The Most Commonly Forgotten Dorm Essentials

Packing is tricky. Moving is trickier. Packing and moving into a small space is the trickiest. Turning the key and stepping into your apartment at the Junction at College Station on move-in day is undoubtedly going to be an exciting experience. But before you get to that part, you have to pack up your boxes and load the car. While you’ve probably already received a list of advisable items to bring on your move-in day, the following is a look at a few of the more commonly forgotten items. This list is for the dorm and apartment essentials that are commonly missed but shouldn’t be. Items that will improve your comfort and effectiveness in the semester to come:

Forgotten Dorm Essentials You Definitely Should Plan to Pack

  • Extra set of sheets. In fact, make it more than one. One of the best of small joys is getting into a bed made up with fresh sheets. When you have a couple of extra sheets, that’s easier to do without having to go do laundry every other day. Plus, you never know when someone might stay the night or should you spill something on your sheets late at night, throwing on an extra sheet is ideal.
  • Old t-shirts and lounge clothes. You probably have a lot of advice saying pack only what you need clothing-wise. To keep things simple. Good words, but in your rush to downsize you also don’t want to forget about comfort and convenience. Old t-shirts and shorts can be ideal for lounging when you have in-home study sessions and when just hanging out in the Junction. Old commemorative t-shirts like from your volleyball team can also often come in handy at costume parties and similar situations in which having a scrap shirt on hand can really come in handy.
  • Get-better package. Being sick is hard enough but it’s doubly hard when you don’t have your family around to make you soup or run and grab medication at the store. So, what you want to do is grab that medication and comfort materials now so that you can have them on hand for those days when you feel like you can barely move. Start with the basics of Advil, Tylenol, or Ibuprofen and also consider cough drops, nasal spray, and, if you plan on drinking, electrolytes. If you’re feeling really ambitious, you might also hide some soup cans and comfort snacks in your Get Healthy stash as well.
  • Powerstrip. While we pride ourselves at having plenty of power outlets in just the right places in our college apartments, you probably have your own idea on what’s necessary. If you have a corded life with reliance on eBook readers, iPhones, PCs, GoPros, and other devices, then a powerstrip is a near necessity. For extra use, purchase one with a long cord that’s easy to pack up. This version of the powerstrip comes in handy when you go to study at a cafe or the library but can’t quite find a comfortable place near a power outlet. Get one with a good surge protector to help prevent electrical surges from destroying your devices.
  • Air freshening items. College life gets smelly. But that doesn’t mean it’s always in a bad way. Maybe your roommates use a lot of onions when cooking and you don’t like how the smell lingers in your room or the scent of the landscaping isn’t quite of your choosing. In any case, while bleach and other cleaners (Clorox cleaning wipes are an amazing product!) -are best for cleaning up and eliminating bad odors, air fresheners are ideal for bringing in desired scents. There are a ton of different types of products for this that range from traditional candles to room diffusers that utilize essential oils. Pick something you’re comfortable with now but experiment over the next couple months. Filling your bedroom and other living areas with good scents has actually been shown to improve both mood and productivity. But before moving those scents out of your personal space, check with your roommates and choose scents you all enjoy.
  • Noise-canceling headphones. Unless you absolutely love the sound of background noise, noise-canceling headphones are a 100% necessity. And yet, so many must-bring lists omit it! Your room at the Junction at College Station is well insulated but that doesn’t mean it is completely soundproofed. Investing in a good pair of noise-canceling headphones will help you relax and de-stress on days when it seems everyone else is on the move. They also can come in handy when you’re studying in a library, cafe, or park but don’t necessarily want to be distracted by a lot of noise.

Have Questions About Your New Apartment? Contact Us

We know how stressful moving in days can be which is why our team is here to help! Let us know if you have any questions about your new home!