How to Pack for College
Pack your clothing., Recommended college clothing., Pack at least one versatile formal outfit., Take along sports clothing., Take helpful clothing care accessories., Put together the laundry essentials.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Pack your clothing.
Dorm rooms typically have limited space, and usually you cannot bring as much as you could fit in your childhood bedroom.
Try to limit your clothing to three weeks worth of clothes suited to the season.
Also, it makes moving out at the end of term much more manageable.
Focus on ways to make one piece of clothing work many ways.
For instance, jeans that goes with nearly everything in your wardrobe is more desirable than a great pair of pants that really only goes with one shirt.
Travel packing advice is often a good source of information about maximizing a limited wardrobe. -
Step 2: Recommended college clothing.
You are working with limited space, but also want to have a wardrobe ready for the freshman mixer, your internship, going to class, and so on.
Here are some recommendations.
A tailored jacket (both for men and for women) will always be useful as it can serve both casual and dressed-up outfits.
It looks polished, layers for warmth, and is more mature than a hoodie.
At a minimum, pack four base items (pants, capris, skirts, shorts), six tops that match at least three of the base items, three warm layers (a sweater, cardigan, blazer, thermal top, etc.), 1 dress (for women) and four pairs of shoes (three casual, one professional).
Use accessories to change the look of your clothes.
Think wraps, scarves, ties, bags, belts, jewelry, etc.
In this area women are more likely to have greater choices but both men and women can alter the look of an outfit with accessories.
Have a winter coat, but if possible, hold off on bulky winter items.Depending where you go to school, be prepared for unseasonably cold weather.
But sweaters, thick sweatshirts, and the like take a lot of room.
Many students chose to bring late summer items home during winter break and switch them for cold weather items. , Although ideally this is one outfit, it may be two.
Be sure one is more conservative (such as for a job interview) and the other outfit is for evening occasions (such as a date).
You never know when you will have to dress up for a religious event with a new friend, go to a job or internship interview, or eat out at a fancy restaurant.
For women, consider a sheath dress, which can be "dressed down" for a date and with a nice blazer be ready for an interview.
Another good combination is a skirt and formal top, which can be mixed and matched within your wardrobe.
Men should have one tailored pair of pants, one dress shirt and tie.
All of these items also go well with other wardrobe pieces. , Always include a swimsuit if you have one, whether or not you swim regularly.
And take along whatever sports clothing you use regularly, whether athletic gear or team sports.
You may also want to consider bringing some sports equipment.
Many colleges have great sporting facilities to use and intramural teams to play on.
A tennis racket, football, or cleats may come in handy.
Then again, it might be easier to wait until you're there and buy or hire equipment as you determine what sport you'll participate in. , Investigating what will make the most of wardrobe space is never wasted time.
Look for things like hanging shoe racks and pants hangers which accommodate five pairs of pants at a time.
Vacuum bags can be a great way to store sweaters and other bulky winter items until needed later.
And speaking of clothes hangers, make sure that the dorm room has some or be prepared to either take your own or purchase them when you arrive. , Keeping clothing clean might not cross your mind when packing but it's one of the realities of college dormitory life! Here are some suggestions which you can pack or purchase on arrival:
Laundry detergent or the more portable detergent tablets.
If you prefer eco-friendly or sensitive skin types of detergent, purchase these and label them clearly so that they don't get used by other people if you accidentally leave them behind.
Bleach, if you use it.
Dryer sheets.
You do not likely have to pack them, as these are available at any grocery store.Again, if you use them.
It's also possible to make your own.
A few rolls of quarters for the washing and drying machines.
Quarters are in high demand on college campuses. (Collapsible) laundry basket, laundry bag or pop-up hamper.
If you decide to bring along a laundry bag, decide whether or not a mesh bag will be sturdy enough for the amount of laundry you use.
Although strong enough for average loads of laundry, a large amount of clothing could rip the mesh.
A thick cloth one could be a better alternative.
A dryer rack.
Save money and energy air-drying clothing when possible. -
Step 3: Pack at least one versatile formal outfit.
