Man cannot live on Brita water alone. No amount of “College Packing” listicles full of Amazon basics prepared me for what I really needed. So, since I’ve graduated, I’ve taken the liberty of putting together 11 of the most essential items you’ll want, to get through this semester.
If you’re an incoming college freshman or returning dormer, your FYP is probably filled with “✎˚Essential college packing lists!! ᝰ📓˚” by now. And every single one of them has the same 10 things in a different font.
It’s either basics like sheets or your laptop that you’d be actually insane to forget. Or, even better, it’s junk that you’ll never use. Because how will you survive college without a Brita filter, an air purifier, and a mini-vacuum gathering dust in the corner of your dorm? (Seriously, just get an actual vacuum or use the school’s. That thing ain’t cleaning anything.)
I dormed for all 3 1/2 years of college, and I can tell you that stuff is the least of your worries. At this point, I’ve got dorm packing down to a science, so I’m not gonna waste your time with the basics you should already know. I’m here to help you level up your dorm game. Simple stuff that makes you feel like a genius when you have it, and have you acting like an idiot when you don’t. And even better, I’ll tell you the easiest, and cheapest ways to get them.
And hopefully, if you take my advice, you can learn from my mistakes too.
1. Sanitize your dorm with disinfectant wipes and spray
Starting off easy. Some people will tell you to hold off on cleaning supplies until you’re settled, but those people are not worth listening to. Before you unpack all your things, you need to wipe down everything in the dorm. I’m talking light switches, surfaces, chairs, bathroom counters, closet.
The first thing you need to understand about dorming is that college kids are disgusting. You will not fully comprehend the squalor these kids are willing to live in until you experience it yourself. You do not know what this dorm has gone through before you. And you certainly don’t know how much effort the cleaners put into making it look presentable. It could be decent, or it could be a surface clean. You just don’t know.
Starting with a disinfectant sweep is your first defense against catching anything. Personally, I prefer to do a deeper clean with bleach, but wipes and spray are a great start. They’re fast to use in a pinch, and easy to get basically anywhere. I’d do a Dollar Tree run before every semester and pick me up a couple of bottles. If you’re lucky, sometimes they’ll even have decent scents, like lavender or lemon.
Spray is also great for spraying down your shoes. Since it’s like an apartment, it can be easy to forget to take them off inside. But you really don’t want that outside nastiness all over your floor where you walk in your socks.
Long-term, you can also pick up a bucket and rag, like I did. But realistically, your immediate priority is going to be efficiency. These will get you where you need to go.
2. Carpet cleaner/stain remover will save you in your moment of need
Every single dorm I had was fully carpeted. But for some reason, this is one I almost never see in the cleaning section on those college packing lists. Which I get to an extent. Most college kids aren’t mopping, never mind cleaning their carpet. “It should be fine!” You naively think to yourself.
Until it’s 3 am, and you’ve managed to knock over an entire can of cold brew onto your carpet, and you’re forced to watch the cream and espresso seep into the floor. (Totally not based on a true story.) Are you prepared to deal with the mental damage? The anguish? The smell? You would be if you had the foresight to pack carpet cleaner/stain remover.
Even if you’re lucky enough to not get stuck with carpet, you still have blankets, sheets, and clothes. You could be the most careful person in the world, and stains would still be an inevitability. You cannot fight entropy. And frankly, that little tide pen isn’t cutting it—especially if you don’t want bleach stains.
On my Dollar Tree run, I’d pick myself up a can of the “Love My Carpet” foaming carpet cleaner, and it truly did wonders. Just spray, let it foam, then vacuum up the excess. (Yet another reason a proper vacuum is a must.) And voilà! Watch as your blood pressure magically decreases.
3. Room freshener/carpet powder to fight the signature dorm must
To finish off my section on cleaning essentials, I have what will be in your sword in the fight against that dorm smell. Next to mid-terms, this will be one of your hardest battles in your semesters at college.
Dorms—especially carpeted ones—have a certain smell that comes with them. It’s not necessarily your fault—although regularly doing your laundry and dishes certainly helps. It’s something that comes with the dorm. Years of college debauchery have sunk into the very floors and walls. And suppressing that scent is constant war.
I don’t know about you, but my college didn’t allow candles or incense. (Not that it stopped anyone). Scent diffusers are fine, but in my opinion, they never quite get the job done. My recommendation is the sandalwood Febreeze spray. It’s strong, but natural enough to not be off-putting.
Additionally, if your dorm is carpeted, try carpet powder. It makes a world of difference. All you need to do is sprinkle the powder, let it sit, then do a light vacuum, and you’ve sealed the carpet’s evil secrets for another week. Both of those products can also be found at my MVP, the Dollar Tree.
If it’s truly awful, though, I’m not endorsing breaking your dorm rules and bringing in incense… But if I did, I would say light it outside your window and let it blow in naturally. That way, it doesn’t set off the smoke alarm. Hypothetically, of course.
4. Lighters spark friendships as well as fires
Before you get ahead of yourself, let me be clear: you do not need to smoke in college. But even if you don’t, a lot of people do. And you can get a lot of points with people, by just being the person who always has a lighter. You’d be surprised how many friends you can make that way.
I used to love getting a pack of the mini BIC lighters. They’re small, convenient conversation-starters that you can get for under $15. Also, you just never know when you need one. They’re super helpful for fixing frayed strings/threads, and smoothing the edges of plastic, among other things.
Just don’t forget to pocket them when your RA does room-checks.
