It is now my sophomore year of college, and I just moved into my suite for the year. As I was packing my bags, I deeply reflected on how much lighter I packed for this school year compared to my freshman year.
So, what was the difference? Well, I ditched the items I did not use last year and lightly packed the items I did need.
Here are 13 items I feel that you can ditch while you begin packing for college, too.
1. Fancy clothes
I'm not saying you should not pack dresses or pencil skirts. What I am saying is that you do not need to pack ALL your dresses, multiple suits or every outfit you would ever wear out on the town.
I'm assuming you won't be going to a formal every weekend while you are studying at school, so just limit those fancy clothes. Chances are you are going to be casual most days.
2. Large furniture
At most colleges, there is already plenty of furniture that the university provides for you. It is unnecessary to buy large pieces of furniture, like desks or office chairs, when storage units and pieces of furniture are already provided to you.
Maybe you should buy a few smaller organizers, but other than that, avoid spending the extra money.
3. Excessive school supplies
If you're like me, you are a lover of school supplies. I love the look and feel of new notebooks, highlighters and binders.
However, I did not buy a single notebook during my first year of college. Yes, every person's experience is going to be different based on courses, professors and learning styles. For me, though, most of my assignments were posted online, turned in online or could be printed.
We live in the digital age, so save the trip to Staples until after you get your syllabi.
4. Knick-knacks and decorations
I love decorating as much as the next person. I have countless posters, pictures, collections of rubber ducks and seashells in my home. For college last year, I brought my rubber duck and stone collection, but looking back I'm thinking... What was the point of that?
Ditch your collections of things you're just going to leave on a shelf, and buy things that don't take up space, like clothespins to hang up pictures or Christmas lights if you want to decorate your dorm.
5. Book collections
I love reading in my free time. When I was younger, I would read countless books.
Now that I am a student in college, it is hard to find the time to read like I used to. All I have time for is homework and reading textbooks. If you are a reader like me, do not bring a stack of books you want to read. You simply won't have the time.
Instead, bring a few that you may get a chance to read or use an e-reader to save space!
6. Movie, game or CD collections
I am a huge television, movie and music fan, and I could spend days watching and listening by myself. In college, my friends and I do enjoy background noise while we study or chat in our rooms.
But there is no need to have all of your favorite movies, CDs and records. If you are a gamer, the same goes for all of your games. Choose the essentials or make use of the apps and media that are available to you, like Spotify and Netflix!
7. Off-season clothes
I'm thinking back to last year... and yikes. I brought basically all my clothes to college during my first year. It really takes up so much space and so much time packing and unpacking these clothes.
You do not need all your clothes, no matter how many outfits you think you can create. Bring what you wear in the fall, and only the fall, during your fall semester — nothing more!
8. High school apparel
I have so much high school apparel, it is honestly crazy. It is great to have pride in your high school, but not when you wear gear from there every day.
Keep your high school apparel for the memories, but maybe it is best to let it be your pajamas or athletic wear. If not, don't bring it at all! It's that simple.
9. Duplicates of what your roommate is bringing
Doubles of everything are not necessary. The key to functionally living in a dorm room is sharing.
Sure, there are plenty of items you do not have to share if you do not want to. But there are plenty that you should!
Don't bring two gaming systems, two TVs, two microwaves or mini-fridges. These things just take up space!
10. Valuables
It is nice to have the things that feel like home to you or that are important to you, such as jewelry you received or gifts from family. However, college isn't perfect. People are out there who will want to steal your belongings.
It is best to bring what is important to you, but don't bring anything so important that you will be devastated if you lose it.
11. Prohibited items
This may sound like an obvious statement, but there are plenty of instances when students don't realize that they brought particular items they shouldn't have. For example, lots of colleges prohibit candles and lava lamps.
It is important to check out your school's website and see if there are any items that are prohibited in your residence hall.
12. Excessive kitchen supplies
It is one thing if you are living in a suite and need kitchen supplies for the first time. However, even then, you do not need that many items to have a functional kitchen... unless you are really into cooking.
You need a regular set of pots and pans, a microwave if that is not provided, utensils and cooking utensils. Don't overdo it, especially if you aren't the cooking type. Keep the deep fryer and the wok at home for now.
13. Your entire hobby supply
Lots of people have a hobby. For me, I love drawing. I draw portraits of people, typically in colored pencil, but I also enjoy charcoal, painting and pastels. This would take up a ton of space, especially if I brought all my supplies.
Instead, I bring the bare necessities: my colored pencils, erasers and a few sketchbooks I know I'll be able to draw in. If you have a hobby similar to mine, just bring what you use most or what is the most functional in your living situation! You do not need everything you have ever used.
