Dorm Room Checklist

Originally linked from http://www.howtodothings.com/education/a2305-how-to-use-a-dorm-room-checklist.html

This list should help you get outfitted with the basics. Make a printout, plan which stores you need to go to, and check things off the list as you buy them. Consider checking things off a second time as you load them into your vehicle. Good luck and happy packing!

Desk supplies:

1. Pens, pencils, highlighters, and erasers
2. Whiteout
3. Stapler and staple remover
4. Ruler
5. Scissors
6. Paper clips
7. Rubber bands
8. Post-its
9. Calculator
10. Push pins
11. Stationery, stamps, greeting cards
12. Good quality bond paper and matching envelopes
13. Dictionary
14. Calendar
15. Hole punch
16. Printer paper
17. Phone line if needed.
18. Notebooks
19. Address book
20. Extra printer cartridges


Laundry, shower, linens:

1. Laundry bag, detergent, bleach, stain remover, and dryer sheets
2. Basket to carry toiletries into the bathroom
3. Flip-flops for shower
4. Sheets, comforter, pillows
5. Cotton padding or other cover for mattress
6. Towels and washcloths


Toiletries:

1. Soap, shampoo, conditioner
2. Toothpaste, toothbrush, floss
3. Lotion
4. Deodorant
5. Brush and comb
6. Razor
7. Hair gel/mousse
8. Nail Clippers/Nail File


For snacking:

1. Miniature refrigerator
2. Microwave
3. Mug, glass, plate, bowls, utensils
4. Dish soap and scrubbing pad
5. Can opener
6. Paper towels
7. Trash bags
8. Your favorite snack foods


Lamps:

1. Desk lamp
2. Floor lamp if the room doesn’t have overhead lighting
3. Lamp for your nightstand or a clip-on lamp for the headboard



Hardware and storage:

1. Screwdriver and small hammer, small nails (if allowed)
2. Swiss army knife
3. Hooks of all sizes for the walls and doors
4. Power strip/surge protector
5. Extension cords
6. Duct tape
7. Shelves and brackets (if permitted)
8. Bookshelves if there is room (consider a bookshelf on top of the desk if it doesn’t already have one)
9. Closet organizer
10. Hangers
11. Under-bed storage boxes
12. Shelf and drawer liners
13. Curtains and curtain hardware
14. Light bulbs
15. Storage containers of various sizes
16. Storage rack for CDs
17. Milk crates


First aid box:

1. Band-Aids
2. Antibiotic ointment
3. Tweezers
4. Bandage tape and gauze pads
5. Hydrogen peroxide
6. Rubbing alcohol
7. Thermometer
8. Tylenol, ibuprofen, Benadryl, aspirin, cough drops, sore throat drops
9. Pepto-Bismol
10. Ace bandage
11. Freezable ice pack


Paperwork and important documents:

1. Driver’s license
2. Social security card
3. Health insurance information


Miscellaneous

1. Shoe bags (one in closet for shoes, and one to mount on wall or side of dresser to use for holding things you need to grab often, like your brush and comb, makeup, deodorant, etc.)
2. Removable adhesive for hanging posters.
3. Wall decorations
4. Photos of family and friends
5. Area rug
6. Door mat
7. Cork bulletin board
8. Small dry erase board
9. Wastepaper basket
10. Mirror
11. Small fan
12. Sewing kit, safety pins
13. Flashlight
14. Batteries
15. String
16. Broom and/or dustbuster
17. Alarm clock
18. Camera
19. Hair dryer
20. Phone

If you've discovered great tools or rules of thumb for cooking in dorm rooms, please add ideas to this list. The original list was inspired by a Yahoo article about dorm room essentials.


Linked from http://education.yahoo.com/college/essentials/articles/college/dorm_room_cooking.html

Tools and Rules for Dorm-Room Cooking

Tools

* Refrigerator
* Microwave
* Microwave-safe dishes
o Medium-sized bowl
o Small bowl
o Plate
* Pot holder
* Handheld can opener
* Sturdy plastic utensils
* Dish soap
* Pot holder
* Sponge
* Dish towels
* Paper towels
* Cookbooks
o The Healthy College Cookbook, by Alexandra Nimetz, Jason Stanley, Emeline Starr
o The College Cookbook, by Geri Harrington, Constance Oxley (Editor)
o A Man, a Can, a Plan, by David Joachim
o Where's Mom Now That I Need Her? Surviving Away From Home, by Kathryn J. Frandsen, Kent P. Frandsen, Betty Rae Frandsen

Rules

* Buy some crates to store dry goods.

* Be prepared by keeping your refrigerator stocked.

* Put only microwave-safe dishes in the microwave. That means no metal or tin. Glass or Corningware is the wisest choice.

* Always cover your food with wax paper or a paper towel before you microwave it to avoid splattering.

* Use a pot holder when removing anything from the microwave.

* Keep the bugs away.
o Clean your dishes immediately after you finish eating.
o Try to eat at your desk to avoid getting crumbs on the floor or in your bed.