Dorm Packing List

I lived in a dorm during my freshman year at the University of Texas at Austin, and had 

such a great experience! Here are some of my essentials (+ links to most of them!)

Notes:

• All of my packing guides are free to print!
• I lived in a suite, so my room and another room shared a private bathroom and shower.
• My travel parameters were that when I moved, I drove from home to school, so I didn’t have any luggage restrictions other than what could fit in my car.
• I go to school in Texas and it’s pretty warm most of the year, so I didn’t include a ton of winter gear in my packing list!
  • I recommend looking into the climate of your school, then adjusting and adding extra items in the “Other” section of the packing list.
• Take it with a grain of salt! This is what worked for me, but if you feel I am missing something or would like to see other items feel free to message me in the “Contact” section of my website!

Things my dorm came with:

• Mini fridge
• Microwave
• Desk + chair
• Private bathroom (sink, shower, toilet, etc.)
• Shower curtain
  

WHAT TO BRING

Extension Cords were really important since dorm 

rooms tend to only have 2-3 outlets

Drawer organizers like these from Amazon were my lifesavers in my dorm since I only had one small dresser, and had to keep all of my items compact and organized!

Athletic apparel was my number one clothing of choice (and it honestly still is)! 

With long walks to classes and running around campus, I am always 

on the go and I can never go wrong with athletic gear!

My favorite athletic brands:

• For Athleisure Sets: Alo Yoga “muse” collection
• For Tanks: Free People Movement “happiness runs” collection
• For Long-Sleeved tops: Lululemon “swiftly tech” line

Three-Tier Cart - this three-tier cart from The Container Store was by far my best

 dorm room purchase. It was perfect to store my makeup, stationery, and mugs

 for easy access (while taking up as little space as possible).

A FEW costume items are essential for costume parties and sorority work week, you can

 find my favorites under the “What NOT to Bring” section LOL!

WHAT NOT TO BRING

Too many costume items - As much as I love a good theme party, costume 

clothes take up a lot of space for a one-time outfit. 

I would recommend getting versatile items like this fringe skirt from Amazon, this animal print top from Aritzia, and some cute animal ears like these from Amazon. These are all items from my own closet that I’ve used for various events from sorority bid day to Halloween parties!

Too many pillows - As a pillow-lover myself, this one hurts my heart! However, as much as I loved having many accent pillows, my twin XL bed was not built for that. I recommend bringing one pillow to sleep with and two small accent pillows like these from Amazon.

Expensive jewelry - As much as I love my vintage jewelry, it wasn’t practical for me to keep it around in my college dorm. I recommend bringing a few daily pieces, along with some cheap, but classy, earrings like these from Amazon.

I hope this guide is helpful to you, and good luck moving into your dorm! If you have any questions regarding college or the moving process, feel free to message me in the “Contact” section of my website. Love y’all!! 

xx, Sanjana