What NOT To Bring to College – 15 Things You Don’t ACTUALLY Need!

This blog post is about what not to bring to college.

Going to college is an exciting milestone that requires lots of pre-planning!

If you are working on a college packing list, or just wondering what to bring to college, this post will show you exactly what NOT to bring to college 😉

So many college students, and especially freshmen who are starting their first year of college, pack so many unnecessary things that end up taking space in their dorms, while they are not really using them either.

If you don’t want to be part of these stats, keep reading this post to find out exactly what NOT to bring to college, and what you SHOULD bring to college as a college student 🙂

Let’s get started!

Note: This site contains affiliate links, view our disclaimer for more information.

WHAT NOT TO BRING TO COLLEGE

What items can you not have in your dorm?

Different colleges and universities have different requirements for prohibited items you can’t bring to your college dorm.

I recommend checking with your college what are the prohibited items you can’t bring, but usually, some colleges don’t allow you to bring:

Candles
Pets
Bed risers
Large appliances
Space heaters

Free Download

COLLEGE PACKING CHECKLIST

What NOT To Bring To College

1. Too many shoes

The first thing I know is a common mistake around freshmen college girls, is bringing wayyy too many shoes for college!

Usually, dorm rooms closets are so small, and dorm room storage space in general is very limited, so it will be hard finding place for too many pair of shoes.

What I recommend doing, is packing 1-2 pairs of shoes for everyday wear, 1 pair of shoes for parties, and 1 pair of running shoes/sneakers for working out (if you actually do work out).

2. Too many clothes

As I just said, the closet space in your dorm room is usually very limited. Packing too many clothes is going to take up all of your closet space, and make your dorm feel too full.

What I recommend doing, is going to college with fall-winter clothes, then when you are back home for Christmas switch out your fall clothes for winter clothes if needed, then on spring break if you are going home switch out your winter clothes for spring-summer clothes.

3. More than one set of sheets

Since most colleges has a washer and dryer, you can easily wash your sheets and bedding set at once in the morning, after a while put them in the dryer, and within just a few hours you have a fresh bedding set.

So I really don’t see the point of packing more than one set of sheets.

It will just take up space in your closet or in your dorm in general, and it’s really unnecessary.

4. Iron/Iron Board

An iron and an ironing board is really unnecessary when you can just get a mini steamer from Amazon, that takes up much less space, and is perfect for taking care of your clothes.

5. Candles

Most if not all dorms don’t allow burning candles, or burning anything in general.

So, if you want to make your dorm smell good, and can’t use candles, I recommend getting an electric oil diffuser or plug-in wall fresheners to make your dorm smell good.

6. Duplicates of shareable items

If you are sharing a dorm with a roommate, make sure you decide what each of you are bringing to share things.

For example, both of you don’t need to bring kitchen utensils or the same essentials, you both don’t need to bring microwaves, etc.

Just make sure that you are not bringing the same stuff, because you will be stuck with these stuff at least until the next time you’ll be going home for the holidays.

7. Appliances You Don't Need

Before you start buying stuff, make sure to check out what appliances comes with your dorm/apartment/etc.

For example, some dorms give you a mini fridge, or some also includes a microwave, so obviously you won’t need to buy that.

8. An Oversized TV

In my opinion, these days a TV isn’t a must for a dorm room, when you have a laptop/iPad/etc.

Buttt, if you still do want to bring a TV, just make sure it’s not big and definitely not oversized.

Dorm rooms are small, there’s not much space anyways, and you don’t want a TV to take too much of your space.

9. Valuable Items

Especially in dorms, it isn’t recommended to bring valuable items. Things can be stolen, lost, or just mainly stolen. So just to be safe, don’t bring valuable items, or stuff that you really need like a laptop or an ipad.

10. Too Many Cleaning Supplies

Some students go crazy with the cleaning supplies, because you are sure you are going to clean all day and need every single product.

But actually, you’ll only need a multi-purpose cleaner spray and a mini vacuum to keep things tidy and clean around your dorm.

11. Kitchen Gadgets You Won't Use

Although it could be tempting to bring everything to your dorm, try keeping things as simple as possible.

Every item takes up space, and as you probably know dorm rooms are small and low on surfaces.

I would suggest bringing a mini fridge (if your dorm doesn’t have one), and a microwave or an AirFryer if you are allowed.

Btw, if you are allowed to bring an AirFryer, I highly recommend doing so and even skipping a microwave. You can heat almost anything in an AirFryer too.

12. Bulky Luggage

One of the best college tips I can give you on what not to bring to college, is bulky luggage!

I recommend getting collapsible luggage when you are moving to your dorm, and then storing the collapsible luggage under your dorm bed/anywhere else.

13. Excessive decor

When planning and designing your dorm room, make sure you are not filling up your dorm with too much decor.

As we talked about previously, dorm rooms are usually small, and too much decorations in a small space can definitely look overwhelming and even chaotic.

Try going more minimal, and not bring too many decorations.

Especially don’t go crazy with decor accents, since you won’t have much surface space to put them on.

14. Anything that creates clutter

In addition to what I just talked about, another reminder that dorms are small!

Avoid bringing things that are not necessary and will take up space in your dorm room like unnecessary text books, random decor accents you don’t really need, or anything that will create extra clutter.

15. Anything prohibited

Obviously, but still worth mentioning – don’t bring anything that isn’t allowed to your dorm room!

Make sure to check out your dorm rules and see what not to bring to college, and what are prohibited items you should not bring.

What You ACTUALLY Need For College

1. Mesh Shower Caddy

I highly recommend getting a mesh shower caddy instead of a plastic one.

It’s nicer to have and use, it doesn’t fill up with water in the shower, and it’s much easier to store in your limited dorm storage space.

2. Mattress Topper

I always say that getting a mattress topper for a dorm room is a MUST.

All dorm beds needs a good mattress topper, and it’s super important to choose a comfortable one!

3. Magic Space Saving Hangers

If you read my other dorm room essentials posts, you’ll know how much I SWEAR BY these magic space saving hangers!

They are the perfect solution for small dorm closets, and you can hang multiple clothes and use up space of one hanger.

4. Academic Planner

I can’t live without my planner. And although I also love my Google Calendar, I just can’t live without a physical planner.

I think this is HUGE for college students, because there are so many things to remember and keep track of.

5. Water Bottle

Make sure you are hydrated during the day with a cute water bottle to carry around!

You can either get a personalized water bottle from Etsy to make things cute, or you can get a nice reusable water bottle from Amazon as well.

6. Small Tool Kit

I think having a small tool kit can definitely be a good dorm room essential to pack.

Having basic tools like a hammer and a screw driver can definitely come in handy in the beginning of the school year when you are decorating your dorm, but also during the year when you are fixing things or want to hang up something new.