Dos and Don’ts of Packing for College

It may seem like the hardest part of packing for college is figuring out what to pack, but as it turns out, how to pack for college is equally important (if not more so). Moving in to student housing requires a certain degree of ingenuity—for most students, the task is to fit a whole lot of stuff in a small, shared space, and for that, you need to have a strategy. That’s where we come in. We’ve compiled a bunch of our most helpful college packing dos and don’ts that you can reference during the packing stage of your trip to campus. Consider it our Packing for College 101 course. Let’s get in to it.

Do make a list of what to bring

If you just grab a bunch of random items out of your room to pack, chances are high that you’ll end up with a lot of things that you don’t really need. Refer to our ultimate college packing list for a general outline of the essentials you’ll want when you’re in school, then make your own personalized list (and try to stick of it!).

Don’t bring out-of-season items

If you’re planning to visit home before the cold weather really sets in then you’re better off leaving behind bulky winter items like boots and your parka and grabbing them later. When the time comes, you’ll be able to swap them out with the shorts and sundresses that are currently going to remain front and center in your dorm room closet.

Do keep your hanging clothes on their hangers

There’s no need to waste time taking clothes off hangers, folding them and packing them, and then rehanging them once you’re at school. Instead, group together hanging items and slip a large garbage bag over them, starting from the bottom. Secure the bag by closing it shut over the necks of the hangers. As an alternative, you could also hang them in a wardrobe box.

Don’t pack anything that’s prohibited

Pretty much all colleges and/or student housing complexes have rules about what can and cannot be brought in. And unfortunately, things like your toaster, favorite candles, and yes, even string lights, might be on the forbidden list. Check before you pack so that you don’t end up bringing something along that you’re not actually allowed to have.

Do have a conversation with your roommate

There are a lot of college essentials that you’ll only need one of in your room (i.e. mini fridges, area rugs, window A/C units, and so on). If you’re going to have a roommate, coordinate with them on who will be packing what, lest you end up with any duplicates.

Don’t skimp on your toiletries

You never really know when you’ll have a chance to get to the store again, especially if you’re moving to a college town where you need a car to get to the shops. So plan ahead and stock up on the biggest bottles you can find of toiletry must-haves like shampoo, conditioner, and body wash. You’ll definitely be glad that you did.

Do bring a business-worthy outfit, even if you don’t know when you’ll need it

Colleges often bring in professionals from various industries to meet with students and even potentially interview them for positions. And in the event you get an opportunity to meet with one of these professionals, you’ll want to have a suit or other business-appropriate attire that you can wear to the meeting. You don’t have to go shopping, but you should bring at least one outfit from your wardrobe that will suffice.

Don’t pack any clothes you haven’t worn in a year

If you haven’t worn a garment at home in over a year, you’re probably not going to wear it once you get to school either. A lot of students have aspirational ideas about how they’ll dress on campus, but for most students, their go-to staples from back home are also going to be their-go staples at school.

Do throw in an extra pillow

When you live in student housing, your bed is usually not just the place you sleep but the place you study, hang out, and sometimes even eat. So even if you’re a one-pillow sleeper, you’ll still want to have an extra pillow to prop yourself up during the times you’re in bed for things other than catching z’s.

Don’t skimp on the towels

It’s pretty much an established fact that college students aren’t great about doing their laundry on a regular basis. We get it, a lot of other stuff gets in the way, but you should at least be prepared. Bring at least three bath towels with you so that you’re not forced to use an old and grody one until you make it to the laundry room again.

Do use your storage items as packing boxes

Underbed storage and plastic dressers are excellent vessels for packing. Use them in lieu of boxes where you can, since they’re coming along anyway. Just be sure not to completely overstuff them since the plastic isn’t usually the most durable, and always tape them shut with plenty of packing tape.

Don’t pack in large suitcases unless you have a way to send them back home

You very likely will not have a place in your dorm room to store a suitcase, so unless you have a plan for getting it back to your home after move-in day stick to collapsible, recyclable boxes instead.

Do use clothes, towels, and linens to keep fragile items safe

Save money on packing supplies by using things like your socks and towels to cushion packed items instead of packing paper. They need to come along anyway, so may as well use them as protection for breakable items such as your bedside lamp and your must-have coffee mug.

Don’t feel weird about packing your favorite stuffed animal

Stuffed animals can be a real source of comfort when you’re living away from home. If you have one or two that you want to bring along, go for it! No one is going to pay much attention, and you’d be surprised how many other students brought their own stuffed animals along as well.

Do bring a filtered water pitcher instead of plastic water bottles

Plastic water bottles are a big problem for the environment. Save the planet (and save yourself a lot of money) by opting for a reusable filtered water pitcher instead. You can buy a big one if your mini fridge has the space, or you can go for one that’s just the size of a standard water bottle.

Don’t forget shower shoes

You don’t want to go barefoot in dorm bathrooms. Bring along a cheap pair of shower shoes (flip flops will suffice) that you can throw on for bathroom trips and showers—your feet will thank you.

Do pack an essentials bag

Set aside a gym bag that you fill with everything you will probably need in the first one to two days after move in. This usually includes any medications you take, important documents, basic toiletries, your phone charger, and a couple pairs of clothes (or at least a set of pajamas for your first night).

Don’t neglect labeling your boxes

Sure, all of your boxes are just going into one room, but it’s still a good idea to label them with a quick overview of what’s inside. That way, if you’re desperately searching for pens or pillow covers, you won’t have to open up a ton of boxes to find them.

Do bring a small safe box

Pack a small safe that you can keep under your bed or in your closet for storing important documents, credit cards, and other small valuables. Thefts in dorms do happen, and while you can’t lock away every single thing that you own, you can at least make sure that your irreplaceable items are stowed somewhere no one can get to them.

Don’t start packing up the car without a plan

You should have some sort of strategy in mind before you start packing up your car, otherwise you may end up having to take everything out and start from scratch. In general, large heavy stuff goes in first and is situated toward the center and sides of the car. Then you can fill in the space with everything else.

Do ask your parents or friends for help

Hopefully you already have someone on board to help you pack and load, but if you don’t, there is absolutely no shame in asking for assistance. Packing for college is a big job, and it can help to have not just another set of hands, but also an objective point of view on what’s necessary to bring and what isn’t.