College Packing List
Packing up for college can be just as confusing as moving into a new apartment, so make sure you prepare your own packing list prior to leaving the house. The college packing list below is reproduced primarily from CollegeBoard.com and is meant to serve as a set of suggestions of what to bring. Depending on your school or how far away you’re going to live from home, you may want to switch this up a little. Specifically, if you live close enough to your school, you may not want to pack all of your winter clothing right away.
The List
| Clothing | |
|---|---|
| 14 sets of underwear | |
| 14 pairs of socks (more if you play sports) | |
| 5 pairs of pants/jeans | |
| 14 shirts/blouses | |
| 4 pairs of shorts | |
| Pajamas | |
| Slippers and/or flip-flops | |
| 2 sweaters | |
| Light/heavy jackets | |
| Gloves/scarf/hat | |
| 1 pair of boots | |
| 2 pairs of sneakers or comfortable/walking shoes | |
| 2 sets of business-casual clothes | |
| 2 pairs of dress shoes | |
| 1 swimsuit | |
| Room Needs/Storage | |
| Bedside lamp | |
| Alarm clock/clock radio | |
| Wastepaper basket | |
| Storage bins | |
| Under-the-bed storage trays | |
| Desk lamp | |
| Fan | |
| Drying rack for laundry | |
| Bulletin board and pushpins | |
| Dry-erase wall calendar/board | |
| Toolkit | |
| Picture hangers | |
| Electronics | |
| Computer and printer | |
| Phone cord/Ethernet cord for computer | |
| Surge protector | |
| Extension cords | |
| 3-2 prong adapters | |
| MP3 Player | |
| Headphones | |
| Camera | |
| Cell phone | |
| Linens/Laundry Supplies | |
| Sheets and pillowcases (2 sets. Check with college for size needed — some college twin beds are extra long.) | |
| Towels (3 each of bath, hand and face) | |
| Pillows (2) | |
| Mattress pad (Check with college for size needed.) | |
| Blankets (2) | |
| Comforter/bedspread | |
| Clothes hangers | |
| Laundry bag/basket | |
| Laundry detergent, fabric softener and stain remover | |
| Roll(s) of quarters | |
| Lint brush | |
| Sewing kit | |
| Toiletries | |
| Antacid | |
| Aspirin or other pain relievers | |
| Vitamins | |
| Antidiarrheal medicine | |
| Adhesive bandages, antibiotic ointment | |
| Cough drops | |
| Shower tote | |
| Shampoo and conditioner | |
| Hairstyling products | |
| Bath and face soap | |
| Travel soap container(s) | |
| Toothpaste and toothbrush | |
| Dental floss | |
| Comb/brush | |
| Tweezers | |
| Nail clippers | |
| Hair dryer | |
| Razor and shaving cream | |
| Lotion and/or facial moisturizer | |
| Cotton swabs | |
| Miscellaneous | |
| Umbrella | |
| Backpack | |
| Sports equipment | |
| Office/Desk Supplies | |
| Electronic storage media such as CDs/DVDs, memory cards and USB flash drives | |
| Stapler and staples | |
| Printer paper | |
| Pens and pencils | |
| Pencil holder and sharpener | |
| Notebooks | |
| Folder with pockets | |
| Labels of various sizes | |
| 3 x 5 cards | |
| Sticky notes | |
| Paper clips and binder clips | |
| Rubber bands | |
| Scissors | |
| Highlighter pens (multiple colors) | |
| Ruler | |
| Stackable desk trays (at least 4) | |
| Hanging files or folders | |
| Dictionary | |
| Thesaurus | |
| Stamps and envelopes | |
| Shared Items — Check with roommate(s) | |
| Audio equipment | |
| TV and DVD/Blu-Ray player | |
| Coffeemaker/hot pot | |
| Microwave/toaster oven/hot plate, if allowed | |
| Small refrigerator, if allowed | |
| Area rug | |
| Posters/art | |
| Household and Kitchen Items | |
| Paper towels | |
| Trash bags | |
| Lightbulbs | |
| All-purpose cleaner | |
| Plastic storage bags | |
| Food-storage containers | |
| Dish soap | |
| Wet wipes | |
| Tissues | |
| Bowl, plate and cup | |
| Coffee mug | |
| Silverware | |
| Can/bottle opener | |
Content derived from CollegeBoard
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Good list! Just a note- a lot of things like groceries, school supplies, and other supplies can be purchased when you get to your new dorm or apartment. Just a friendly tip to save the hassle of moving everything from home!
Chase, Packing for College? Moving Tips and Moving Boxes: San Antonio | College Station | Bryan
very true! thanks!
Good good list! ^ truee
A few things to add to the list: 1) deodorant. 2) Also, milk crates are a great way to store books and move in and out.
absolutely! thanks for the input
Packing stuff is really important for everyone, this post can help everyone from that. Thanks you for the information.
Thank you for making this list! I’m going off to college in about 6 months and I’ve been trying to think of everything that I’m gonna need for my dorm room, and this list helped a LOT!