Dorm shopping can be an undertaking, especially when you don’t know what you absolutely need and what you absolutely don’t. Here are the essentials for moving into the dorms for the first time.

Refrigerator – Necessary to preserve multiple meals and snacks. Also crucial for the cheese sticks to save after meal bundles.

Microwave – Frozen dinners and single serving mac and cheese is going to become your new best friend. 

Side note: Wallace and Wilson Halls are the only residence halls that come equipped with a microfridge.

Shelves/storage bins – While they may be cumbersome on the drive to school, they will hold all the extra junk that doesn’t fit in a chest of drawers, and can store virtually anything your heart desires, from towels to sheets to toiletries.

Extra set of sheets – Having to wash the same set of sheets week in and week out can be a pain, so bring an extra so you can throw on a clean set and not have to worry about immediately doing laundry.

Keurig – For all coffee fanatics and unfortunate 8 a.m. class participants, this is a must. K-Cups can be found in bulk in stores like T.J. Maxx, Costco or Sam’s Club.

Power strips – From cable cords to ten foot phone chargers, having multiple power strips is key in order to have a power source for every single item that has a plug-in in the room.

Decorations – While a dorm room tends to be small and not conducive to large decorations, photos and little trinkets help to make a small space feel like home.

Command hooks – In order to make your dorm or apartment more like home, be ready to hang up pictures and inspirational quotes without puncturing the wall.