Packing for college can seem SO overwhelming. I mean, where do you even begin?? For me, I googled endlessly to find the right and most in-depth college packing list, but after arriving at college, I realized there were a few things that the lists just never included.
Therefore, I’ve put together a list of 16 items that are SO EASILY forgotten about yet SO EXTREMELY CRUCIAL!
As a side note, some of these things I actually WOULD see on packing lists but I thought that they were overrated for some reason. Until I got to college. Then I realized that sometimes, the smallest purchases and items are the things that will serve you the most in your dorm days and college career!
Here are the 16 items you NEED to REMEMBER!
1. Pepper spray
Now, this one may seem obvious, but seriously, if my dad wouldn’t have given me one of these before I left for my freshman year, I seriously would NOT have thought of it!
College is not something to be afraid of, but it is definitely something to be prepared for. Safety, especially for girls, needs to be something that is always on your mind when you are walking and traveling within new places such as college campuses. For me, I carried pepper spray hooked to the side of my backpack, and though I never directly needed it, it definitely served as a sense of peace! The one I have linked below is the same one I purchased!
2. Command Hooks
BRING EXTRA OF THESE!!! This one may seem like something that you can wait to buy until you arrive at the college on the day of move-in, but trust me, everyone else also has that mindset, leading to stores selling out.
College dorms won’t let you drill holes into their walls or scratch the paint either so these command hooks are life savers when it comes to decorating and organizing!
3. Power Strips
In the case of most dorms, there is an EXTREME lack of outlets. Especially for girls, if you think you are going to have room to plug in everything from a lamp to your hair curler, this is a NECESSITY! I love the ones where there is a power switch on the actual power strip because I can simply flip the switch when I go to bed rather than unplugging the entire power cord!
4. Cleaning Supplies // Garbage Bags
For some reason, I never thought that a dorm room or college apartment could get very messy, but TRUST ME, they can!! For that reason, I recommend at least a couple of specific cleaners: a glass cleaner (for the mirrors) and a multisurface spray for any desk surfaces or additional disinfectant needs!
Here are some generic cleaners that work well!
Then here are some ALL NATURAL cleaners that I think are even better than the ones above. They are definatly worth the little extra money in order to keep the small dorm room you are in healthier, cleaner, and safer!
Lastly, when I say garbage bags, I mean the ones that can fit into the tiny dorm (bathroom style) trash bins. My favorites are ones that have a light scent to them so you can keep that room smelling extra fresh!
5. Lanyard with a Card Holder ATTACHED
I personally DIDN’T THINK OF this one until I frantically scrambled to Target the first week of classes and purchased one. The problem was that everyone else had the same idea so there were only a few left and trust me, they were not the most aesthetic lanyards. So, I definatly recommend purchasing one of these before arriving at college so when you get your room key, ID, and other required campus cards, you will have an immediate place for them!
I personally recommend the Vera Bradley one because it is great quality and it holds up through all of the college demands!
6. Scissors
My freshman year roommate brought scissors and would keep them on her desk and I’m serious, they came in handy SO MANY TIMES! It’s something I would have NEVER thought of, but I highly recommend this buy! Small child’s scissors work just as well as anything because personally, I found myself needing them for more simple and quick needs (such as cutting tags or loose strings on clothing).
7. Medicine/ Vitamins
I went to college in the middle of a pandemic so you better believe that the cough syrup came in EXTREMELY handy when I caught the common cold and needed to tame down my cough! Seriously though, keeping a simple Mucinex or head cold medicine is such a must! The cold and flu travel super fast through dorm buildings so getting ahead of the game by keeping medicine in your dorm is a necessity.
With that, I would DEFINATLY recommend taking vitamins when in college. I took Vitamin C each morning with breakfast and it was extremely beneficial in keeping my body healthy and ready to fight off colds! Silver is also an organic immune support that I took a teaspoon of each morning! I know Silver is expensive, but I SWEAR by this!
8. Umbrella
This should be an obvious item to pack, but I was shocked at how many friends of mine didn’t bring one! You will do a LOT of walking on college campuses, and oftentimes, you won’t be able to run back to your room if a random rain shower comes. I would always keep a small umbrella in the side of my backpack on days where the weather was iffy on rain.
I also kept a bubble umbrella in my room for times it was raining heavily because it could cover my backpack too while I walked! A friend of mine from back home recommended I buy one and I CANNOT thank her enough!!
Here is the bubble umbrella I purchased for my freshman year!
9. Carry-on Luggage or Duffle Bag
The number of times I needed a small bag to travel to friend’s houses near my college or on day adventures was crazy!! I found myself reaching for my old middle school duffle bag NUMEROUS times my freshman year, and it’s something that I never expected to need! Also, I ended up bringing my carry-on suitcase with me to school and it was SO handy for those long weekends such as Thanksgiving, fall, and Christmas break!
10. Wrinkle Release Spray
Okay. I LIVED by this product my freshman year of college! Seriously, when you have so many clothes all crammed into a tiny dorm closet, they are GOING TO GET WRINKLY! And most of the time, you don’t have the luxury of a dryer or iron nearby. A lot of people will tell you to buy a steamer for your dorm, but truthfully, I don’t think that’s needed when you can buy a little can of this stuff that ACTUALLY WORKS! I linked the one that I used!
11. Room Freshener (I used a diffuser!)
College dorms can start to smell from the smallest things! I mean, I had bananas once that I didn’t realize had started to turn bad and WOW did they smell up my whole room! That’s why I definatly recommend purchasing something like a diffuser and keeping just a few oils on hand to freshen up your room! The diffuser I purchased I actually can’t find anymore, but I linked ones similar!
My roommate swore by Febreze so that’s always an option as well haha!
12. Storage Containers (for food)
I actually ended up going out and buying a set of these once I got to college because I realized how useful they were! Whether you need to keep groceries sealed tight or so you can sneak food back from the main caf, food storage containers are a college MUST!
13. Brita Water Filter
I used a Brita filter DAILY in college. I feel like it is self-explanatory but I really cannot recommend getting a water filter enough! Get a 6 or 10 cup filter is my recommendation because then it will last you a couple of days before you need to fill it up again!
14. Shower Shoes
My freshman year I bought these fake Birks that were hot pink and I STILL use them! They were honestly one of my favorite things I brought to college! I mean, shower shoes are a must because of all the feet and girls that you share bathrooms with!! Here are a few pairs similar to the ones I had purchased…
15. Bandaids (no, not a whole first aid kit)
A lot of things I read always said you needed an entire First Aid kit in college, but truthfully, I think that is an overkill. The only thing I found myself needing to reach for was a simple band-aid, and once I went to the store and got a pack, I was just fine!
16. Bedside Storage Pocket
Truthfully, I’m not really sure what to call this one, but whatever it’s called I LOVED mine! I had a lofted bed so I would just set my phone in this pocket at night, put my journal in there, and keep pens (and sometimes even chocolate) right there next to me! It hooks right over the side of your bed too! Here are a few similar to the one that I had!
As always, this article was simply written to help one another out! Packing for college was the most chaotic thing I think I have ever done because I was SO worried about what I needed, but in reality, if you arrive at college and a week in find out that you forgot something, it is such a simple fix to run to the store and grab it. So don’t fret! You got this!
For a reminder, the Amazon links in this article are affiliate links. If you purchase, there is no extra charge to you, I just simply get a portion. Therefore, it so so helps me out! Reach out to me through my Insta if you have any questions/ need any help! I’m here for you!
In love, Halie Kay