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College Packing List

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How to make your dorm a home away from home.
Option 1: Pack the basics and buy what you need when you get to college. Cons: the first couple weeks, the mailroom is crowded and packages might get lost. Or you get whatever is left at the stores near campus. If you have no access to a car, you mi...
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For a Good Night's Sleep

To make the dorm homey and comfortable
 
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Luxury Pick
TEMPUR-Adapt® Topper - Twin Long
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Adjust the height and firmness by taking out or adding fluff.
Coop Home Goods : Bed Pillows
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Deep pocket cotton sheets that go over the mattress topper without a struggle
Twin/Twin XL 400 Thread Count Performance Printed Sheet Set Blue Stripe - Threshold™
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Well made Portuguese cotton flannel that is pill resistant.
Ultrasoft Comfort Flannel Comforter Cover
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Luxury Pick - Ultimate goose down comforter
Ultimate Goose Down Comforter
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Practical Pick - Down Blend Duvet from Target
Mid Weight Down Blend Comforter from Target
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Great Value - Goose Down Duvet
Hotel Grand White Goose Down Comforter | Costco
 
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Wait to see your room set up before getting a headboard. A wedge pillow might work better for the space. A friend made a headboard out of plywood, cotton batting, fabric, a jigsaw, and an upholstery stapler. One can zip tie or use Velcro straps to se...
Ciriaca Arched Button Tufted Upholstered Headboard
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Some old dorms have no air conditioning. This Woozoo is great at making the room bearable at the beginning and end of the school year.
Woozoo Globe Multi-Directional 5-Speed Oscillating Fan
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This Step Stool holds up to 250 pounds
Congerville 2 - Step Steel Lightweight Folding Step Stool
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Landsend makes long lasting quality products.
400 Thread Count Premium Supima Cotton Mattress Pad
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This goes on sale at Home Depot a few times a year
Lucid Mattress Topper - Mid Price Pick
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Convenient place to put stuff, especially if you have the top bunk
Bedside Shelf Table & Storage Organizer Caddy
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Filters dust, dander, mold, and viruses for cleaner air. The hepa filter works great and is especially useful in dorms. This brand rated well on tests. A smaller one by Blueair or Levoit might also meet your needs. 
I like this model because it tested well on Wirecutter, and also we got it the day a suitemate tested positive for covid, and this air purifier helped the rest of the suitemates stay healthy.
Coway Airmega Air Purifier
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To raise the bed and provide extra storage room under the bed
Adjustable Bed Risers or Furniture Riser
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Helpful tool for lofting the bed. You'll also meet friends, since other people will borrow it
Blue Ridge Tools 18oz Rubber Mallet Hammers Blue
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These are deep enough to accommodate the mattress topper and regular depth mattresses, and have extra elastic to help the sheet to stay put. They come in several patterns.
Twin/Twin XL 400 Thread Count Blue Floral Sheet Set - Threshold™
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Sometimes it's nice to have something to lean back on while reading in bed
Bed Rest Pillow
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This air purifier is smaller than the Conway, but also has a hepa filter effective for screening allergens and viruses.
Levoit VortexAir True HEPA Air Purifier
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When a headboard is not feasible, the wedge pillow is nice to lean back on. Another idea is to use a rectangular dog bed as the cushioned headboard
Wedge Pillow
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Luggage, Backpacks, & Bags

If moving in to dorms by car, those IKEA FRAKTA bags are great. The bag handles allow the bags to be carried like a backpack or over the shoulder. One can put clothes on hangers, and put the FRAKTA bag around the clothes, so that when you get to the ...
 
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The wheels on this carry on glide so smoothly
TravelPro Carry-On Suitcase
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Moving Day - Super useful for moving! It has straps so it can be worn backpack style or carried by hand. Recommend 5-7 bags.
FRAKTA Storage bag for cart, blue, 28 ¾x13 ¾x11 ¾ " 20 ...
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Checked Luggage - Medium sized. The wheels move so smoothly.
TravelPro Platinum ® Elite 25” Checked suitcase
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Hard Shell Carry-on
The Carry-On suitcase | Away: Built for modern travel
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For travel and everyday
Belt Bags | lululemon
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A carryon sized travel backpack with wheels. Pull it on smooth pavement; use the backpack features when walking over cobblestone streets.
Mother Lode Rolling Travel Backpack
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Clamshell style travel backpack
Allpa 35L Travel Pack - Del Día
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This is used as a personal item that fits below the airplane seat
Mother Lode Jr Travel Backpack
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This IKEA Dimka bag holds all the bedding - comforter, sheets, mattress pad, and pillow. Very convenient to have all this together when moving in on a rainy day.
DIMPA Storage bag, clear, 25 ½x8 ¾x25 ½" - IKEA
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The foam mattress topper should be compressed before moving. Target's Room Easentials Jumbo compression bags were my go-to, but this year they've replaced the product with something that has negative reviews. A friend suggested using this vacuum bag ...
Compression bag for moving
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Maximize storage space with these compression bags. Pillows and comforters will take up less room when moving.
Reusable Vacuum Storage Bags, 3 Pack
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If you're running out of packing space, a compression bag can shrink towels and pillows down to less than half the volume
Hefty SHRINK-PAK 2 Jumbo Vacuum Storage Bags
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Bath

Remember to bring a robe, since your bathroom may be down the hall.
 
