Products needed for dorm living include daily grooming items such as soap and other toiletries and towels. Take items for your bed such as extra-long, twin-size sheets, blankets, pillows and pillow cases. For clothes, take hangers, a hamper, a small laundry basket and detergent. Include a small trash can, a desk lamp and an alarm clock. Pack enough clothes to get you through to a laundry day and only those appropriate for the weather. For instance, take summerlike clothes home during fall break to exchange for a winter coat and sweaters.
Keep in mind that dorm rooms don't have much space, so limit larger items. Instead of a stereo, use a portable music player or laptop, for instance. Open-coil appliances such as toasters, hot plates, popcorn poppers and portable grills are often not allowed in residence halls, so check the school's requirements before including such items. Check with your roommate to avoid duplicating larger items like televisions, DVD players, microwaves and small refrigerators, if they're allowed.
Many classes require more than one book. A backpack helps you tote materials for several courses at once. Portable laptop computers help with homework and can double as televisions and stereos to allow more space in dorm rooms. Having a personal computer allows students to research and write without having to work around a computer lab's schedule. A flash drive, a storage device that plugs into a computer, adds even more flexibility and helps prevent loss of papers and photos due to computer hardware problems. Even with a laptop, you should have ample pens and paper, pencils, a stapler, paper clips and highlighters.
Many schools suggest students buy books when signing up for classes. If you need to save money, look carefully at which books are required and which are "recommended." Buying only required texts can save money. Check for used books at online and other off-campus book stores for lower prices. Save your receipt for course materials. If you drop a class before a certain date, some schools will pay full price for texts in new condition.