloth, toothbrush, floss, and toothpaste. Simple but organized.

6. Cleaning supplies.

Bring Lysol wipes because they will come in handy whenever your roommate is sick and you will want to be disinfecting. Most dorm rooms have hardwood floors, so if this is the case for you; you should probably consider bringing a Swiffer to clean the floors with. I know cleaning the floor is like the last thing someone thinks about but once you Swiffer you will be shocked at the amount of dirt on your floor.

7. Electronics.

You might want to consider bringing a power strip in case outlets are limited in your dorm room. You also might want to bring a printer, but if you know that you are limited on space- then don’t bring it. Instead, you could many of the resources on campus like the library to print assignments out. Do not bring a huge TV if you only use it once, like I said before; limited space.

8. Miscellaneous.

Don’t forget to bring a first aid kid. I have used mine countless times because I’m clumsy. Bring different medicines! Whenever you do get sick, and trust me you will, because when one person in your building gets sick- everyone gets sick. You most likely will not want to leave your bed so it is better to have the medicines there in your room so you do not have to go out anywhere and be miserable.