Everyone knows they’ll need school supplies and clothes for college. But what are the items that can change your college experience completely? Collegeboxes is here to enhance your lifestyle with these college necessities.
College Packing List
Finding the best items for college doesn’t have to be an extra assignment. You’ll be happier after college move-in day if you pick the right bedding, bathroom items, laundry tools, headphones, and other needs. This list might seem overwhelming but here are 10 tips on how to pack leading into freshman year.
Dorm Bedding
How we sleep changes our day and our mood. Dorm mattresses aren’t exactly like your bed at home, but that doesn’t mean you can’t spruce it up when decorating your dorm room. Most universities will have Twin XL beds in their dorm rooms, and you’ll have to buy your accessories based on that.
When picking the bedding, start with the foundation. Finding a cushioned mattress topper will make your bed better. You’ll likely spend a lot of time on your bed even when you’re not sleeping. Every college student will watch their favorite streaming service, study, and eat in their bed. In a shared dorm room, it’s the one thing that is truly all yours.
Always have two sets of sheets. When you need to swap them out at any point, it’s a lot easier to have that clean sheet ready at any moment. Although, be aware if you get a large mattress topper, you might need to get a bigger sheet to fit properly on the bed.
Try to get a lightweight comforter regardless of if you’re going to a snowy school in the northeast or a sunny one in the southwest. Not every dormitory allows you to control the temperature of your room. Generally, it’s much easier to grab a blanket or two to warm up than to be hot underneath your comforter. Bring your favorite blanket from home and buy another that matches the rest of your college bedding.
Here are a few other items to consider having the best bed on your floor:
- Body or bed rest pillow along with the rest of your pillows
- Bedside shelf/caddy
- Bed lifts
College Communal Bathroom Needs
Not everyone wants to talk about the bathroom, but we need to. This isn’t about your toothbrush and toothpaste. Along with sharing a dorm room, you’ll be sharing a bathroom. College communal bathrooms have a poor reputation, but they’re usually not as bad as they sound.
If you have these items, you’ll make it work:
- Shower Shoes
- Shower Caddy
- Toiletries Case
- Towel Set
- Dry Shampoo
Shower shoes and a caddy are a must for all communal bathrooms. People tend to use shower shoes as it provides a cleaner cleaning as opposed to walking barefoot into a shared bathroom area. The caddy and toiletries case allows you to carry all your shower items and cosmetic needs from your room to the bathroom. You’re always going to need towels and everyone, guys included, should have dry shampoo for the days you’re running late and can’t find time to shower.
College Laundry Necessities
There’s no better time to learn how to do your laundry than when you’re in college. You’ve moved away from home and don’t have your parents to help out with your laundry anymore. But don’t worry, it’s not really that hard and we’re here to help. To do laundry you’ll need detergent for the washer. Depending on the person, liquid detergent is still used, but the detergent pods are the easiest solution for college students. Especially those doing their own laundry for the first time. Don’t forget dryer sheets either.
The other essential for your college laundry needs is a hamper for your dirty clothes. Your roommate isn’t going to appreciate you leaving your clothes all over your dorm room. Get a hamper to make it easy. There are plenty of collapsible baskets and mesh hampers that can help you save space in your room as well.
A few other items that will make your college laundry chores easier are a stain remover, wrinkle release spray, and clothes steamer.
Best Headphones for College Students
If you’ve ever been to a college campus, nearly every single student will be walking with headphones in. Not only are they great for listening to music and podcasts but create a focused environment when studying to block out surrounding noise. Even in the library, headphones are necessary because they can get louder than you think as people enter and exit throughout the day.
At this point, most students choose to go wireless, no one will make fun of you if you stay wired, but that means picking between over-the-ear headphones and wireless earbuds. There are plenty to choose from whether you’re looking for the most premier brands or a budget-friendly option.
Headphones aren’t the only electronics that will make college life better. Taking extension cords, power strips, and even an ethernet cord will be more helpful than you think. A lot of older dormitories have outlets in poorly placed locations. That’s where having an extension cord and a power strip helps to have more plugs closer to you. We also suggest an ethernet cord because college Wi-Fi isn’t reliable but if you’re able to plug it directly into the wall with the ethernet cord, the internet will be faster and more reliable.
Now you’re probably wondering how you’re going to get all this stuff to your dorm room. No need to worry, Collegeboxes can be your solution. We serve students and parents at over 350 schools for their college moving needs.
We offer Storage and Shipping, Ship to School, and Direct Shipping. Through Storage and Shipping, we do the heavy lifting for you. Ship what you want, store what you want – any combination. We store your belongings at a clean, dry, and secure U-Haul storage facility that you can access at any time. With Ship to School and Direct Shipping, pack your belongings and we’ll make sure they get to your school or the exact location you desire. Sign up today to be helped by the No.1 student storage and shipping provider, powered by U-Haul.