With all the hustle and bustle that comes with packing up and moving to college, sticking to a move-in checklist helps make the process a little bit easier. But what about the things that might not be “necessities,” but would definitely make your dorm or apartment experience a little bit better? Whether you’re a first-year experiencing dorm life for the first time, or a senior living in an off-campus apartment, here’s five must-haves that might’ve missed the move-in checklist!
Over-the-Door Shoe Organizer
Living in a dorm or apartment often means you’ve got to get creative about maximizing space, and a great way to do that is an over-the-door shoe organizer! Whether you’re trying to make more space in your closet, keep pairs of shoes from cluttering your floor or simply organize odds and ends, an over-the-door shoe organizer is the perfect solution. It automatically makes your room feel less cluttered and messy, and it eliminates the need for taking up your floor or precious under-the-bed storage space.
Tower Power Strip
No matter where you call home during the academic year, we can all agree on one thing: there are never enough eletrical outlets. A tower power strip multiplies the electrical outlets at your disposal, takes up less floor space than a regular power strip and provides some added height for when you’re trying to charge your phone or your laptop from your raised dorm bed. However, something to keep in mind as you’re shopping around for power strips is that only UL-listed grounded power strips with built-in fuse circuit breakers are permitted in University dorms, so be sure you’re reading the item descriptions closely!
String Lights/Lamps
Regardless of where you’re calling home this academic year, most bedrooms and common areas will have ceiling lights. But let’s be honest, ceiling lights are rarely (if ever) the vibe. Ceiling lights often cast the entire space in an unflattering light, plus it’s so bright. If you’re up late studying but your roommate wants to get some sleep, you need something dimmer that lights up just your side of the room. Lamps or string lights are the perfect solution! They’re not as bright as ceiling lights, they help make the space feel more cozy and you can easily find lighting that matches your aesthetic! (No halogen or multi-head floor lamps, though; they aren’t allowed in dorm rooms!)
Noise-Canceling Headphones
We’ll be real with you: campus life can get loud. Whether you’re chilling out in a dorm or hanging at an off-campus apartment, there’s always something going on nearby, and neighbors can be noisy! Noise-canceling headphones are a great way to help you tune out the noise, whether you’re trying to focus on schoolwork, watch your favorite TV show or just get some much-needed sleep.
Batteries
When you’re busy making sure you have things like sheets, towels, clothes and school supplies, it’s super easy to overlook something that’s not as top-of-mind as batteries, but you’ll need them more often than you think! Having a box of AA or AAA batteries tucked away in a desk drawer may be the difference between watching your favorite sports team or movie on TV and being forced to watch it on your laptop.
Making your on-campus home organized, comfortable and convenient is super important for keeping you happy and at ease during the academic year, so we hope this short list of items can help you accomplish just that!