What to Pack For College Move-In

What to Pack For College Move-In

You’re packing for college, and you have no idea what to bring. With your future in mind, the sky’s the limit. Yet, when packing for the college experience, it’s best to keep the list simple. Don’t let a cluttered space cloud your road to success.

Make sure you are determining what is best for you on your new journey - Be gentle with yourself. We know college can be overwhelming, and sometimes even scary. Take your time. You’ve got this! If the prospect of packing up is causing you a lot of stress, try practicing some mindfulness beforehand. Mental health is linked to the way we feel, think, and behave.

Being present in the here and right now can be as easy as: 

  • Sitting in the sunshine for a dose of vitamin D (don’t forget your sunscreen!).
  • Meditating before packing up.
  • Practicing breathing exercises when you’re feeling overwhelmed. 
  • Personal prayer or reflection. 
  • Taking a quick walk through nature (a trail, nature preserve, or even outside in the yard). 
  • Connecting with others either in person or online (more than likely, your buddies are just as nervous about packing up and heading off to college as you are - talk it out!).
  • Treating yourself to a favorite hobby or snack (maybe it’s time for a little Netflix TLC?) 

Whether you're doing it all on your own or with the help of friends and family, this checklist will help you keep track of what's been packed, and make sure nothing gets left behind. 

Remember these are suggestions - you can adapt the list to fit you! Depending on if you’re living in a dorm or apartment, some of these suggestions might not adhere to your living situation. 

Dorm & Apartment Living Checklists

Storage & Organization

  • Shoe organizer
  • Steamer
  • Desk organizers
  • Mini trash can
  • Under-the-bed storage trays
  • Drying rack for laundry
  • Bulletin board and pushpins
  • Dry-erase wall calendar/board
  • Picture hangers (double-sided tape for concrete walls)

Bedroom

  • Sheets and pillowcases (2 sets. Check with college for size needed — some college twin beds are extra long.)
  • Pillows (2)
  • Mattress protector (check with college for size needed)
  • Blankets (2)
  • Weighted blanket (moving to a new environment can be nerve wracking - this weighted blanket is made with deep-touch pressure stimulation technology to reduce feelings of anxiety and simulate the feeling of a hug to relax the nervous system.)
  • Comforter/bedspread
  • Duvet cover (optional - duvet covers make cleaning much easier)
  • Rug (optional) 
  • Alarm clock
  • Door mirror
  • Clothes hangers

Kitchen

Bathroom

  • Shower shoes (if you’re in a dorm, sharing a shower can get pretty icky) 
  • Shower caddy(ies)
  • Towels (3 each of bath, hand, and face)
  • Shampoo and conditioner
  • Body wash
  • Disinfectant wipes (if you’re living in an apartment, this will come in handy for some quick speed cleaning)
  • Tissues
  • Shaving Cream/Razor
  • Deodorant
  • Toothbrush/Toothpaste
  • Skincare products (optional) 
  • Bath mat (apartment living - a non-skid mat is the best option) 
  • Shower curtain and holders 
  • Shower curtain liner 
  • Hairdryer
  • Sink caddy
  • Plunger 
  • Toilet Brush 
  • Small trash can 
  • Foaming soap & soap bottle 
  • Toilet paper 
  • Toiletries (those essentials you can’t live without in your routine) 

Cleaning Essentials

School Essentials

  • Backpack
  • Laptop
  • Charger
  • Folders
  • Notebooks
  • Pens
  • Pencils
  • Colored Pencils
  • Ruler
  • Scissors
  • Tape
  • Glue
  • College Ruled Paper
  • Printer Paper

Decorum

  • Candles
  • Wall art
  • Wall clock
  • Throw pillows
  • Throw blanket
  • Picture frames
  • Area rugs
  • Wall shelves
  • Plants (faux or real)

Miscellaneous 

  • Surge protectors
  • Batteries 
  • Extension cords
  • Chargers (laptop, phone, etc.)
  • Desk supplies
  • Fire extinguisher
  • Mini toolkit (including screwdriver, hammer, wrench)
  • Mini fan
  • Desk lamp
  • Nightstand lamp

What did you think of our checklists? What items do you feel are essential for college life? Which Cosy House products are you definitely bringing with you? Let us know in the comments below! We love to hear from our Cosy community. 

Wishing you a safe and dream-filled college adventure, from all of us here at Cosy! 

Here’s to you!

We've gone ahead & enclosed a 10% off coupon below for you to use if you'd like to take the plunge and try out our sheets for yourself! To shop our collection & get 10% OFF Use the code 'BLOG10' at checkout.

Marge Hynes

Written by Marge Hynes