You are getting ready to pack and move into college. But, do you know what not to bring to college?
Save space by leaving these items at home and bring only the essentials.
I wished I had this guide in freshman year because I definitely brought way more than I needed. My things overflowed the top of my closet and under my desk.
Plus, I was living in a triple which meant even tighter spaces and areas to put my items. I ended up not using even half of what I brought and move-out day was a chore.
Pack smarter and lighter by getting rid of these items.
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What NOT to Bring to College
What Not To Bring To College: School Supplies
Ok, hear me out. Maybe bring a small pencil pouch of pens, pencils, and some highlighters, but don’t bring all your school supplies.
I’m an avid school supplies lover, so I brought almost all of my colored pens, fun erasers, sticky notes, highlighters, and craft supplies.
This was a HUGE mistake. I did not even touch most of the things I brought because there was no need.
Almost all the assignments are on your laptop and there was the occasional paper essay.
Limit your school supplies to a small box, so you don’t overpack. In my fourth year, (yes I still live on campus), I only brought a small pencil pouch of my favorite colored pens, highlighters, and a few pencils.
You do not need to bring many pens or pencils to be honest since you will be able to get a bunch of them for free. There are a ton of clubs, organizations, and resource centers that provide free pens.
If you prefer to take handwritten notes, (which I do too), I have switched over from notebooks to printer paper. Scratch paper is so much better to jot down notes or graphs in clear spaces.
There’s just something about wide spaces that makes notes easier to read and digest. Plus, you don’t need to lug a heavy notebook for each class.
What Not To Bring To College: Pillows
You might want to bring one or two, but don’t go overboard on pillows. Remember, it’s a twin xl bed, not a queen-size bed.
I remember bringing like a dozen pillows (a backrest, two sleeping pillows, a long pillow for hugging, three smaller pillows, and some stuffed toys) my freshman year and it took over all of my bunk.
I indeed love cuddling with my pillows when I go to sleep, but sometimes it can get annoying when you turn and there’s like no room because it’s filled with pillows.
Go easy with your pillows and bring only what you need.
You don’t want to be throwing your pillows on the floor because dorm room carpets or floors are nasty.
Save yourself the trouble and leave your bazillion pillows at home.
And, if you live out of state, just buy pillows on campus and save space in your luggage.
What Not To Bring To College: Kitchen Appliances
Do not bring a set of pots and pans or large kitchen appliances to college.
You want to communicate with your suitemates and dorm mates about what to bring. It would be a disaster if you guys all brought a set of pots and pans.
Plus, you probably won’t be able to cook anyways since you would be living in a dorm the first year.
Rest assured as you would be going in and out of the dining halls all day.
Don’t bring any large blenders, pots, pans, or bulky cooking items because you will not need them in your dorm.
What Not To Bring To College: Too Many Clothes
Clothes are a necessity, I know. Don’t overpack or bring too much because you will have a small closet to hold your items.
If you go home often or go home each season, then leave most of your clothes at home. Instead, bring one or two seasons’ worth of clothes to college.
Then, each time you go home, swap your past-season clothes with your in-season clothes.
If you don’t wear a certain shirt at home, don’t expect that you will suddenly start wearing that in college. Pack clothes that you wear often and not in the back of your closet.
And don’t worry about not having enough shirts to wear. During the first week of college orientation, there will be a ton of tents set up for clubs and organizations. They will be giving out free shirts for students to join or get into the school spirit.
You will also probably buy a sweatshirt or hoodie from your college shop with your college on it.
Remember to do your laundry consistently because I know how lazy busy you can get in college. Don’t be plunging through your piles of dirty laundry and wash them consistently so you have fresh clothes to wear.
Not sure what clothes to pack for college? Check out What to Wear for College (13+ Wardrobe Essentials).
What Not To Bring To College: Candles
Do not bring candles to your dorm. They are often prohibited and can easily cause a fire.
Also, avoid bringing any incense or burning anything in your dorm to prevent any accidents.
You can bring fake candles or fairy lights instead of candles. If you want to have a scent, consider boiling a cup of cinnamon tea or coffee.
The last thing you want to do is to set your dorm and possibly the entire building on fire.
Leave the candles at home and look for alternative (and safe) items to substitute for candles.
What Not To Bring To College: Furniture
You do not need to bring chairs, tables, or any type of furniture to college.
This will only take up the space in your already tiny dorm. Your college will most likely provide you with a bed, desk, closet, chair, and dresser.
I brought a folding faux saucer chair and a rolling table my freshman year and it was a pain in the butt. When I moved in, I had to carry so many things and figure out where they should go in a tiny room shared with two roommates.
Then, when I moved out, I had to carry all of the stuff that I brought back home. It was such an exhausting event, but I became smarter after that experience.
Moving onwards, each year I packed smarter and smarter which made move-in and move-out a breeze.
Which is why-don’t bring any unnecessary items that will make your life harder.
What Not To Bring To College: Drawers
Ok, maybe you didn’t have this in mind, but if you were thinking of bringing small plastic drawers to college-just don’t.
Why? Because I’ve been there, done that.
I carried two sets of clear plastic drawers with five shelves each. It was used to store my different pens, sticky notes, stapler, staples, highlighters, and school supplies.
My other drawer held nail clippers, nail items, comb, hair ties, and hair supplies. It was totally unnecessary to bring the plastic drawers because I ended up not touching half of the things I brought.
I used like ten sticky notes in one quarter and barely did any hairstyles. The different scrunchies and fancy hair supplies that I brought were barely touched.
