I am going into my junior year of college and know a thing or two about what a functioning student actually does need to thrive in college. If you are in a dorm or student housing, some of the products I recommend might not be allowed in your space, so make sure to check your housing guidelines!

Here is a comprehensive set of lists that I have curated to cover every single space a person has and what they need to bring with them to college to fill that space and really be prepared for everything.

Living Room:

• Lamp
• 2 spare blankets
• Apple Tv/ cable box/wifi
• At least 4 throw pillows
• A dish in the entryway to throw keys, wallet, watch, anything you forget on your way out of the door
• Space for shoes

Kitchen:

• 5 plates of each size
• 5 mugs
• 10 glasses
• Silverware set
• Pan set
• Pot set
• Baking Sheets
• Strainer
• Paper towel holder
• Peeler
• Wine opener
• Spatula
• Plastic spatulas (think baking)
• Dish soap & sponges
• Brownie pan
• Coffee maker/kettle
• Microwave
• Dishtowel
• Drying rack
• Garbage disposal cleaner
• Whisk
• Staple groceries (rice, flour, milk, eggs, cheese, veggies, frozen veggies, and protein..etc)
• Blender
• Toaster

Bathroom:

• 4 towels (body)
• 4 towels (face)
• Guest towels
• Shower curtain and liner
• Toilet bleach
• Toilet brush
• Loofah
• Bath Mat/rug
• All your daily grooming necessities
• First aid kit
• Advil/Neosporin/Benadryl/Motrin
• Band-aids

Bedroom:

• Rug
• Two sets of sheets
• Comforter
• Extra Blankets
• Desk supplies
• TV
• Lamp
• Candles
• Storage
• Wall decorations
• Alarm clock
• Mattress pad

Cleaning supplies:

• Vacuum
• Mop
• Clorox wipes
• Paper towels
• Non-toxic cleaning spray
• Bleach
• Lysol
• Tissues
• Toilet paper
• Windex
• Laundry detergent

Self-care:

• Toothbrush/paste
• hairbrush
• Heat styling tools
• Skincare routine
• Moisturizers
• Shampoo
• Conditioner
• Bodywash
• Vitamins
• Medicine
• Candles

Staples for the kitchen:

• Rice
• Pasta
• Pasta sauce
• Frozen veggies
• Protein bars
• Meat
• Cheese
• Milk
• Eggs
• Hot sauce
• Spices
• Fruits
• Granola
• Chips

Staples for school:

• Printer
• Ink
• Paper
• 5 notebooks
• Pencils
• Pens
• Sharpies
• Tape
• Glue
• Stapler
• Paperclips
• Laptop
• Accordion folder
• A file system for important school documents
• Daily planner
• Wall or desk calendar

Little things:

• Speaker
• Picture of family
• Flowers
• Your favorite trinkets
• Nice decor

I probably forgot a lot of things, as one does. Don’t buy everything you think you need at once. Take the time to be in your space with the essentials then as you live there gradually buy and take note of what you need. Example, you might need an extra storage bin or blanket after you realize one of your friends that comes over is always cold and never has a blanket.