Summer is winding down and school is just a few weeks away! With my oldest daughter heading into her 4th year of college and daughter number 2 heading into her second year we have learned a thing or two about what to pack (and what NOT to pack) for dorm/apartment life! I know how overwhelming it can be to try to think of everything your child will need while they are away at school during a time when emotions are high with the anticipation of them moving out. It’s a lot to process and I felt so overwhelmed by it all the first time around! I made a list of items to pack for Ellie before year one and have been adding to it/tweaking it the past few years. I thought I would share it for anyone who could use a good list to help with this process! This list is LONG and just full of suggestions! You know your child best and if you don’t think they need something on this list my advice is to NOT pack it. Dorm space is limited so only pack what they really need and will use. I linked a lot of the items that we bought for our girls below if you want some ideas! (If you are sending your son to college you can definitely ignore a few things!)
I also made a printable version of this list (with boxes to check off of course!) that you can download HERE. I hope it’s helpful! Below this list I’m sharing more pictures, tips and suggestions! I’m also re-sharing a fun gift for move-in day or to mail during the first month. My girls loved it so much! They have already both asked if I will send it again. :)
Twin XL sheets (2 sets)
Headboard (optional)
Stool/ottoman (helps with taller beds!)
Desk fan (optional)
Decorative Pillow (one or two)
Dry erase calendar/Bulletin board
Hooks for purses, etc.
Desk (if not already in dorm)
Shoes/heels
Slippers (so nice for dorms!)
Clothes
Hats
Pajamas
Dresses
Jacket
Warm Coat
Rain Coat
Swimsuits
Sunglasses
Jewelry
Shower curtain (apartments)
Sunscreen
Toothpaste/toothbrush/floss
Shampoo/conditioner
Deodorant
Soap
Lotion
Facewash
Feminine Hygiene Products
Hair products
Make-up
Make-up remover
Allergy or other medications
Vitamins
All charging cords (computer/phone/ipad, etc.)
Kitchen items (if needed)
Documents (social security card, birth certificate, health insurance, AAA details, etc.)
I’ve shared these moving bags so many times but wow.. definitely a smart purchase! We use them again and again moving the girls in and out of dorms/apartments every year. For Addison we took them right on the airplane with us and just double bagged everything.
Then we stopped at a Target to pick up larger organizers that we couldn’t take on the plane.
BEFORE
A fun before and after of El’s first dorm!
AFTER
AFTER
BEFORE
And a before and after of Ad’s! Move in day is a lot of work so wear comfortable clothes and be prepared to be exhausted by the end of the day. :)
AFTER
AFTER
I don’t recommend spending a lot of money on bedding (it usually looks a little rough by the end of the year!) but one place we did splurge was for this mattress pad. The dorm beds are so hard and this sleepyhead pad is a dream! My girls like their college beds better than their beds at home because of this. :)
I would definitely recommend a bed shelf if you have a tall bed! Addison loved this to hold her phone and water every night.
Some dorms have more closet space than others. Ad’s closet didn’t have a lot of room so we hung these shoe organizers on the doors. Next year we are working on taking less shoes! The struggle is real. ;)
Both of my girls ended up using their desks as vanity areas to put on their make-up (they studied at the library!) so definitely bring a desk mirror for girls. I linked our favorite!
make-up organizer/white board options
Our make-up organizer also came in handy (the girls keep one at home too!) and Addison always loves a white board calendar to keep track of her schedule and to-do’s.
Every dorm is different and some come with desks and dressers and some don’t so definitely find out what you will have to work with in the room. We knew the girls wouldn’t have dressers in their room so we bought these slim white options that didn’t take up too much space.
I wish I would have taken a picture of what was behind this bed skirt! A lot of times you can use the space under beds for storage and we had this spot packed with organizers. Ad is short like me so she used this space to change her clothes sometimes too.. ha.
We did the same thing with Ellie and used the space under her bed for storage. We even set her shoes on the top of the drawers. The large set of drawers under the bed was already in this room so we didn’t have to buy as many organizers for this spot.
I linked the white laundry bag we bought for Addison last year (this picture shows El’s a few years back). I personally like a hanging laundry bag instead of a hamper because a hamper takes up too much space. This is also handy for them to grab and take to the laundry room and use it to bring clean clothes back to their rooms.
We have bought this tower fan 5 times! It’s our absolute favorite. My girls both keep one in their dorms and they have one in their bedrooms at home too. Kole has the same fan in his bedroom in black. It’s such a good fan and it’s perfect for dorms because it cools the room quickly and doesn’t take up much space.
flower ottoman / more ottoman options
You can see Ad’s fan next to my husband.. who fell asleep on the floor. This was when we visited for parents weekend and the boys needed some down time. Ha.