-
Step 4: Take along sports clothing.
-
Step 5: Take helpful clothing care accessories.
-
Step 6: Put together the laundry essentials.
Detailed Guide
Dorm rooms typically have limited space, and usually you cannot bring as much as you could fit in your childhood bedroom.
Try to limit your clothing to three weeks worth of clothes suited to the season.
Also, it makes moving out at the end of term much more manageable.
Focus on ways to make one piece of clothing work many ways.
For instance, jeans that goes with nearly everything in your wardrobe is more desirable than a great pair of pants that really only goes with one shirt.
Travel packing advice is often a good source of information about maximizing a limited wardrobe.
You are working with limited space, but also want to have a wardrobe ready for the freshman mixer, your internship, going to class, and so on.
Here are some recommendations.
A tailored jacket (both for men and for women) will always be useful as it can serve both casual and dressed-up outfits.
It looks polished, layers for warmth, and is more mature than a hoodie.
At a minimum, pack four base items (pants, capris, skirts, shorts), six tops that match at least three of the base items, three warm layers (a sweater, cardigan, blazer, thermal top, etc.), 1 dress (for women) and four pairs of shoes (three casual, one professional).
Use accessories to change the look of your clothes.
Think wraps, scarves, ties, bags, belts, jewelry, etc.
In this area women are more likely to have greater choices but both men and women can alter the look of an outfit with accessories.
Have a winter coat, but if possible, hold off on bulky winter items.Depending where you go to school, be prepared for unseasonably cold weather.
But sweaters, thick sweatshirts, and the like take a lot of room.
Many students chose to bring late summer items home during winter break and switch them for cold weather items. , Although ideally this is one outfit, it may be two.
Be sure one is more conservative (such as for a job interview) and the other outfit is for evening occasions (such as a date).
You never know when you will have to dress up for a religious event with a new friend, go to a job or internship interview, or eat out at a fancy restaurant.
For women, consider a sheath dress, which can be "dressed down" for a date and with a nice blazer be ready for an interview.
Another good combination is a skirt and formal top, which can be mixed and matched within your wardrobe.
Men should have one tailored pair of pants, one dress shirt and tie.
All of these items also go well with other wardrobe pieces. , Always include a swimsuit if you have one, whether or not you swim regularly.
And take along whatever sports clothing you use regularly, whether athletic gear or team sports.
You may also want to consider bringing some sports equipment.
Many colleges have great sporting facilities to use and intramural teams to play on.
A tennis racket, football, or cleats may come in handy.
Then again, it might be easier to wait until you're there and buy or hire equipment as you determine what sport you'll participate in. , Investigating what will make the most of wardrobe space is never wasted time.
Look for things like hanging shoe racks and pants hangers which accommodate five pairs of pants at a time.
Vacuum bags can be a great way to store sweaters and other bulky winter items until needed later.
And speaking of clothes hangers, make sure that the dorm room has some or be prepared to either take your own or purchase them when you arrive. , Keeping clothing clean might not cross your mind when packing but it's one of the realities of college dormitory life! Here are some suggestions which you can pack or purchase on arrival:
Laundry detergent or the more portable detergent tablets.
If you prefer eco-friendly or sensitive skin types of detergent, purchase these and label them clearly so that they don't get used by other people if you accidentally leave them behind.
Bleach, if you use it.
Dryer sheets.
You do not likely have to pack them, as these are available at any grocery store.Again, if you use them.
It's also possible to make your own.
A few rolls of quarters for the washing and drying machines.
Quarters are in high demand on college campuses. (Collapsible) laundry basket, laundry bag or pop-up hamper.
If you decide to bring along a laundry bag, decide whether or not a mesh bag will be sturdy enough for the amount of laundry you use.
Although strong enough for average loads of laundry, a large amount of clothing could rip the mesh.
A thick cloth one could be a better alternative.
A dryer rack.
Save money and energy air-drying clothing when possible.
About the Author
Theresa Fisher
Experienced content creator specializing in pet care guides and tutorials.
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