Packing for college can be a stressful process. From finding a college packing list to figuring out how to decorate your dorm, moving to college is a process to say the least.
If you want to make living in a small dorm room easier and make the most of your freshman year of college, you won’t want to forget these unexpected college essentials. These are the college items and things to bring to college that you probably haven’t thought of, but will make your college life on campus way easier!
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This post is all about unexpected college essentials you probably haven’t thought to bring your freshman year of college!
Heading to college is both fun and nerve-racking. There are lots of things to bring to college and you might be stressing about forgetting things.
To prevent having to go out and get a bunch of forgotten items to make dorm living easier, I’ve compiled the ultimate list of unexpected college essentials and things to bring to college that you probably didn’t know you needed!
15 Unexpected College Essentials to Add to Your College Packing List Now!
#1 Personal Safe
A safe is one of the most important, yet unexpected college essentials you shouldn’t forget to bring with you. People are always moving about the dorms and residence hall. It’s hard to know who your roommate is allowing to come and go and who is actually trustworthy when you first get to college.
There will also likely be times when you forget to lock your dorm room door, leaving your dorm susceptible to theft. Get a safe to store under your bed and put your valuable electronics and documents in it when you’re not in your room.
#2 Space-Saving Hangers
Of all the things on the list of unexpected college essentials, this one is a game-changer. Grabbing space-saving hangers before you head off to college will make the dorm move-in process way easier and will maximize your closet space.
You’ll be able to stack clothes on these hangers, making them incredibly convenient to store clothes and organize your closet.
#3 Rain Gear
Next on the list of unexpected college essentials is an umbrella. I had my fair share of walks to class in the rain. I had to sit through several hours of classes soaking wet more than a few times.
If you don’t want that to happen to you, be smart and bring an umbrella and rain boots. It’ll save your clothes, laptop, shoes, socks, and bag from getting drenched on rainy days.
#4 Portable Charger
Once classes are in full swing, you’ll be on the go a lot. There were days when I had classes and a bunch of assignments, along with studying to complete. I wouldn’t go back to my dorm much these days and instead, spent most of my time in class and common areas doing work.
The difficult part is that outlets get taken fast and sometimes there won’t be any free charging stations or outlet spots for hours. A portable charger will come in handy during those days when you’re on the go.
#5 Wrinkle Releaser
Dorm rooms don’t leave much space for ironing boards. When you have a presentation or want to go out, you’ll want something that can get wrinkles out of your clothes quickly and efficiently.
Wrinkle releaser spray is one of the easiest ways to smooth your clothes without using an iron or steamer. It’s convenient to keep in your college dorm room and won’t take up much space at all.
#6 Light-Up Vanity Mirror
Another one of the tough parts of living in a college dorm is the bad lighting and communal bathrooms. If you wear makeup and want to get ready, you’ll have to deal with getting ready in the communal bathrooms with limited counter space and bad lighting or get ready in your dorm.
I’d always get ready in my dorm. Having a light-up mirror made it way easier to do my makeup well and get ready for my day and going out.
#7 First Aid Kit
A first aid kit is one of those things you probably don’t think about. You’re likely used to having band-aids and everything you need for aches and pains stocked up and handy at your house.
But when you’re at college, I doubt you’ll want to walk all the way to the health center for every scrape you get. A first aid kit is always smart to have on hand in case of an emergency.
#8 Blackout Curtains
Dorms often don’t come with curtains, and if they do they don’t block much light. Without curtains, you risk disrupting your sleep. There will be plenty of late nights studying and going out in college.
You don’t want to have to wake up at the crack of dawn every morning because the sun is pouring into your window after a long night. Blackout curtains and no-drill curtain rod brackets are the perfect solution to help you get better sleep and be able to stay asleep longer while living in your dorm room.
#9 Going Out Shoes
Another item to add to your college packing list that you might not think of is going out shoes. I hate to break it to you, but your shoes will get trashed going out to parties.
Between sticky frat house floors, trash, mud, rain, and alcohol, your shoes will go through a lot on nights out. You should get a designated pair of shoes to wear to parties so you don’t have to worry about getting them dirty.
#10 Foldable Drying Rack
Another one of those unexpected college essentials you might’ve forgotten is a foldable drying rack. These come in handy to dry leggings and other delicate items in your room rather than sending them through the dryer.
This can also come in handy if all the dryers are full and you don’t want to wait for one to open up after washing your clothes.
#11 Slippers
I brought every pair of shoes except slippers when I went off to college and immediately regretted it. Walking on your dorm floors isn’t the same as walking on the floors of your house.
Dorm floors are pretty gross, with years worth of who knows what ground into the carpets and dorm hallways. Make sure to bring a pair of slippers to put on whenever you’re just chilling in your dorm or need to walk to the bathroom.
#12 Dehumidifier Bags
If you want to prevent your college dorm room from getting musty, dehumidifier bags are a must. They’ll soak up excess moisture in the air as it warms up throughout the year.
A lot of times they won’t turn the heat off in the dorms even when it starts to get warm, which means you’ll have your window open a lot. At least this is what we did. But, that meant a lot of outside air and moisture coming into our room on humid days.
Dehumidifier bags don’t take up much space in your dorm and will keep your dorm smelling fresher.
#13 White Noise Machine
Dorms can get noisy, especially on Friday and Saturday nights when everyone is going out. A white noise machine can drown out chatter and make it easier to sleep. It’s honestly a lifesaver in the dorms.
It’ll drown out the noise and help you sleep in after late nights out or long nights studying.
#14 Clear Bag
If you plan to go to college football games, you’ll want to bring a clear bag to college. This will make going through stadium security way easier.
Get a small clear bag to carry with you on game days so you can come prepared to college game day with all your game day essentials, yet won’t get hung up in the stadium security line.
#15 Keurig
Last on the list of unexpected college essentials is a Keurig. If you’re a coffee drinker, this will be a game-changer. You can keep one of these in your dorm to have on hand in the morning.
If you’re not hungry but want coffee, you don’t have to stop at the dining hall or make a coffee shop run. It’ll save you money and time!
Let us know if you think of any other unexpected college essentials to make college life easier. These college essentials are things you probably won’t think to add to your college packing list, but should definitely remember if you want to make the most of living in your dorm room and your time as a college student.
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