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Soft, fluffy, and monogrammable
Premium Supima Cotton 6-Piece Bath Towel Set
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Old Navy sells inexpensive shower flip flops for men and women
Flip-Flop Shower Sandals
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You'll need a variety of command hook sizes to hold up towels, jackets, necklaces, key fobs, and other Knick knacks.
Command Hook
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A mesh shower caddy
Mesh Shower Caddy
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This can be used as a shower caddy or as something to store cleaning supplies
Shower Caddy White
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Remember to change toothbrushes with the seasons
Oral-B Pulsar Battery Powered Soft Toothbrush - 2pk
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The wet shower caddy can be set down on this dish drying mat after the shower.
Drying Mat
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Women's Winter Coats

What coats are great for the freezing Midwest and Northeast winters?
 
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Warmest - this feels lightweight and has a little stretch. It keeps you warm even when the windchill is below zero and you still have to walk to class through the snow. After testing this for two Ohio winters, this gets an excellent review!
Women's Glacier Peak Seamless Stretch Down Duffle Coat | Eddie Bauer
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Warmest coat for subzero frosty days. This coat was tested in Chicago's coldest winter weather and gets an excellent review!
Women's Lodge Down Duffle Coat | Eddie Bauer
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Waterproof, breathable, and has a detachable insulated lining for three season wear
Women's Girl On The Go Insulated Trench Coat | Eddie Bauer
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Luxury Pick: Canada Goose
Women's Ellesmere Parka
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This has no Pom Pom, so it fits underneath the hood of the coat on freezing days. Cashmere is not itchy.
Cashmere Beanie | Quince
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Winter in the South - Butter soft light leather jacket
100% Leather Jacket / Quince
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Easy to store in jacket pockets
Cashmere Gloves | Quince
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Great for in between seasons
Down Puffer Vest / Landsend
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Lighting and Charging Station and Gadgets

College kids have a lot of tech!
 
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This lamp folds and packs easily.
Taotronics LED Desk Lamp
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Protect your devices from the ups and downs of dorm electricity. Also, some old dorms do not have enough outlets
Accell Power Air Surge Protector and USB Charging Station with 6-Foot Cord
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Many dorm doors close quickly and lock automatically. During move in, the door stop can be handy when you bring all the luggage in. During the first week, a student can prop the door open to meet new friends who live in the same hall.
Scotch 2ct Clear Door Stops
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A personal safety alarm offers peace of mind for a late walk back to the dorm
Birdie
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A 10ft cable helps when the power source is far from the dorm bed
10' TPU Lightning to USB-A Cable
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Small portable charger useful during travel. This has cables attached.
The TravelCard Plus
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Kitchen Electrics and Cooking

 
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When a morning pick me up is needed but you're short on time
Keurig Mini Single-Serve K-Cup Coffee Maker
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Costco members can get package deals
Keurig K-Supreme Plus Special Edition Single Serve Coffee Maker, with 18 K-Cup Pods
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Costco carries the 100 count box for a decent price
Newman's Own Organics Coffee Special Blend K-Cup Pod, 100-count
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For an off campus apartment, this is perfect for making healthy breakfast smoothies
Vitamix Explorian 10-Speed Blender - 064068
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Quick and convenient way to have pasta when the dorm does not allow hotpots.
La Pasta Microwave Pasta Cooker - The Original Fasta Pasta - No Mess, Sticking or Waiting For Boil
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Our college had rules about refrigerator types and dimensions, and we might have run out of room in the car, so it was easier to rent one. But I always thought this retro mini fridge would have been fun.
Retro 3.2 cu. ft. 2 Door Mini Fridge in Red
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A microwave recommended by Wirecutter
Toshiba 0.9-cu ft 900-watt countertop microwave
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This is easy to clean and you don't touch the mouthpiece when you open the lid
Contigo Water Bottle
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Medicine Kit

Add allergy medicines such as Benadryl or Zyrtec to the medicine kit because these can be life saving when someone discovers a new food allergy. Discuss birth control and perhaps add condoms to the medicine kit.
 
