What NOT to Bring to College

Call me the queen of over packing. The queen of taking 12 days to pack and coming back with at LEAST 1/2 (or more) unused outfits. Ever since they changed the airline rules to carry on vs paid 50 lb bag… its been a HUGE struggle to lift my (somewhat massive and stuffed to the gills) carry on to overhead storage. Sometimes, they agree to move it to checked baggage at no cost to allow for more room for other guests. Embarrassing much? Well, I think you can relate. However, the pressures of travel packing are slim compared to moving your ENTIRE LIFE to college. What to bring? Where to start? Let the meltdown begin? Here are a few things I learned not to bring to college.

10 Things Not to Bring to College

Here are a few things I would reevaluate bringing before you load your car with all your stuff and head off to the best four years of your life! D2D’s list of  What Not to Bring to College (based on experience).

Off-Season Clothing

Okay, so we already know that we are in for a HUGE awakening with closet space. I went from a great walk in closet to what seemed like a closet for a doll house. But, a girls gotta make it work, right? This is where the Decor 2 Ur Door Extended Length Dorm Bed Skirt came in handy. I lofted my bed even more with bed risers and created another mini closet under my bed. I used a small tension rod (Lowes/HomeDepot) attached from bedpost to bedpost on the long side of the bed. It basically DOUBLED MY CLOSET SPACE. Trendy girls, are ya with me?! Not to mention the bed skirts serve as a decor piece and add color and pattern while hiding the under-bed storage. Now, even with all this extra room… I still recommend leaving the off-season clothing at home. Use the space for items you use every day! You will need it!
Instead: During breaks bring home to see your loved ones… bring the clothes home that are going out of season and bring back up the next season! This way, you have a whole new wardrobe each time!

Appliances

I really, really wanted to bring my TV to my dorm room. My sister, luckily, talked me out of it. Honestly y’all… the amount of time you actually have to watch TV is slim. Oh, and did I mention how much cable costs in the dorm room? Save your money and buy a Netflix subscription. You will still be able to watch all your favorite shows or movies straight from your laptop! This also goes for a DVD player and any other small appliances! Leave that stuff at home and keep it simple! Netflix and Chill, girl!
Instead:  Save your money and buy a Netflix subscription. You will still be able to watch all your favorite shows or movies on your laptop. I had so many snuggly nights with my roomie watching DVD’s on our laptop together.

Holiday Themed Decor

Okay, trust me… I GET IT. You LOVE the holidays as much as I do. Keep it simple with holiday decor. These items tend to keep up space and are only used for small periods… otherwise collecting dust. Try to limit the amount of Christmas decor and Valentines decor (yes, growing up we decorated for EVERY holiday).
Instead: Buy a couple holiday themed throw pillows as your decor. When you’re not using them, you can take the stuffer out and fold them up with your extra linens. Decor 2 Ur Door has the cutest holiday themed pillows for every occasion! They are also great as gifts for college girl birthdays (custom monogrammed pillows), engagement/wedding, and holidays!

Valuables

I’m probably one of the most trusting people around. I consider this a great quality. However, when going into a new territory… it’s best to play it safe! Leave those valuables and cherished items at home in your bedroom or family safe. In college, things can get misplaced or stolen easily. Air on the safe side with your valuables and leave them at home.
Instead: Maybe choose one item you wear every day to bring with you to college. This will give you your touch of sentimental value. Another idea may be to buy a small safe. You can store this item (or two) in here with a passcode that only you know.

Plastic Plates / Silverware

I bought adorable plastic Lilly Pulitzer plates last year and to be 100% honest, I didn’t use them once. Whenever I wanted to eat something other than dining hall food the last thing I wanted to worry about is more dishes.
Instead: My roommate and I made a Costco haul (while looking at our Dorm Checklist) and bought plastic plates and plastic silverware that we used daily. Don’t forget to buy bowls too! Instead of having to do dishes in a tiny sink where you brush your teeth… I highly suggest using throw away plates and utensils. Trust me on this one. As much as you want those cute pink plates, they will take up vital space and cause more trouble than you think!

Vacuum

So, on our first day… my roommate and I decided to make Sundays cleaning day. We actually did really well on this. We were both so organized and clean that it was easy to keep up with and didn’t take much time out of our Sunday at all! I considered buying a small vacuum before going to school and I’m so glad I didn’t. Honestly, there just isn’t the room for one! Keep it small and practical!
Instead: Get a Swiffer. Swiffer is super tiny and easy to hide behind a door. They also come with different attachments that allow you to either sweep or mop your floor! It makes it easy to reach tough spots and better yet… you throw away the dirty pads when you’re done! Simple and easy!

Ironing Board

I hate ironing. I suck at it, and I honestly just hate everything about it. Unfortunately, especially with the dorm dryer… its a must.
Instead: Invest in a handheld steamer. Literally, these things are LIFE SAVERS. I can’t tell you how many times I used my steamer in college. It was the most needed item during sorority rush. The handheld steamer takes up little space and its great for de-wrinkling ANY type of fabric.

Anything Your Roommate Already Has

So, this is KEY. I happened to be biffles with my roomie so we chatted for months and months about what to bring to make our dorm room home. We made a list of all the big things that we would both use and then divided the list in half. It turned out perfectly. We learned how to share and respect each others belongings, and didn’t have multiples taking up much needed space in our dorm room!
Instead: If you don’t know your roommate, make an effort to get to know her! It will make the experience SO much more fun! My next roommate and I were randoms and we ended up hitting it off! Find your roomie on Facebook, make Skype dates… learn more about each other while planning what to bring to your shared dorm room!

Pots and Pans

I love cooking. It’s so much fun to try new, fun, healthy recipes! I wanted to bring pots and pans my Freshmen year but my older (and cooler/more experienced) sister told me to leave them at home. I’m so glad I did. To be honest, you’re always on the go or grabbing dinner with friends… you really won’t use the pots and pans.
Instead: If we ever did want to cook or bake up some cookies for a sweet treat in the dorm, our dorm Kitchen had a few supplies to use. Ask your RA to borrow a pot or pan, if needed!

Big Luggage

Between weekend trips and fall breaks at home you are going to want some kind of luggage. Preferably luggage that is easy to store but still holds a lot. You are not going to have any space for bulky suitcases anywhere in your dorm no matter how hard you try.
Instead: Keep foldable duffle bags in your room! Vera Bradley duffles are big and great for this. My favorite (that I got for Christmas this year and I’m kind of OBSESSED with) is the Sole Society Leather Duffle. Its fashionable and practical!

What Not to Bring to College: 10 Things Not to Bring to College is a list we made after our four years of dorm living, apartment living, and sorority living. Trust us on this one! Our lists are gold, just like our metallic monograms!

To see WHAT TO PACK FOR COLLEGE : D2D College Dorm Packing List, click here to see our previous post of everything you will need in your dorm room!

What would you suggest not taking to college?

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