Before you receive your dorm-room key, decide what to take with you to campus. If you underpack, you can arrange to get your missing stuff easily enough, whether you end up buying it or having it shipped from home. Conversely, when you overpack, you can't escape it. Besides being a sign of inefficiency, the unused stuff takes up precious space and creates a mess. At the end of the year, you either have to lug it all back home or store it. Many students just throw it out, accounting for all the overflowing dumpsters parked outside of residence halls every May.
What to leave behind
If you didn't wear it, read it, watch it, listen to it, or use it at home, you probably won't do so at school. The only exceptions are items you absolutely need at school that you may not need at home, such as weather-specific gear.
Other leave-behinds include:
Valuable jewelry
Anything irreplaceable or easily broken
High-energy electrical appliances (microwaves, air conditioners, hot plates)
Candles (check for possible religious exemptions)
Pets
What to take
Clothes
Plenty of the kinds you wear every day
At least one semiformal outfit
Casual shoes, sneakers, dress shoes
At least 10 days' worth of underwear
Socks (dress and sport); hosiery
Sleepwear
Weather-appropriate clothing, including, if necessary, a heavy coat or jacket, mittens/gloves, hat, earmuffs, scarf, boots, rainwear
No matter how warm your campus is: a sweater/sweatshirt, windbreaker, and a pair of jeans and/or sweatpants for cooler days
No matter how cold your campus is: T-shirts and shorts-your dorm might be hot all the time
Hangers
Swimwear
Flip-flops, bathrobe
Gym attire
Food and Food-Related Items
Nonperishable snacks (peanut butter, crackers, pretzels/chips)
Case of bottled water; powdered drink mix
Mac and cheese mix, noodle-soup packets, breakfast cereal
Fruit, dairy products, soda, jelly, cheese (hold off on buying perishables until you're close to campus)
Microwave, if permitted
Paper plates, cups, plastic utensils; two sets of "real" utensils, bowl, plate
Tea, coffee, sweetener, creamer, and coffeemaker, if permitted
Essentials
Personal hygiene items; a bucket to carry it all to the shower
Comforter, pillow, two pillowcases, four sheets
Towels; beach towel, if needed; washcloths
Backpack
Pens, pencils
Alarm clock-radio
Telephone with answering machine, or cellphone with voicemail
Rolls of quarters for laundry
Laundry detergent, stain remover; laundry basket or bag
Iron
Can opener, cookware, plastic water pitcher
Umbrella
Fan
Duct tape
Power strip/surge protector
Laptop; printer; paper
Touches of home
Posters, photos
Decorations
