
That’s why you need to have a plan to gather all of the dorm room essentials that you’ll need to survive your first year at school. Moving into your college dorm is the start of an exciting new chapter in your life - but with the newfound freedom also comes the responsibility of taking care of yourself. Grab your roommate and pick a day before classes begin to prep your space for the school year. With all of the hard work done, now it’s time for the fun part: decorating your room. Take a look at your college dorm checklist and head to your nearest Target or IKEA to pick up the remaining items. Once you’ve arrived, it’s time to unpack and take inventory of what you need to order online or buy from local stores. If you’re heading off to college in another state, only bring the must-have items that you can’t buy once you’re at school. Step 5: Pack only the must-have items from home.ĭepending on how far away you’re going to college, it might not be convenient or cost-effective to buy all of your dorm room essentials at home and then lug them all the way to school. If there isn’t one, prepare yourself for lots of stairs.
DORM CHECKLIST PRO
Pro tip: Contact your housing office to see if there’s an elevator in your building. Figure out who’s going to help, what car you’re going to load up for the journey, and about how many trips you’ll have to make to get everything moved in. Put those details on your calendar, and start to make a plan. Most colleges will send you an email over the summer with Moving Day details - including the date and time of your move. This will help you keep track of what belongs to you, and what belongs to your roommate. Pro tip: Make an inventory of all of the items you’re contributing to your dorm room.

Good communication upfront will help you both avoid headaches later on. For instance, if you already have a floor lamp, you can arrange to bring it for the shared area, rather than both of you bringing multiple items that aren’t necessary. Step 3: Get in touch with your roommate.īefore school starts, try to contact your roommate to learn more about them and discuss what items you plan on bringing to school. Reach out to your school’s housing office ahead of time to determine what’s already in your room. Some dorm rooms will have a complete kitchen setup, while others might only come with a mini-fridge. Step 2: Find out what’s included in your room. If you’re in a traditional dorm, you’ll probably just have a shared bedroom with a communal bathroom down the hall.

If you’ll be living in a suite-style dorm, you’ll likely have a common area, as well as a bathroom that you’ll share with just a few roommates.
DORM CHECKLIST HOW TO
How to prepare your college dorm room in 8 simple steps Step 1: Figure out the dimensions and layout of your space.įirst, you’ll need to understand how much available space you have.

With this college dorm checklist, you’ll have everything you need for a successful school year.

In this article, you’ll find ideas for what to bring to school, as well as a step-by-step guide on preparing your dorm room for move-in. However, gearing up to live on your own requires some advanced planning - which is why MYMOVE has put together this complete checklist of dorm room essentials. Living in a dorm is a fantastic way to break out of your comfort zone, make new friends, and learn how to take care of yourself. As an incoming college freshman, moving out of your parents’ house and into your dorm room is an incredibly exciting milestone.
