Move-in days for college students are just weeks away. Your first-year student will need a lot of things to set up is home away from home in his dorm.

It may seem like just last week your student walked across the stage to get their high school diploma, but summer is going by fast and college life will soon be upon them.

There are a lot of things your student will need for living on campus and being away from home as a young adult.

The collegeboard.org website provides the following helpful checklists to make sure students have everything they need for their first year at college.

One helpful time -and money-saving hint: buy some of these items after move-in day to save on packing time and shipping costs. Also, once in their dorm, students have a better idea of what they can fit into their room and what they may be able to share with their roommate.

Depending on how far away from home your student is going, it might make sense to pack for one season at a time and switch items when they come home during breaks.

Room Needs/Storage

• Bedside lamp
• Alarm clock/clock radio
• Mini trash can
• Storage bins
• Under-the-bed storage trays
• Desk lamp
• Fan
• Drying rack for laundry
• Bulletin board and pushpins
• Dry-erase wall calendar/board
• Mini toolkit (including screwdriver, hammer, wrench)
• Picture hangers (double-sided tape for concrete walls)

Linens/Laundry Supplies

• Sheets and pillowcases (2 sets. Check with college for size needed — some college twin beds are extra long.)
• Towels (3 each of bath, hand and face)
• Pillows (2)
• Mattress pad (check with college for size needed)
• Blankets (2)
• Comforter/bedspread
• Clothes hangers
• Laundry bag/basket
• Laundry detergent, fabric softener and stain remover
• Lint brush
• Mini sewing kit

Office/Desk Supplies

• Electronic storage media such as memory cards and USB flash drives
• Stapler and staples
• Printer paper (if you decide to bring a printer)
• Pens and pencils
• Pencil holder and sharpener
• Notebooks
• Folder with pockets
• Labels of various sizes
• 3 × 5 index cards
• Sticky notes
• Paper clips and binder clips
• Rubber bands
• Tape
• Scissors
• Highlighter pens (multiple colors)
• Ruler
• Stackable desk trays (at least 4)
• Stamps and envelopes

Electronics

• Laptop (printer is optional; there are usually computer labs where you can print)
• Portable speakers (if you want to play music from laptop/MP3 player)
• HDMI cord, Ethernet cord for computer (check if your room has wireless)
• Surge protector
• Extension cords
• 3-2 prong adapters
• MP3 player
• Headphones
• Camera
• Cell phone

Shared Items — Check with roommate(s)

• Audio equipment
• TV and DVD player
• Coffeemaker/hot pot/microwave, if allowed
• Small refrigerator (if one isn’t provided)
• Area rug
• Posters/art

Toiletries

• Antacid
• Aspirin or other pain relievers
• Vitamins
• Antidiarrheal medicine
• Adhesive bandages, antibiotic ointment
• Cough drops
• Shower caddy
• Shower shoes (flip-flops)
• Shampoo and conditioner
• Hairstyling products
• Bath and face soap
• Travel soap container(s)
• Toothpaste and toothbrush
• Dental floss
• Comb/brush
• Tweezers
• Nail clippers
• Hair dryer/straightener/curling iron
• Razor and shaving cream
• Lotion and/or facial moisturizer
• Cotton swabs

Clothing

• Underwear
• Socks
• Pants/jeans
• Shirts/blouses
• Sweats
• Pajamas
• Slippers and/or flip-flops
• Sweaters
• Light/heavy jackets
• Gloves/scarf/hat (and other foul-weather gear as needed)
• 1 pair of boots
• 2 pairs of sneakers or comfortable/walking shoes
• 1 set of business-casual clothes
• 1 pair of dress shoes
• 1 swimsuit

Household and Kitchen Items

• Paper towels
• Trash bags
• Lightbulbs
• All-purpose cleaner
• Plastic storage bags
• Food-storage containers
• Dish soap
• Wet wipes
• Tissues
• Bowl, plate and cup
• Coffee mug
• Water bottle
• Silverware
• Can/bottle opener

Miscellaneous

• Umbrella
• Backpack
• Sports equipment