How To Pack For College + Free Packing Checklist | Back to School 2018

Packing in general can be very stressful expecially if you’re someone who hates the whole idea of meticulously putting things in boxes and suitcases. However, to help you get through all of that and ensure that you have everything you need, I decided to make this post.

Here are 4 packing tips and advice for college students.

(PS: scroll a little further for a free pdf packing list. It’s super cute btw 😊)
1. Before you pack

What you want to do before you pack up is some research. Try and find out what you’re allowed to bring in terms of clothes (if there’s a dresscode), food, furniture, etc. Making sure you don’t pack stuff that you’re not allowed to bring. Eliminating the ‘non-packables’ will make your packing burden much lighter. My school had a rather strict dress code for ladies and had other rules on items that were considered contraband.

Also, find out a bit about your roommate(s) if you’re having one, and ask what they’re bringing incase you’re interested in sharing a couple of things so you don’t overpack. This is quite necessary especially if you’re schooling in another country and don’t have the opportunity to bring as many things as you’d want. My roommate already had a mini freezer a kettle which meant I didn’t need to bring one.

2. Quick Pre-packing routine

You don’t want to be caught in a major frenzy trying to pack your things a day to college resumption day. You’re more likely to forget important stuff and bring things you don’t really need. You want to start packing at least a week before the due date so you’re not super stressed out. Knowing that you’re packed and ready to go at anytime makes you less nervous.

Here are 5 things you need to do before you pack.

Laundry
Mend any clothes that need mending
Make a list
Go shopping
Pick outfits that you absolutely need and spark joy. Fact is, in my freshman year, I only wore 40% of clothes I brought to school.

You can actually download my free printable pdf packing list right here. Here’s how it looks ⬇.

3. While packing

Suitcases

Give your suitcases a good wipe down or clean before you put your stuff in. They can be quite dusty, especially if you haven’t used them in a long while, and you obviously don’t want all that gunk all over your clothes. Also, I like to show my stuff a bit of care sometimes 😊.

I pretty much don’t like to pack anything more than two suitcases. Some people like more, some less but I just like for all my clothes to be in one box and then snacks and miscellaneous items go in the other. It makes things a lot easier. If I need to carry some textbooks along the way, I could use an extra bag and stuff all of it in, but generally 2 to 3 bags does it for me.

Clothes

In case you don’t know already, instead of folding your clothes, ROLL them. It saves a lot of space and you’ll thank me later. Another tip is you can put your soaps, creams and perfumes in your clothes box so that they have that nice, fresh smell. Get a separate pouch for underwear and socks so that you don’t have them just scattered in different corners of your suitcase. I love using pouches because they keep me organised. I have a pouch for toiletries, underwear, makeup, makeup brushes, stationery, you name it!

I also like to section the box into 4 parts. One for tops, one for skirts, one for dresses and one for miscellaneous stuff. So when I’m looking for something, I know what section to look for it in.

Snacks and food:

I generally like to take snacks and cereals with me to school because they’re much cheaper at the supermarket at home. But for those that live in another state, this option is usually not open because they would have to pay for extra luggage. Having snacks and cereals in school is so necessary because sometimes, you’re not just in the mood for a proper meal and you want something on the go. So thumbs up to frosted flakes for always being there for a girl 👍. If you are packing snacks and cereals, make sure you take them out of their cardboard boxes before you put them in your luggage so you can save space.

4. After packing

When your done packing, go over your packing list to see if you missed anything. If there’s still space in your suitcases, now’s the time to add a few extra stuff if you like.

And that’s it!

Hope you liked this post!

If you haven’t already downloaded the free packing list, well, whatcha doing?? Make packing a lot easier with just one click.

Anyways, stay positive and I’ll see you in my next post. Bye 👋.