Moving away from home to live in a dorm (or in off-campus housing) is hard enough. When you add to that the pressure of stocking up on things you need for the semester, feelings of anxiety can give way to eventual procrastination.

If you fail to prepare, well…prepare to fail. But since that’s not an option for us, I came up with this definitive checklist to help you get through this exciting (albeit confusing) time in our transition back to school.

NOTE: This list is made with the idea in mind that most dorms come with a bed, closet, lamp, garbage, cafeteria, and cooking appliances. Be sure to look into what your school offers you and what they do/don’t allow you to bring before embarking on your shopping spree!  

ALSO: This list is generally unisex, but obviously you’ll have to choose certain items to meet your needs based off your preferences. Different school programs may also require you to bring different things, make sure to plan ahead.

LET’S GET TO IT!

Bedroom & Living

• Pillows
• Pillow Cases
• Comforter
• Duvet Cover
  • WHY: Duvet covers are WAY easier to wash than a comforter, especially in a student laundromat. So just in case you spill your coffee, or any random stains appear on your bed (no judgment), having a duvet cover makes it easier to clean.
• Decor Pillows
• Bed Sheets
• Curtain for Window/Closet
  • WHY: Most dorm rooms don’t have closet doors. Buying a curtain to hang keeps your room looking clean and tidy, even when your closet isn’t.
• Curtain Rod and Rings
• Clothing
  • Summer, fall, winter, and spring attire. Formal, semi-formal, casual, and workout attire. Coats, rain jacket, sweaters. PJs, hats, mittens, socks, underwear, etc.
• Shoes
  • Sneakers, dress shoes, slippers, etc.
• Memory Foam Pad for Bed
• Chair
  • WHY: You may get a chair in your room, but unless you want your guest sitting on your bed, it’s always better to have a spare chair lying around.
• Clock
• Sleeping Bag
  • WHY: Look, you’re going to have friends visit and sleepover. Your bed’s probably going to be too small to share, so it’s good to have a sleeping bag on hand just in case.
• Photos
• Dry Erase Board
• Hooks for Clothes and Towels
• Wrapping Paper (Bulletin Board)
  • WHY: Most rooms come with some kind of bulletin board, but chances are that you may have been left with some unwanted graffiti on it. Use some wrapping paper to cover it and give your room a nice POP!
• Closet Organizers
• Hangers
• Room Decor

Kitchen

• Table Cloth
• Cups & Mugs
• Brita Jug & Filters
• Mini Fridge
  • WHY: Some dorms already come with fridges, but it’s nice to have your own frozen getaway to store your most precious of foods.
• Plates and Bowls
• Utensils (Spoons, Forks, Knives)
• Ziplock & Garbage Bags
• Bottle/Can Opener
• Lunch Bag
• Travel Mug
• Paper Towels
• Tea Kettle
• Food & Drinks

Bath

• Shower Caddy
  • WHY: If you share your bathrooms with an entire floor, it’s easier to have a shower caddy on hand to help carry all your bathroom necessities.
• Tissues
• Washcloths
• Towels
• Shower Shoes
  • WHY: You never know what was just on the floor. People’s feet are nasty, it’s just safer to have a pair of shower shoes on hand.

Electronics

• Router/Ethernet Cable
  • WHY: Some dorms require you to have your own router and ethernet cable to connect to their resident internet. Look into what your dorm offers to see if you’ll need one of not.
• Camera & Camera Bag
• Printer
• Printer Ink
• Laptop
• Laptop Accessories
  • Laptop bag, laptop case, screen protector, charger, adaptor, etc.
• Power Bar & Extension Cords
• USB HUB
• External Hard Drive and USB Stick
  • WHY: If you know you’ll be working with large file types for class, I recommend buying one of these for more storage than a typical USB. If not, then grab a couple bigger USBs to have on the go.
• Headphones
• Phone
• Phone Charger
• Phone Case
• Music Dock/Stereo
• Favourite Pastime
  • TV, video game console, microphone/musical instrument, etc

School Supplies

• School Bag
• Tape
• Push Pins
• Calculator
• Hole Puncher
  • WHY:  It seems silly, but believe me, at some point when you least expect it, you’ll need a hole puncher. When you can’t find one you’ll look back to this moment and think, “I really should have listened to SLN.”
• Writing Utensils
  • Pencils, pens, Sharpie, etc.
• Paper
  • Lined, black printer paper, notebooks, etc
• Highlighters
• Binder Clips & Paper Clips
• Cue Cards
• Mistake Correctors
  • Eraser & white-out
• Sticky Notes
• Stapler & Staples
• Binders
• Dividers
  • WHY: You’re going to have a lot of classes, the more organized you are from the start of the semester, the easier the end of the semester will be for you.
• Glue
• Pencil Case
• Pencil Crayons
• Sharpener
• Scissors
• Ruler
• Envelopes
• Desk Organizers

Personal Care

• Medication
  • Tylenol/Advil, vitamins, Cepacol/Halls, Reactine, etc.
• Condoms and Lube
  • WHY: SELF EXPLANATORY. Safe and consensual sex is the best sex.
• Nail Clipper
• Brush/Comb
• Hair Dryer/Straightener/Curler
• Hair Products
  • Mousse, gel, hair spray, dry shampoo, etc.
• Toothbrush
• Toothpaste
• Mouthwash
• Lotion
• Razors (women/men)
• Shaving cream (women/men)
• First Aid Kit
  • Band aids, after burn, etc
• Hand Sanitizer
  • WHY: Because sometimes you won’t be close to a sink and you’ll touch something really gross. Thanks us later.
• Gum
• Deodorant (women/men)
• Q-Tips
• Face Products
  • Face wash, toner, moisturizer, face mask, etc
• Shampoo & Conditioner
• Soap
• Body wash
• Perfume/Body Spray/Cologne
• Febreeze
  • WHY: Sometimes Mom and Dad will just text you the morning of, saying they’re on their way for a surprise visit. The magic power of Febreeze to make your room smell amazing is very important.
• Swiffer
• Tide To Go
• Laundry Necessities
  • Detergent, dryer sheets, laundry bag, etc.
• Iron/Steamer
• Ironing board
• Lint Roller
• Umbrella
• Glasses & Contacts
• Sunglasses
• Gym Equipment
  • Lock, yoga mat, gym bag, weights, exercise routine, etc
• Favourite Books
• Favourite Movies
• High School Memories
  • Your yearbook, grad hat, award, etc
• A Positive Attitude 🙂

I’m not claiming you need to buy every single item off this (extremely detailed and well-organized) list of things to pack for your first year. Pick and choose what you feel is necessary and fits into your budget.

Remember, post-secondary is what you make it and ultimately, you don’t need a bunch of material objects to survive first year. Just bring that positive attitude—it’s all uphill from here!