It’s August…AUGUST! I’ve been soaking up every single summer moment with my guy before he heads off for his freshman year of college, and in an attempt to not go utterly and completely mad that – he will not be living with me – I’ve decided to distract myself by focusing on shopping. Specifically, dorm room shopping.

There’s a zillion college packing lists out there, but the best dorm packing checklist I’ve found is on Good Housekeeping, written by a mom who has done thirteen(!!) dorm drop-offs. It’s honestly much more than we’re actually bringing, but it’s one heck of a good starting point, and strikes me a much better than Wirecutter’s, which includes condoms, a $110 waffle-cut robe, and an Instapot. Which seems…aggressive.

Anyway.

After perusing the Good Housekeeping list, watching a zillion TikToks on the subject, reading reviews, and chatting with Raines, we now have a rough game plan. Some of the “big” stuff – the mini fridge, microwave, even a rug (maybe??) – we’re going to wait until he moves in and figure it out then (his roommate will likely have input, too). But there are a few things we’re buying now, so he’ll have them on day 1.

The biggest area of focus (at least for me) was his whole bed set-up. Not only is sleep (obviously) important, but the snuggly stuff still feels like one way I can mother him from afar. 🙂 I popped a our bedding picks into an AI tool with image generation (Gemini, I think?) as well as a little bit about Raines, plus a blueprint of his dorm room we found online. The result is ridiculous, but it did give us a helpful visual to work from:

Here’s the shortlist of what we’re actually packing when we drop him off next week (sob!).

• Mattress Topper – dorm beds are notoriously uncomfortable (and could even be plastic-y and slippery). We’re going with Viscosoft’s High Density Mattress Topper for Raines. He prefers a really firm mattress, so we’re getting the 2” topper, but there are 3” or 4” toppers available if your kiddo likes something softer. 
• Mattress Protector – to guard against spills, stains, dust mites, bed bugs (yuck), and just grossness in general. The Viscosoft’s High Density Mattress Topper doesn’t technically need one, but I’m going to grab one anyway for a little extra protection against spills. I know my kid. 🙂
• Dorm sheets (Twin XL) – We’re going with this fitted sheet and matching pillowcases in ‘storm stripe’. A top sheet will only end up on the floor.
• Washable Comforter – Raines hates taking a duvet cover on/off, so I’ve been searching for something that will keep him warm, but still can be easily washed. We bought The Company Store’s LoftAIRE Down Alternative Comforter. It comes in three different weights, a ton of good colors, and the reviews are glowing (there’s even several mentions of how perfect these are for the dorm). It’s basically a duvet insert that doesn’t look like one.
• Extra Blankets – In the winter, he’ll likely be cold with just a comforter (duvet covers DO make a bed significantly warmer), and besides, cozy throws are always just freaking useful! This was one category that the moms in our TME Group Chat Community had lots of opinions on, too, so I pulled their recommendations in here as well.
  – Verloop Throw – This oversized throw blanket is made from deadstock or recycled yarn, and is so freaking good. Totally a statement, and would make any dorm room so cheery. It’s also available in as a care package in our dorm box!
  – Lola Blanket – Our TME Group Chat Community LOVES these fluffy, faux-fur blankets. Pricey, but apparently they’re super soft, stretchy and totally worth it. Available in both throw and full bed sizes.
  – BrookLinen DreamWeave Waffle Bed Blanket – This lightweight waffle knit blanket is great for those really hot days in Aug/September (I don’t think his dorm has A/C), but will act as an insulating layer in the winter when layered with his comforter.  
• Headboard pillow –  Another TME Group Chat recommendation, this headboard pillow functions as a headboard (visually), but also makes it much more comfortable to sit in bed to study. I also like that this one is covered in 100% cotton cord.

• Shower Caddy – This mesh shower caddy from Amazon is our pick. I specifically like that it dries quickly – I can’t see my son cleaning out a plastic one – those would definitely end up harboring mold. 🙂 Although…I’m very tempted to get him this personalized mesh one from Pottery Barn teen…he said, “no”. Boo. 
• Shower Shoes – cool slides, or super inexpensive flip-flops. Either work.
• Towels – He’s bringing two of these stretchy towels in ‘offset stripe’. The stretch means that they’ll stay wrapped around him better than most. He’s not a robe guy, so this is our move.
• Laundry Bag – While many articles recommend a laundry bag with wheels, we’re going with this backpack laundry bag instead. Raines’ dorm room is tiny, so I like the idea of hanging this bag up somewhere and using it as a hamper. Then, when full, off to the laundromat he goes.

Again, we’re mostly going to wait and see what he needs after a few weeks, but here’s the short list of items we’ll be packing into the car for move-in day.

• Extension Cords & Surge Protectors – We’re going to make sure he has at least one surge protector with a flat plug just because they’re so darn helpful.
• Air Purifier – this might be silly, but I like the thought of him being at least somewhat protected from viruses and smoke and whatever else. I think we’re going to go with this small, affordable air purifier (that has 44K+ reviews). 
• Command Hooks & Hanging Strips – I know my disorganized kiddo will need plenty of hanging hooks, so I’m arriving with two 6-packs of hooks.  And he’s going to want to mount some sort of decor, so I’m also grabbing a pack of picture-hanging strips as well as these lighter weight, poster hanging strips.
• Hangers – I hate velvet hangers with a passion (and there’s zero chance R will struggle with a velvet hanger), so we’re going with these slim plastic ones, instead. 
• Safe / Lock Box – I’m not actually worried about theft, but I would like a place for him to be able to store his passport, insurance cards, emergency credit card and maybe some cash. While there are much more serious options, I think this safe-disguised-as-a-book is probably good enough for our purposes (and cracked me up, too). 
• Headlamp – Instead of a flashlight (he has his phone flashlight, if needed), a headlamp might be more useful (and fun!). I had to do some digging, but finally found a headlamp that’s USB-C rechargeable. 
• Portable Speaker – we’ve used JBL’s Flip Speaker for years, and ours is still going strong (it’s waterproof and drop-proof). This is a fun little gift we’re surprising Raines with.

• Duffles – We’ve been using these giant Amazon Duffles to pack for our winters in Vermont, and each holds our entire winter wardrobes (each family member gets one), yet are easy to pack into the car. They hold up nicely, but are so thin they’re also easy to store when not in use. I think we’ll do two:  one for Raines’ clothes and one for his bedding. 
• One Hard-Sided Suitcase – Raines is going far enough away that he’ll be flying home most of the time, so he’ll be going to school with a carry-on size luggage. Or, wait…maybe a backpacking backpack instead. Thoughts??

Anyway, Gang, it feels a little like the Twilight Zone over here right now. I can’t believe…I’m counting down the days…until he…leaves? Seems impossible.

Gahhhhhhhh. How, you guys? HOW?

xo,

S