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For allergies - especially useful if they discover a new allergy away from home
Benadryl Allergy Diphenhydramine UltraTab Antihistamine Tablet - 8ct
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Fever, headache, pain reliever
Tylenol Extra Strength Rapid Release Pain Reliever & Fever Reducer Gelcaps - Acetaminophen - 24ct
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Advil Pain Reliever/Fever Reducer Tablets - Ibuprofen (NSAID) - 24ct
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Neosporin 24 Hour Infection Protection First Aid Antibiotic Ointment - 0.5oz
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Because when you have a cut, you don't want to have to walk to the drug store
Band-Aid Flexible Fabric Brand Comfortable Protection Adhesive Bandages - 30ct
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Yes, Student Health has them, but if you feel sick, it is easier to have a test on hand instead of walking across campus.
FlowFlex Covid-19 Antigen Home Test - 1ct
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Sometimes the flu comes on suddenly, and the drug store will seem so far away
Vicks DayQuil Cold & Flu Multi-Symptom Relief LiquiCaps - 24ct
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Easy to take multivitamins
Vitafusion MultiVites Vitamin Gummies - Berry, Peach & Orange - 150ct
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For upset stomachs
Tums Smoothies Antacids - Assorted Fruit - 12ct
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When lots of college kids are coming down with nasty colds, every bit helps to stay healthy
Airborne Immune Support Supplement Dissolving Tablets - Zesty Orange - 10ct
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Helpful during stomach flu. Also, an opera singer on opening night gave her coworkers pedialyte so that they could all keep hydrated and have the needed electrolytes to keep up their stamina.
Pedialyte Electrolyte Powder Variety Pack - 8ct/2.4oz
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A fever? This digital thermometer will show the temperature
Vicks SpeedRead Digital Thermometer
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This cream stops itch caused by mosquito bites
Benadryl Extra Strength Itch Relief Cream Topical Analgesic - 1oz
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Storage

Small spaces need organized storage.
 
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These can go under a lofted bed, or inside a closet. They come in a variety of colors.
Tint Stackable Storage Drawer
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A couple of these to go on the closet top shelf or in a cube storage unit
11" Fabric Cube Storage Bin Black/White Rugby Striped - Room Essentials™
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Boots, running shoes, party shoes look tidy on a shelf
Seville Classics 12 Pair Iron Metal Shoe Rack
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Three tier rolling cart, foldable for easy moving. Useful for toiletries, makeup, snacks etc
Foldable 3 Tier Metal Utility Rolling Cart
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Pair these with storage boxes. Can be used horizontally under beds to store shoes or clothes. Can be used vertically as a side table
3 Cube Organizer
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Storage space that doubles as a seat
Poppin Box Seats
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Flocked hangers take up a little less space.
Flocked Hangers (Target)
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If you have Costco membership, the price of their flocked hangers beats most other places
Flocked Hangers (Costco)
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Laundry

Some college laundry machines are in basements and require walking several flights of stairs. A backpack laundry bag might be easier, as well as lighter detergent such as pods or laundry sheets. I tried a rolling plastic laundry hamper by Sterilite, ...
 
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Laundry detergent pods
All Mighty Pacs Free Clear Laundry Detergent Pacs with OXI Stain Removers - 56ct/39.5oz
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These laundry detergent sheets are lightweight and convenient. During one load, there was some detergent residue on dark pants. Once I began tearing up the detergent sheets into small pieces, it dissolved better. Consumer Reports found that while thi...
Laundry Detergent Eco Sheets - 60 Loads
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Sometimes when you have to walk down several flights of stairs to do laundry, a laundry backpack is helpful
Backpack Laundry Bag
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A basic plastic laundry hamper to fit in the closet. Originally I thought that a wheeled Sterilite hamper with a retractable handle would be ideal, but that one had a half moon shape that annoyingly tipped over. This hamper has a sturdy base and hold...
Plastic Laundry Hamper
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Fabric softener Free of fragrance
Bounce Fabric Softener Sheets - Free & Gentle
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Clean Up

Hahaha! Buy the things that are used at home. That way at the end of the school year, you have refills. But optimism wins, so here are things that might get used.
 
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Confirm whether you need to bring trash cans as well
Tall Kitchen Drawstring Trash Bags
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Disinfecting wipes
Seventh Generation Disinfecting Wipes
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For a clean toilet bowl
Clorox ToiletWand Disposable Toilet Cleaning System
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Disinfecting bathroom cleaner
Seventh Generation Lemongrass Citrus Disinfecting Bathroom Cleaner - 26oz
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Basic sponges
Scotch-Brite Ocelo Handy Sponge - 4pk
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To clean up after midnight ramen or soup
Dawn Original Scent Ultra Dishwashing Liquid Dish Soap - 28 fl oz
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Wash your hands
Softsoap Liquid Hand Soap
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Handheld vacuum - if the college kid doesn't use it, this would be nice for car clean up
Shark WANDVAC Cord-Free Handheld Vacuum
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Budget pick: A small handheld vacuum
Cordless Handheld Vacuum by Black & Decker
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