Ottomans are another suggestion if beds are tall! Kids can use them for stepping stools and they can double as storage.
Boys came alive again (we did our hair while they were napping) and we were good to go! ;)
This is the cute gift I sent my girls after they had been in school for a few weeks! I wanted to have it ready to give them when we said good-bye at drop off, but there were so many things to pack and remember that trip that it just felt like too much. Either way it’s such a special gift to help them start the year! You can see all of the items I put inside the envelopes in this blog post.
Aren’t they fun!? So special to have little gifts to look forward to opening during the first couple of months that are always an adjustment period.
A little piece of mom and dad and home. :)
I’ve shared this cute little pocket hug pin so many times now! I bought it to go in the envelope “open when you miss us” and wrote a note with it telling my girls that the pin would be good luck and a reminder of how much we love them and are always with them. Addison sent us a text a week later with this picture of her on campus heading to take her first biology exam and told us she was going to take it with her to all of her tests throughout college for good luck.
She did! I got a text with a picture like these on every test day. Cue the tears. I’m so proud of my girls. :)
Speaking of tears.. college good-byes are never easy.
I don’t think anything can prepare you for the overwhelming emotions that come with dropping off your child at college for the first time. It’s the end of an era that is just so difficult to say good-bye to. Pack LOTS of tissues!
I could write a whole post about the grief that comes with this transition (at least my experience with it!). It hasn’t been easy for me and I still miss having my girls home with me every day that they are away at college.
But it’s getting easier! FaceTime is my best friend.
And when you get texts like this and you see your child happy and thriving and adulting you are filled with so much love and pride you could burst.
When I dropped my girls off at college the quote from the movie Hope Floats came to my mind. “Beginnings are scary, endings are usually sad, but it’s the middle that counts the most.” I think this experience is incredibly emotional because even though it’s an exciting time, it’s also a scary beginning and a sad ending. But over the past four years I’ve learned that it’s also a beautiful new middle. I’m working every day to enjoy that middle and to make it count the most. :)
Sending a HUGE hug (and tissues!) to every parent dropping a child off at college this year! We’ve got this.
Thank you for this (and all you do), Erin! My daughter is starting college in Northern California this year, and we live in Connecticut, so it’s definitely a big change. Your kind words and fabulous list are a great help and comfort. All the best to you and your family.
Oh your sweet comment made me so happy Marybeth! Thank you! I’m so glad this post was helpful. Connecticut to California! Definitely a big change but how exciting for her! Wishing you and your family all the best this school year. Sending a hug your way!
Great post, Erin! Your girls are so lucky to have you and your husband there to help them and cheer them on. You gave them the wings to do this! Be proud of yourself. This fall is the first one where we are not sending a kiddo to college. That is strange. I’m the only one gearing up to “go back to school,” ie. work in a couple of weeks. LOL I wish much success to all three of your kiddos this school year. :) Hugs!
Jeanne! I bet that feels so strange and probably really nice! Your kids are thriving and you have entered a new stage with college behind you.. you did it! Such a huge accomplishment. I’m proud of both of us! ;) Thank you so much. I hope you have the best start to your school year! Enjoy these last couple of weeks of summer!
Your post couldn’t have come at a better time! We move our son in next weekend 😭😭 and we’re frantically buying stuff. I have a number of things on your list but realized there are other things that I didn’t even think about! Thank goodness for Amazon!
My husband and I are a mess over here. I’ve been crying a lot and he hasn’t even left yet! 😂 I literally can’t imagine what our home will feel like without him. Please tell me it gets easier.
Good luck to you and your family as you do this again soon! You’re a pro at this point!
Leah! Oh my word.. I know EXACTLY how you are feeling! It’s such an emotional time! I was a mess the first year with both of my girls and cried non stop leading up to drop off and for weeks after. It’s hard! But it definitely gets easier and what you realize is that they still live at home too! The breaks with them home come quickly and then summers plus you will talk so much in-between and visit when you can. It’s an adjustment but it does get easier. Seriously reach out to me any time you are feeling sad and need someone to talk to! Chances are I’m feeling the same. ;) I have definitely been there! Sending a hug and all the good vibes your way next weekend!
Thank you, Erin! I’m getting ready for year 2 of taking a kid to college, and it feels a little less overwhelming this year, but your post did remind me of a couple things we still need to buy/find/pack. I still miss her every day that she is gone and love the Facetimes, calls, and texts that keep us connected. Hugs to you and to all of us doing this this fall!
I’m so happy this post was helpful Kim! Thank you! Wishing you and your family the best school year! The second time around is definitely easier! Addison and I were talking tonight about how we will both feel just as sad as last year saying good-bye but we think (hope!) we’ll recover quicker. ;)