Packing List
Packing for campus living
Jump to:
A word of advice: Start with less. Residence hall rooms have limited storage, and you can always add what you need after move-in. Many supplies are available on campus at the Skidmore Shop, and online ordering and nearby retailers (Target, Walmart, HomeGoods, etc.) make it easy to pick up supplies once you know what works in your space. Also, retailer college-packing lists often include items that aren’t permitted in Skidmore housing, so please use this guide and the Residential Life Handbook when planning what to bring.
Packing for a residence hall
Your room already includes
- Twin XL bed and mattress
- Desk and chair
- Dresser
- Closet or wardrobe, depending on the residence hall
- Access to free laundry facilities
- Access to a shared kitchenette with a sink, microwave, and refrigerator
Bedding
- Twin XL sheets
- Mattress protector or pad
- Comforter or blankets
- Pillows
Bathroom and personal care
- Towels and washcloths
- Shower caddy
- Shower shoes or flip-flops
- Shampoo, conditioner, soap, and other toiletries
- Personal hygiene supplies
Residence hall bathrooms are cleaned regularly by housekeeping staff and stocked with toilet paper and hand soap. Personal items cannot be left in the bathroom, so a shower caddy makes it easier to carry toiletries back and forth.
Clothing and laundry
Bring clothing for the next season or two rather than your entire wardrobe. Storage is limited, so plan to swap seasonal clothing during trips home or arrange off-campus storage if needed.
- Raincoat and umbrella
- Winter coat
- Hat, gloves, and scarf
- Boots with non-skid soles
- Laundry basket or bag
- Laundry detergent (liquid)
- Clothes hangers
Health and emergency supplies
- Health insurance card
- Prescription medications
- Basic over-the-counter medications
- Thermometer
- First-aid supplies
- Flashlight and batteries
- Passport or other important identification, if needed
- If you’re bringing a car, consider packing an ice scraper, snow brush, and small shovel.
School, technology, and room supplies
- Computer or laptop and chargers (laptops are also available for loan through the library)
- School supplies
- Headphones
- Small fan
- Wastebasket
- Paper towels
- All-purpose cleaner
- Disinfecting wipes
- Small vacuum or broom and dustpan
- Under-bed storage bins (Bed ends are 36" high with nine adjustable height settings. The clearance under the spring at the highest setting is 30")
- Surge protector (Must be UL 489 and/or UL 1449 certified and include an on/off circuit breaker switch. Extension cords and multi-outlet plug adapters are not permitted.)
Coordinate with your roommate before buying
Talking with your roommate before move-in can save money, space, and duplicate purchases.
- Mini refrigerator: Only one mini refrigerator is permitted per residence hall room, and it may not exceed 3.3 cubic feet. Coordinate with your roommate(s) before purchasing or bringing one.
- Television or monitor
- Gaming systems
- Shared cleaning supplies
Coffee makers and cooking appliances
Single-serve coffee makers such as Keurigs are permitted in residence hall rooms and must be plugged directly into a wall outlet.
Do not bring a microwave, air fryer, rice cooker, toaster, toaster oven, electric skillet, hot plate, or other cooking appliance for your residence hall room. Food preparation and cooking appliances are limited to approved residential kitchen areas.
Packing for an apartment
Living in an apartment? Start with the personal items listed above, then account for a few important differences in bedding, kitchen supplies, cleaning, and shared living spaces.
Check your bed size
- Northwoods Village: full-size bed
- Sussman Village F-L: full-size bed
- Sussman Village A and B: twin XL bed
Your kitchen
Apartment kitchens include a refrigerator, microwave, sink, and stove/oven. Northwoods Village and Sussman Village F-L also include dishwashers.
Coordinate cookware, dishes, appliances, and other shared supplies with your housemates before move-in. Consider bringing:
- Plates, bowls, cups, and flatware
- Pots and pans
- Cooking utensils
- Cutting board
- Can opener
- Food-storage containers
- Oven mitts or potholders
- Dish towels
- Dish soap and sponges
- Dishwasher detergent, if your apartment has a dishwasher
- Kitchen cleaners
- Trash bags
- Paper towels
Cleaning your apartment
Apartment residents are responsible for cleaning their bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchens, and shared living spaces. Housekeeping staff clean apartment laundry rooms but do not clean individual apartments.
Consider coordinating these shared supplies with your housemates:
- Bathroom cleaner
- All-purpose cleaner
- Toilet brush
- Sponges and cleaning cloths
- Broom and dustpan
- Vacuum
- Trash bags
- Other shared household supplies
Decorating your space
You can make your room or apartment feel like your own, but fire and safety rules limit some types of décor.
- Wall décor may not cover more than 10% of an individual wall.
- Tapestries, curtains, and other fabric wall or window hangings are not permitted.
- Décor may not be attached to ceilings or stretched from one wall to another.
- No more than two strings of lights may be connected together.
- Nothing may cover lights, smoke detectors, sprinklers, or other fire-safety equipment.
- At least 18 inches of clearance must be maintained around sprinkler heads.
- College-provided furniture must remain in your assigned space.
Leave these items at home
Not permitted in residence halls or apartments
- Air conditioners
- Ceiling fans
- Personal space heaters
- Halogen and multi-arm octopus lamps
- Extension cords
- Multi-outlet plug adapters
- Candles
- Incense
- Burning sage
- Fireworks, gasoline, propane tanks, or other highly combustible materials
- Tapestries, curtains for windows or closets, or other fabric wall hangings
- Bed risers
- Cinderblocks used to raise beds
- Bed extenders or mattress extenders
- Headboards or footboards
- Personal lofting equipment
- Bed tents or other suspended bed coverings
- Furniture or equipment intended to modify College-provided furniture
- Subwoofers or surround-sound systems
- Warm-mist or vaporizer humidifiers, unless approved as a housing accommodation. Cool-mist humidifiers and air purifiers are permitted when they meet Residential Life size and use requirements — contact us for approval.
- Pets, except fish in a tank of 10 gallons or smaller, service animals, or approved Emotional Support Animals
- E-bikes, e-scooters, e-skateboards, or other lithium-ion battery-powered vehicles for storage or charging inside residential spaces
- Illegal drugs and drug paraphernalia
- Smoking paraphernalia
- Weapons
Non-Skidmore furniture must be approved by the Office of Residential Life and Facilities Services before it is added to a residential space.
Not permitted in residence halls:
- Microwaves
- Air fryers
- Rice cookers
- Toasters and toaster ovens
- Electric skillets
- Hot plates
- Other appliances used for cooking
Before you pack
This guide covers the questions students ask most often, but it does not replace Skidmore College residential policies. Review the Residential Life Handbook for complete information about furnishings, appliances, electrical equipment, fire safety, prohibited items, and policy violations.