There was just no time or the motivation to do my hair since I had so many 8 am classes. All I wanted to do was to get an extra few minutes of sleep.
Don’t bring drawers so you can eliminate more of the small items that go along with them.
What Not To Bring To College: Pets
You probably can get away with a small fish tank and a fish, but if you want your puppy, it might be a bit difficult.
Unless your pet has a special need to go with you to places and you have a doctor’s certification, it will be extremely difficult to have pets in your dorm.
If your pet aids you or provides emotional, mental, or physical support for you, you may be able to get them in.
However, be warned that it is extremely rare to see any puppies or kittens in my college.
Instead, you can video chat with your pets every so often to interact with them.
What Not To Bring To College: Arts and Crafts
Unless you are majoring in art or crafts, you do not want to be bringing markers, decorations, and craft supplies to your dorm.
It already is crowded, so you don’t want to bring even more items to take over space.
I recommend bringing a small set of colored pencils and a coloring book and that’s it. If you ever get stressed or exhausted from working all day, pull out some coloring pages to dwindle down and take a breather.
Trust me, you will barely touch any of your craft supplies once classes start. You will be too busy balancing your classes, social life, and work that making arts and crafts will be in the back of your mind.
I brought two bins of crafts and coloring supplies my first year because I thought I would be bored sometimes. And guess what?
I barely had any time to even touch or open the bins because I was swamped with attending classes, turning in assignments, going out with my friends, doing internships, and joining clubs it would be amazing if I had time to draw.
Your first year will be more hectic since you will be adjusting from high school to college so you want to spend more time getting accustomed to the workload, the campus, and making friends.
What To Bring To College: Reading Pillow
Instead of bringing a bunch of pillows, consider picking up a reading pillow.
I got one for freshman year and I haven’t looked back. It’s on my bed 24/7 and accompanied me all four years of college.
If you love to watch shows or read on your bed, then you should get a reading pillow. It provides way more back support than just stacking pillows behind your back.
Plus, you can also sleep on it to prop you up. Whenever I had a cold or got sick in college, a reading pillow was the best.
You won’t feel as congested or have as many headaches by sleeping in a propped- up position.
Do remember to remove the cover and throw it in the washer every couple of weeks to keep it clean. If it is non-removable, you can wipe it down and air dry it.
Interested in more college content? Check out Must-Have College Freshman Survival Kit.
What To Bring To College: Mini Fridge
It’s smart to leave your kitchen appliances at home, but some are more useful than others.
Store your drinks, leftovers, or breakfast foods in the fridge.
Check your college’s restrictions on electronics since most dorms allow fridges that are five cubic feet or smaller. It’s also smart to get one that is a safe UL-approved electrical system.
You don’t want all your electronics running and sucking up a bunch of energy from your building. Be cautious with your items and check that they are safe or energy- saving.
Plan ahead and check with your roommates so you don’t bring duplicate items. You don’t want to have three fridges or a bunch of microwaves taking up precious room space.
What To Bring To College: Microwave
If your college does not provide you with a microwave, communicate with your roommates about getting one.
It makes everything so much easier from popping popcorn to making ramen to heating up leftovers.
You should coordinate with your suite mates or check with your college to see if they provide one. Usually, there is a shared microwave in the common area, but if you prefer heating up food in the privacy of your own room, bring your microwave.
Make sure you aren’t getting a gigantic one, but a standard microwave with several functions.
Remember do not microwave any foil, parchment paper, or plastic wrap! I might have learned it the hard way since I did microwave foil in my dorm.
However, this is the time to learn! Be more independent and make mistakes so you can learn from them.
My roommates and I have set off the fire alarm several times from popping popcorn to heating up burritos, but we have learned to be more cautious.
What To Bring To College: Electric Hot Pot
Another useful cooking appliance is an electric hot pot. It’s a good idea to get a multi-functional appliance rather than packing a bunch of pots and pans.
Since you will be living in a dorm, it’s not practical to cook in your room. However, you can do it with an electric pot since you only need to plug it in.
Make sure you cook near the window so if there is a lot of steam, it won’t alert the fire alarm.
I had one towards the end of my first year and it was life-changing. It was so convenient to make and prep meals when I was too lazy and cold to walk to the dining halls.
Sometimes, I had late-night cravings, but all the dining halls were closed, so I just whip out my little pot.
Usually, I make simple meals like dumplings, fried potstickers, noodles, stir-fry, or soup.
It still amazes me to this day how many new recipes I invented just from a little pot and the ingredients that I had on hand.
What To Bring To College: Power Strip Surge Protectors
You definitely want to have power strips handy for your dorm. It will make your life so much easier.
Not only will you be able to charge a bunch of electronics, but also easily access them anywhere in your dorm.
I slept on the bunk in my first year and an extension cord was so helpful with charging my laptop when I didn’t want to climb down.
You won’t need to be plugging and unplugging from a single outlet anymore if you get an extension power strip.
Charge your phone, laptop, lamp, headphones, or anything all at once. You also want to check if you are getting the energy-saving type to help save more energy.
College should be a time of experiment and fun should relax and get ready to take it head on!
I was in your shoes a few years ago and I still remember the excitement of going to college. The summer before college, I was scrolling through videos, articles, and blogs about college life.
I skimmed through college checklists, what to pack, what not to pack, things to do, and how to succeed in college. As you go through this journey, I want to let you know to treasure this time and spend it to the best that you can.
College as cliche as it is will be finished in a blink of an eye. Use this time to explore all that you can, immerse yourself in opportunities, and don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone.
I wish this post was helpful and it makes you feel a bit better if you were anxious about going to college.
