This post is all about what not to bring to college dorm.

Moving off to college can be super overwhelming and usually requires you to buy a whole 'lotta stuff. But there are a few things you may think you need but will probably never use in the dorms. 

When I was packing up for school I truly thought I would need everything from home. Not only did this make packing so much harder, it also took up much needed room in my extremely small college dorm.

After learning from my mistakes on what not to bring to college, I am here to make sure you don't do the same thing! 

This post is all about what not to bring to college dorm.

What Not To Bring To College Dorm:

1. Too Many T-shirts

Luckily, I heard this tip before I moved in so I didn't over pack t-shirts. But, in case you haven't heard this yet don't pack too many t-shirts!

Just in general, pack less than you think you should. You will be shopping throughout the year and if you move in with no extra space, you'll have no where to put anything new. 

You might also constantly be getting new t-shirts and apparel at school from either greek life if you plan on going through recruitment at your school!

2. Pots And Pans

Unless you are dedicated to cooking your own meals and have a kitchen in your dorm definitely don't pack pots or pans. Even if your dorm has a community kitchen you must likely will never use it. 

I made the mistake of bringing a couple pans with the idea I would cook every once in a while and didn't use it once. Plus there is literally no where to store pans in a dorm room.

3. Real Kitchen Utensils + Plates 

Again, unless your dorm is suite style with a kitchen, you will absolutely never use real utensils and places. Trying to wash out dishes in a dorm bathroom sink is not only super gross but also just a huge hassle! 

Stick with plastic utensils that you can easily through away when you're done eating. I know that isn't the best for the environment, but you most likely won't be eating in your dorm that often anyways! I rarely ate in my dorm unless it was snacky things which never required utensils anyways 🙂 

4. Iron And Ironing Board

An iron and ironing board is definitely something you should not bring to your dorm. Ironing boards are super large and will take up a ton of space. Instead, invest in a mini steamer like this one! Not only is this a lot more storable it is also a lot less work. 

5. Large Suitcases

You will definitely want some kind of travel bag in your dorm to pack when you go home or on trips but a large suitcase is not necessary! I brought one my freshman year and it sat under my bed taking up a ton of room.

Instead, I would bring a duffel or a small suitcase for the times you travel. Duffels are especially nice because you can fold them up which limits the space it will take up in your dorm room. 

6. Printer And Ink

Almost every school has printers you can either use for free or pay a few cents to use. I had printers in my dorm building but almost all the libraries had ones that students could use. 

It might sound convenient to have one in your room but I found that bringing a printer is a waste of space and money. Have you seen how expensive printer ink is?! No thanks!

7. Candles

Unfortunately, most college dorm don't allow candles because they can be a fire hazard. This totally sucks but the good thing is there are a ton of other options to make your dorm room smell good.

I would suggest either a wax warmer or air fresheners. If you do decide on a wax warmer, double check that they are allowed in your dorm as well! 

8. Appliances

Double check the appliances your dorm comes with but for me I was given a mini fridge and microwave. You don't want to haul down a fridge just to realize there was one there already!

I also would not bring any type of cooking appliances like a hot pot. You wont use it and it probably isn't allowed in your dorm anyways.

But if you are a coffee lover I would 100% recommend a mini Keurig. These are allowed in dorms and will save you tons of money on Starbucks.

9. Anything Your Roommate Already Bought You Can Share

This one is pretty self explanatory but make sure to communicate with your roommate on what they have already bought. If they already plan on bringing something you can share like a vacuum, save your money! You can trade off buying certain essentials and just share.

I would definitely recommend talking to your roommate about who is going to purchase the big dorm room items as well. This includes: 

• Futon 
• TV 
• TV stand 
• Microwave 
• Mini fridge 
• Rug

These are just the bigger items I bought so you don't need to bring any of these things. Definitely check with your dorm to see if any of this comes with the room! 

10. Expensive Jewelry

Do not bring your real diamond earrings to school please!! I heard a ton of stories about girls who either lost their expensive jewelry at the bar, a frat house or got them stolen from their room. Keep your expensive jewelry at home and buy cheap dupes for school!

This post was all about what not to bring to college dorm.

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