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By now, you’ve probably done all the research on what you should pack for college, but what’s just as important are the things you should not bring.

And there are more of these items than you might expect!

As a college student who spent my freshman year living in a dorm room, there were a lot of things I thought I would use all the time and ended up never using at all.

These things ended up just collecting dust and taking up a lot of space, and anyone who’s lived in a dorm will tell you just how important every last inch of space is for storage.

Today’s post is all about what not to bring to college in order to make move in day a breeze!

I’ll be listing 25 items that based on my experience, weren’t worth packing and bringing to school as well sharing some packing tips and alternate items you should bring instead.

For any incoming college freshman or parents reading this, I hope this post helps prepare you for a smooth and successful process when it comes to packing, moving in, and living in a dorm room.

Here are 25 things you don’t need to pack for your college dorm room (from a a college junior).

What NOT To Pack For College: 25 Items

#1: Music Speakers

Unless your dorm has extremely thick and soundproof walls, which almost definitely isn’t the case, leave the speakers behind.

In my experience, for my neighbors not to hear my music, I had to set the volume so low I could barely hear it myself!

Plus, if you and your roommate have different music preferences you’re better off just using headphones.

For an inexpensive yet good quality pair of headphones, I’d check out these ones from Amazon.

They’re the ones I personally use and find them super comfortable to wear, and the sound quality is fantastic!

#2: Kitchenware

Many dorms won’t have full kitchens with stoves or ovens accessible to its residents, so bringing a full set of kitchenware is a huge waste of space.

Plus, colleges often require dorm residents to be on a meal plan, meaning you’ll be eating out way more than eating in.

#3: Candles

I don’t think I’ve ever head of a college dorm that actually allows candles.

I know mine didn’t. Be sure to check with your RA if you’re unsure about your dorm’s rules when it comes to candles.

For a less expensive way you can still enjoy fresh scents in your dorm, I’d go with an essential oil diffuser.

I personally love this one for its simple visual aesthetic, colorful lights, and long lasting scents.

#4: Too Many books

This next one won’t be fun for any book lovers out there, but if you have a huge book collection it’s probably not going to fit in your dorm unless you don’t have a roommate.

Try investing in an e-reader so you can still enjoy books while saving space you’ll need for other essentials.

This goes for textbooks too! Search for online textbooks or borrow them from your school library to save space on your desk (and money, too).

#5: Tapestries

This is going to depend on your specific dorm’s rules.

My dorm didn’t allow tapestries since they were considered a fire hazard, which was understandable yet still disappointing.

If you’re in the same boat, you can still find cute wall decor for your dorm that complies with the rules.

I personally loved using canvas prints or wall collages from Amazon.

#6: Miscellaneous School Supplies

Gone are the days of going back to school shopping for a set of notebooks, binders, pencils, erasers, pens, scissors, and more for each individual class on your schedule.

In fact, one of the things that surprised me the most about college was how little I used my school supplies. Let me just say that this one will depend on your major.

For example, I spent two years as a graphic design major and was required to purchase things like drawing pads, charcoal, erasers, and other special art supplies.

It also depends on your learning preferences.

If you prefer taking notes on paper or using a physical planner, by all means get the supplies you feel are necessary to help you succeed.

But if you prefer to do everything digitally like myself, the only thing that’s an absolute must have is a laptop. That’s it.

Use Google Docs if you need to take notes and Google Calendar or a similar program like Asana to keep track of meetings, deadlines, etc.

With all that said, my best advice is to wait until you get your syllabus to see what supplies you’ll need before spending a bunch of money on miscellaneous school supplies you may not need and don’t have storage space for.

#7: Too Much Decor

Just a general word of caution to not bring too many decorative items like wall hangings, trinkets, plants, etc.

I didn’t realize how much decor I had until I started packing for college!

Definitely bring enough to make your new space feel comfortable and homey.

You’re going to spend a lot of time in your dorm after all, and it’s important you like how it looks.

But don’t overdo it or try to fill every little space with decor.

This’ll help you avoid a cluttered dorm room that can often feel overwhelming and be difficult to focus in.

#8: Excess Throw Pillows

This kind of relates to the previous point about not overdoing it when it comes to decor, but I’d also try to limit the amount of throw pillows you decorate your bed with.

They take up a lot of unnecessary space and can make making your bed and washing your bedding just a little bit more inconvenient than they need to be!

#9: Too Many Shoes

This one should be a given! You have limited closet space in a dorm, so bringing twenty pairs of shoes probably isn’t going to cut it.

There’s a little bit of a cheat code for this one though, which is to use one of these hanging shoe racks that go on the back of doors.

If you have a spot for it, they’re an excellent way to save space and still bring your favorite footwear with you.

#10: Any Sort of Furniture

This is another given, but I wanted to include this in case you’re a first generation college student, the oldest of your siblings, or for anyone who isn’t aware.

Don’t bring any sort of furniture for your dorm! Dorms will always be fully furnished, including beds, mattresses, nightstands, and desks.

