Going to college and living in the residence halls is a big first step for most young adults. Knowing what you will need to bring and what you may already have can save lots of move-in day headaches. There are many things around your house and in your room at home that can help you on move in day and also save you money. We will cover some of the top needed items for dorm life and how you can pack smarter as well for your big move in day.
Storage & Organization
Many stores will carry storage and organization items around the major back to school shopping season including the major stores like Target and Bed, Bath & Beyond. A little known secret is that milk crates make a great choice for not only move in's but to use inside the dorm room. Unlike the playful color ones you will see in a store these black, green or burgundy crates are heavy duty and can stack really well. Please note most convenience stores like to keep their crates and won't allow you to use theirs so be sure to have a legal and ethical way to get them. We would recommend getting about 12 of them. Not only can you put your move in items in them but if staged correctly you can literally fill them with your goodies and stack them when you get into the dorm room. Be sure to clean them well as the connivance stores tend to treat them roughly.
Organizing Your Dorm Bed
Most colleges use double stacked loft beds to save precious floor space for desks and decor inside a dormitory. If you are handy and clever you can fasten a bed organizer out of heavy duty twill fabric with pockets for storing stuff like remotes, glasses, lamps, books and of course snacks. You could also take a bed skirt and add pockets and achieve the same effect.
Raid Your Parent's pantry
Dorm usually means eating the meal plans in the cafeterias which have set hours. So to add flexibility and save some money be sure to stock up on things like: Ramen Noodles, Peanut Butter, Crackers, Granola Bars, Dried Fruit and other goodies. By the way you can pack these goodies inside one of your crates.
Hit The Showers
Many dorms use public showers so you will want to make sure you have an easy to grab and go organizer. Many stores will sell special carriers but you can actually use a tackle box. Many tackle boxes feature holes to allow moisture to escape and feature storage vessels which have covers (great for seldom used things like nail clippers, files, swabs, etc.
Raid The Linen Closet
Most dorms use extra long twin beds so you won't be able to use many of your parent's sheets - but you can count on borrowing their towels and robes to help save money. You can also grab some of your bedding from home provided you don't want it back at the end of the quarter. Many students want to keep their prized bedding essentials at home and instead get a new set of pillows and comforters knowing those items will get heavily abused with pizza, soda and snacks at the end of the school year. Just remember that even though this is just for college - you will still spend 1/3 of your time on that bed so don't skimp on a comfortable pillow or warm comforter.
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