College Packing List

It is an exciting day for some and sad for others: the day your homeschool graduate moves from home to college! Before they head out to that new adventure though, they need to pack! When you consider how small the typical dorm room is, developing a reasonable college packing list can be challenging. On the one hand, they need to avoid borrowing everything from their neighbors. But you also don’t want to arrive with a pod full of stuff that won’t fit in a tiny dorm room. Space is usually at a premium, so think efficiency as you plan.

The following college packing list contains items that will likely be needed during the year. Some items may be restricted by your university, so check their policy before buying electrical equipment such as microwaves, refrigerators, and toaster ovens.

If possible, try to have your child contact their future roommate(s) prior to arrival. They can coordinate supplies together so they don’t have two of everything cluttering up the space. If one roommate buys the microwave and the other gets the refrigerator, they both save money. And young women particularly seem to like to coordinate decor.

You won't be able to purchase everything on this college packing list. But using this list, your child should have what they need most - except for you, of course. They will still need you and need to know you love them!

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• Dorm Bedding Set (Tip: Get reversible quilts, because they get really dirty. Dorm sets like these are often cheaper. Remember, these don't have to be high quality, they only need to last 4 years.)
• 2 sets of bath and hand towels, wash cloths
• 1 or 2 sets of extra-long twin sheets and pillow cases
• Twin size extra-long mattress pad
• Blankets
• Pillow
• Bedspread or comforter
• Cozy throw blanket (Both of my children loved this one!)
• Closet shoe organizer or under-bed storage box
• Over-the-door coat rack
• Posters, photos, artwork
• Calendar
• Message board for door if not provided
• Dry-erase marker
• Magnets for message board
• Small area rug
• Floor pillow or beanbag chair
• Lamps or clip-on lights
• Pictures of family, friends and/or pets
• Decorative shower curtain if needed
• Anything to decorate your room and make you feel at home

• Laptop computer (Tip: Even techie teens may not know how to maintain and care for technology, so service protection is a good idea.)
• Printer with ink
• Surge protector
• 3-prong extension cords
• Ethernet cord and/or wireless router
• Television
• DVD or Blu-Ray player they you have a TV
• Netflix/Hulu Plus/Amazon membership (student must be mature enough to not abuse this)
• Stereo or radio
  
• Wireless headphones
• Compact speaker system or bluetooth speaker
• Streaming service for music
• Flash drive for portable file storage
  
• Digital camera (if not using their smartphone)
• Rechargeable batteries with charger
• Smartphone or cell phone (and charger) with good service/coverage at the college