Check with your specific college on what exactly is included and what isn’t.

#11: Formal Clothes

Unless you’re going to be interviewing regularly for jobs and internships or have another specific reason to bring formal clothes with you, you’re probably not going to need them.

I’ve never needed formal clothes as a college student, so I wouldn’t recommend you bring more than one outfit you can wear if such an occasion does arise.

#12: Excess Sports/Workout Equipment

Do yourself a favor and don’t bring a ton of sports and workout equipment.

Not only will you not have the space for it, but oftentimes you’ll be able to rent equipment from the gym on campus.

Check to see what they have before packing, or limit what you bring.

#13: Printers & Large Desk Accessories

For obvious reasons, I wouldn’t recommend bringing a full size printer for your dorm.

They take up storage space, and you’ll easily be able to print at your campus library or in a computer lab.

This’ll depend on your school and major, but my classes have required digital submissions far more often than physical ones.

Thus, I’ve only needed a printer a couple of times per semester.

If you think you’ll need one in your dorm, try looking for a smaller one to save some space.

#14: Too Many Bedsheets

Bring one, maybe two sets of sheets. Anything more than that and I guarantee you’ll have sheets taking up storage space in your drawer that you’ll never use.

If you’re wondering what size sheets to get, most dorm beds will require Twin XL.

#15: Seating That Can’t Be Easily Stored

If you’re planning on having guests over often, you may want to keep an extra chair or two on hand.

Choose seating like foldable chairs that can easily be stored rather than large chairs or bean bag chairs that are too large to be comfortably kept in a dorm room.

#16: Excess Luggage or Storage Bags/Boxes

A pretty obvious one, but you don’t want to have huge suitcases and luggage that you only use once in awhile taking up a lot of space in your closet or under your bed.

#17: Your Entire Wardrobe

A given, but don’t bring every single piece of clothing you own to college. You won’t have the room! Instead, just bring your favorites and weather appropriate pieces.

Use your visits to home to switch out summer and winter pieces as needed.

#18: A TV

I’ve heard people say otherwise, so it’s really up to you!

Personally, I don’t know where I would have put it when I lived in a dorm, and I get by just fine using my phone and laptop to watch stuff.

But if you really prefer a TV and have the space for it, why not bring it?

#19: Full Sewing Kit

A simple needle and thread can come in handy on occasion, and it’s likely a good idea to have accessible.

But beyond that, don’t bother buying a full sewing kit with multiple spools of thread and a ton of needles.

I can’t even remember the last time I used mine!

#20: Large Vacuum

Most dorms will have a community vacuum available for all its residents to use, so to save both space and money, it’s unnecessary to buy a large vacuum for your dorm.

I do think having either a smaller vacuum or a handheld one can definitely come in handy for small cleaning sessions. A full sized one is definitely a waste, though.

#21: Bathroom Cleaning Supplies

This one will depend on your dorm.

If you’re going to be living in a traditional dorm with a community bathroom, your residence hall will most likely have cleaners come in regularly, so you don’t have to purchase bathroom cleaning supplies like shower scrubbers, toilet brushes, etc.

But I’ve also seen dorms with private bathrooms that don’t receive cleaning services, so if you’re in one of those, you’ll obviously want to purchase the necessary supplies to keep your bathroom clean.

It’ll also be helpful to have some basic cleaning supplies like wipes on hand for your dorm, but in general, you don’t need to go crazy and buy a ton of stuff.

#22: Microwave & Other Large Kitchen Appliances

For the simple reason that most residence halls will have some sort of shared room or kitchen with a microwave in it, you won’t need one in your dorm.

Plus, you’ll be eating out a ton and probably won’t use it as much as you think.

#23: Full Size Trash Can

Your residence will always have a shared trash can where everyone deposits trash from their individual dorms, so getting a large trash can is unnecessary.

I do recommend you have a small one for underneath your desk, which you can then empty into the larger trash can when it fills up.

#24: Ironing Board

This is something that’ll be tricky to fit in a small dorm room. Instead of ironing your clothes, just use a wrinkle releaser spray like this one!

These things seriously work wonders, are inexpensive, and take up next to no space.

Plus, you can keep one in your school bag if you need it in a pinch.

#25: Anything Expensive or Valuable

Finally, you’ll want to take caution if you’re planning on keeping anything super expensive in your dorm.

In my opinion, if it’s not something you absolutely need, just don’t bring it. If you do need it, I’d suggest investing in a small safe like this one to keep your belongings protected.

Outro & Closing Thoughts

So, that wraps up my list of what not pack for college. I hope you found this helpful and informative!

Move in day can definitely be stressful, so if you found this helpful in any way, consider sharing it with another incoming student or their parent to help make their packing process a little bit easier.

Don’t forget to save this to Pinterest so you can come back and refer to it later!

Thanks for reading my post “What NOT To Pack For College! (25 Things You'll Never Use).”

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What NOT To Pack For College! (25 Things You'll Never Use)