The Everyday Girl’s College Packing List for Freshman Year
The Everyday Girl’s College Packing List for Freshman Year
August 3, 2021
Packing for college can feel like an overwhelming task, you’ve lived with your parents for 18 years of your life and now it’s time to up and go. So what the heck do you bring?
The scrapbook from 4th grade? Your beloved stuffed animals? Five decor pillows or three?
I was an over-packer in college, but truthfully I loved it. I was prepared for a lot of situations and if someone else needed something I was ready to share it. So I’ve compiled a free downloadable list and really trimmed it down to make sure you’re only bringing what you need.
The list has been broken down into categories like Dorm Room, Beauty & Hygiene, School Supplies, Cleaning & Laundry, and a few more miscellaneous items you might find yourself needed throughout your freshman year of college.
Here are three things to do before starting your packing list for college:
1. Look at your college dorm or apartment layout
Each dorm or apartment looks different. Head to your school’s website and look at the layout of your dorm room, look for pictures of the room, see what furniture is provided, and think about your storage situation. Do you have a dresser? Do you have a closet? Are you going to hang a majority of your clothes? Is there enough storage? Do you need to get storage containers for under your bed? If so, what size fits best?
The layout of your room will determine what to bring, what your storage situation looks like, and looking at it ahead of time will help you keep it from feeling too crowded.
2. Check out OCM.com and see if buying some of your items in a bundle or value pack is the right fit for you
Companies like OCM.com provide value paks for many of the essentials you’ll use in your dorm, like linens, mattress pad, towels, clip-on fan, etc. 1,000+ schools partner with OCM, click here to see if your school is on the list. I personally used it my freshman year of college and found it so worth it! Sometimes buying these items through a value pack will save you money instead of buying everything at Target.
3. When packing your clothes, think about how often you’ll come home
Are you going to school out of state? Or are you closer to home? Can you see yourself going back home before Thanksgiving and Christmas? Answering these questions will help you pack for your first semester and ensure you have enough clothes to last. Think about your daily style, what you’re most likely to wear to class, outfits for the weekend, what you’ll work out in, and what you’ll sleep in.
If you go home a little more often you can always bring clothes back you may have forgotten. If you’re farther away pack a few things to last you until Thanksgiving or Christmas and when you’re next home bring back your things for winter.
Don’t stress too hard about packing, if you forget something Amazon is always a click away, and who knows maybe a friendship will start because of something you forgot. And remember some of these things might be unnecessary for you or you may want to add to the list, adjust as needed!
Check out this free downloadable packing list for your Freshman year of college to make sure you’re bringing all of the essentials!
