How To Pack For Your Dorm Room

Going away to college or university can be an exciting time. It can also be a terrifying time, not that you want to let anyone know!

There will be lots of things that you will need to get used to doing for yourself. These are things that mom and dad might have done in the past. Not anymore. You have more independence, and, with that, you also have more responsibility.  

One of the first things that you’ll need to do is pack and set up your door room. You’ll want to take the small space that you have been given and make it your own.  

After all, it’s the first space in your life that is truly all yours. You’ll want to make it memorable.  

But, where do you start? You’ve never had to plan to design space before. It can be hard to know where to begin.  

Don’t worry. We are here to help. Here are some tips for packing and setting up your first dorm room.

It’s all about the space

The first thing you should do is evaluate how much space you have. Hopefully, you toured the dorm before going, but if not, research online to see what the dimensions are. You may also know someone that has lived there before. Ask them questions.  

Then figure out what you think you can fit in the room.  

Ok, have you done that? Good. Now cut it in half.  

Seriously, less is more here. You will run out of space faster than you think.  

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Start with the basics

When you are ready to start culling, you should start by asking yourself what it is that you need to be a functioning young adult on a day-to-day basis. I like to use the mom test here.  

As in, “if mom showed up out of the blue and found out I was going without X would she be concerned that she had failed me?”

For instance, would your mom be happy if you went two weeks without a toothbrush? Or a bottom sheet for your bed?  

You get the idea.  

Make a list of the necessities. Once you have done that, you can start to think about what you can do to make the space yours.  

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Does it give you joy?

Marie Kondo knows what she is talking about. Clutter is your enemy in a dorm room. You won’t be able to find anything and, if you have one, your roommate will probably resent you.  

You do want comfort items there, though. There will be nights when you will feel homesick. There will be times when you will want to do something other than study – something that, well, gives you joy.  

Make sure you can.  

If you are sporty, pack that football. Like to draw? Get the art supplies in the box. Are you a reader? Yes, grab some favorite books.  

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Time to make new memories

Finally, leave yourself a little space to add. Don’t pack your clothes, for instance. You’ll want to buy a hoodie with the school’s name on it, right?  

You’re just not going to know what new joy you might find during what is, truly, a magical year.    

And, at the end of the year, come back to MoveBuddy for tips on finding your first shared apartment!  

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