5. Microwaveable heat compress/heated blankets provide ultimate pain relief during finals
Like many students these days, I had the misfortune of trying to get through college with chronic pain. There was always something wrong with me, and my heating pads stayed with me through it all. Most packing lists have first aid kits, but very few of them have something to actually help you deal with the pain. These are the answer.
It doesn’t matter if you have a headache, stomach ache, cramps, congestion, or muscle pain—this is sure to make it better. Just pop it in the microwave and instant relief. I had several, and the ones I got also usually had a mixture of calming herbs inside, like lavender or peppermint.. And as a bonus, it would make the whole dorm smell nice.
They’re not just good for pain relief, either. When I was pressed for time, I’d also use mine as an iron for clothes. Quickest way to get wrinkles out in a pinch. Check out this affordable one on Amazon, here.
If you’re really fancy, or if you have to deal with East Coast winters like I did, then I’d also recommend a heated blanket. Dorm heating is irregular at best, and sometimes this is just the thing your muscles need on cold nights.
6. Stay ready for sun with a picnic blanket/towel
I cannot overemphasize the importance of vitamin D in college. I swear to God, I got so pale, I came in one race and came out another. Especially if you go to a city college—when the sun is out, you need to be too. Sometimes sunlight is the only barrier between feeling like you want to die, and having a will to live.
Having a dedicated picnic blanket or towel, keeps you ready when the moment comes. Not only that, it’s great for when you have company over. Most of the dorms I was in had little to no seating. So either everyone was on the bed or the floor. Floor pillows are ridiculously expensive for one. A picnic blanket is cheap, can host a group, and is just as comfortable.
7. You need power strips—as many as you can carry
Lots of packing lists will tell you to pack a power strip. None of them prepare you for the sheer number you’ll need. Pack so many. More than you think you’ll need. Then one more. Pack varying lengths. In college, outlets are now a necessity, and a limited resource. There’s never enough, especially in classrooms. Which, as a person whose laptop would commit if not hooked up to power 24/7, was a constant problem.
I always had at least three strips in my dorm room, and one in my backpack—just in case. Which, surprisingly, is another great way to make friends. With just one strip, you can help out 6+ people.
8. Bottle opener/Swiss Army Knife is invaluable
Most people will tell you to get a starter tool kit, but honestly that is weight and bulk you don’t need. You’re probably not going to be doing any complicated assembly. A good Swiss army knife will cover the same needs, and help you open bottles.
It doesn’t matter if you don’t drink, there will come a time when you need to open a bottle. Don’t be like me and end up trying to open it off the wall. The bottle will open, but you’ll lose a third of the contents, and gain a dent in the wall. Or even worse, you ever tried to pry open one of those Talenti gelato containers? It’s like breaking into the Pentagon. I’m serious, look it up.
You know what’s better than breaking all your cheap knives opening ice cream? Running to Dollar Tree and picking up a Swiss army knife to pop the lid open.
9. Tape: Every kind you can imagine
Masking tape, duct tape, regular tape, painter’s tape, packing tape. It is insane how often I used it. And there are a million uses.
Duct tape is exactly what you need when you’re packing your stuff back up. Peeling off tape from the wall is cheaper than tearing off chunks of paint from command strips. Most people I knew would tape their lock so they didn’t need their key (not that I would advise that).
And masking/painter’s tape can be used to decorate if you’re feeling artsy. I would cover a section of the wall in tape then paint over it to decorate my walls. Naked walls are sacrilege. Paint and tape are a cheap and easy way to spice things up.
10. Bug zapper is the hero you need
Listen–no one wants to need a bug zapper. I didn’t think I’d need it either. I thought I was being silly.
Until my Junior dorm started being plauged with hornets. Yes, you read that right. I was 9 floors up in the middle of the city, and I had hornets coming through my window. Suddenly, bringing a bug zapper wasn’t a joke anymore. It was serious business.
In that moment it was life or death, and I thank every God above that I was prepared. But even if you aren’t plagued with the misfortune I was, it’s still useful. Almost every dorm I know has gotten fruit flies at some point. Don’t play around with fate. Do yourself a favor, and stay ready. $3 at the Dollar Tree is all it takes to protect yourself.
11. Pocket hot sauce/tajín fixes dining hall woes
Unfortunately, most dining hall food is designed to appeal to the highest common denominator. Which, for me, generally translated to bland, soulless food. It’s hard enough to eat in college, and sad flavors do not help. Eating out all the time isn’t an option on a college budget. So my solution was to always have an array of pocket hot sauces and seasoning on hand.
A couple drops of Frank’s Red Hot, Tajín, Tabasco, or Sriracha could do wonders for bland dining hall food. I also recommend keeping general seasonings and condiments, but spice will always take you the distance. And Dollar Tree is the perfect place to get the mini-bottles.
Packing for practical scenarios
At the end of the day, packing is all about perfecting the art of anticipation.
What will you be helpless without? What’s hard to get once you’re in school? What might happen, and what will you use to deal with it? Even better—think about economies of scale. What can you bring that has the most uses? Specialty stuff like toasters are cute, but redundant if you have a stove and pan. And the pan can be used to make hundreds of things.
Think creatively! And if you need more tips to save money that aren’t the Dollar Tree (I swear, I’m not being paid), then check out these hacks. This is just a start. If you’ve got your own weird dorm recommendations, drop them in the comments! Starting college is scary, but hopefully with the experiences of those that came before you, it doesn’t have to be so hard.
