Here’s Your College Packing List

3 min readJul 14, 2021

High school senior photographer, senior guy, college life, guy styles, dress shirt with blue jeans and dress shoes

ARE YOU READY FOR A QUICK COLLEGE LIST?

I created this college packing list with 5 easy tips to get you packin’. It’ll get you excited + feeling more prepared to pack up and hit the open road towards dorm life {tiny dorm life}.

Summer time for graduating seniors is spending time with their friends, having college orientation, and gathering all the goods that will make the trip to college.

Target + Bed, Bath, & Beyond start filling their shelves for college shoppers in mid-to-late July. I’ll be sending out my Ultimate College Packing List to my Sparkle Note subscribers. the first week in August. It has everything you can think of to pack in the family truckster.

But if you’re a little like me, and you want to eeeease into this college chapter in little bite-size-oreo chunks…

Annnnnd…This is how we do it 🎤🎧

This week I have a list of 5 college packing tips
Next comes the 10 ways to save money when college shopping
Then in August, for Sparkle Noters, the Ultimate Packing List

college life, dorm life, packing for college, college shopping

NOW, THE TOP 5 TIPS FOR YOUR COLLEGE PACKING LIST

1/ PACKING SUPPLY LIST::

Bankers Boxes
Few Larger Boxes
Drawer units, storage boxes
Mover’s stretch plastic wrap
Label system or thick-tip Sharpie
Trash bags
Wheeled duffle or suitcases

2/ MAXIMIZE YOUR OUTFITS::

Create your “extra looks” by adding layers such as a jacket/sweater/vest or accessory for quick + easy looks day-to-day.

Use the trash bags to cover clothes {poke small hole on non-open end & slip the trash bags over clothes on hangers.}
For school supplies, coffee maker, desk lamp…use the banker boxes {stack easy in the car}
Wrap any odd-shaped things in the plastic stretch wrap to keep from getting dinged or dirty
Label it up! Dorm name, room #, name. If you have upper classmen to help empty your car, you want to be sure your stuff ends up where you do.

3/ ODDS & ENDS + FUN STUFF::

This is a big change! Make your space…YOUR space

Fun desk things: post-its, fav pens, phone charger, photos…
Student necessities:: portable phone charger, cool new phone case, key ring mace spray, comfy sneakers, fav snacks…
Scroll Pinterest for ideas to decorate your walls

4/ SHOE-STRING BUDGET SHOPPING::

Pick up cute styles similar to Anthropologie, Free People, BP + others on a shoe-string budget at Forever 21
Target Dollar Section:: They swap out seasonally and typically follow the school calendar
Look online for textbook deals through B&N, Amazon book rentals, campus bookstore