Minimalist Packing List

There are lots of lists out there, and you probably have gotten a list from the college, but I have found that those lists tend to have TOO MUCH stuff on them, and too much=clutter lack of space.

My first tip is two-fold:

1. Sign up for your local Container Store College night event. Everything in the store will be 20% off, so even though it is generally a little pricey, the discount makes a lot of sense.
   
2. Make sure you do a "dry run" first. The store will be INSANE on the night of the sale, with a line leading out the door and down the block. If you spend time before the event making a list and picking out items, you will have a much less stressful experience. Also, the under-the-bed boxes always sell out first, but you can get a rain check to pick one up later if you know what you want.

Packing tips:

• Remember that you are not going to the ends of the earth! It won't be long until parents weekend, so they can bring you anything you have forgotten. There are also plenty of stores around campus, including the bookstore that supply frequently forgotten items.
  
• Don't rely on your parents to ship anything you need at a moment's notice. UPS/Fedex and the US Mail may deliver swiftly, but the college mailroom can take a week or more to deliver to your mailbox.
  
• Many items you need can be pre-ordered at a local store and picked up at a “sister” store at the college.  Best Buy, Bed Bath & Beyond, etc.  allow students to shop locally and have it available at the store nearest to your college campus. Any prescriptions should be sent to a CVS or Rite Aid so that they can be renewed locally.
  
• Communicate with your roommate beforehand so you don't duplicate large items like refrigerators, microwaves or fans.
  
• Do not overpack clothing... cold weather gear can be picked up at Thanksgiving, so just bring one coat and waterproof boots for unseasonable weather. There won't be a lot of storage space, and initially less is more.
  
• Bed Risers can be helpful to create more room for storage under the bed, but many schools have beds that have adjustable heights, so check before you buy them!
  
• Clothing: Plan on bringing as much underwear as you have because you will probably not be doing laundry weekly. Start out with a very limited wardrobe. You can always add items after Parent's weekend and Thanksgiving. The less you have, the less you have to keep track of.
  
• Finally: Pack with a view to what you will have to do at the end of the year. Shipping back and forth is expensive, so look into storage places in the area so you don't have to bring things back and forth. Or hire a service that packs up, stores and delivers to your new dorm in the fall (expensive, but it can be worth it for the stress reduction!)

At the end there is a cute video of 10 items to take with you... but here is the essentials list:

The Minimalist Packing List: These items are essential

Electronics

Surge Protector
Desk lamp or bedside Lamp
Laptop Computer, case, carrying bag (if you can afford a computer, it will be convenient to have. If you can't bring lots of thumb drives)
Printer and ink (unless you get free/cheap printing on campus)
thumb drives
Alarm clock/Radio (or Iphone/Ipod dock), Headphones (good for privacy)

Desk Items (most can be bought on campus)

pens and pencils, highlighters, scissors, tape, stapler, notebooks, post it notes
Dry erase calendar/board

Things for your room

Hangers (bring more than you think you will need... drawer space is limited)
Coat Rack (a great place to throw clothing to get it off the floor when your parents visit)
Trash can
Plastic cup, plate and bowl, fork, knife, spoon, coffee cup, ziplock bags, dish soap, paper towels, trash bags
Toolkit
Milk crates or storage cubes
Under the bed storage
Adhesive hooks, tacky adhesive, mounting tape
Bedding (sheets, pillowcases, pillows, towels, mattress pad, blankets, bed cover)
Laundry items (Basket or bag, detergent)
Sleeping bag for guests, (or if you are sexiled)
Broom and dustpan or small vacuum
Sewing kit
Small/Medium duffel bag for coming home

Personal care items

Cosmetics and toiletries including soap case, and toothbrush case (cases can help to keep things clean)
Shower tote, Shower sandals, bathrobe or large towel
First aid kit, vitamins, personal medicine

Good to have

Compact umbrella (also consider rain boots)
Flashlight

These items are nice to have (but check with your roommate first):

Compact Refrigerator
Coffeemaker or electric kettle
Microwave

And here is the video: