10 College Essentials for Girls: Must-Have for An Organized and Comfortable Campus Life

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Using a notebook is essential for keeping track of things. I write my grocery list and a list of other essentials I need in a notebook. I also make note of which items I pack in each suitcase when I go to college to make unpacking and moving in easier. 

Photo by Elena Chawla

Being in college has been super exciting for me, but there have been some challenges that come with it.

Something that has helped me beat my college challenges has been making sure I have an organizational system and essential daily items.

Having these has helped me transition into college smoothly.

I made sure I had the same products as I did at home so that activities such as cleaning, showering, and doing laundry would feel more normal to me.

Giving myself as much of a sense of normalcy as I could made me feel better about transitioning into campus life.

In This Post:

• Bedding & Comfort Items 

• Organization & Storage Solutions 

• Study & Productivity Must-Haves

• Personal Care & Hygiene Essentials 

• Laundry & Cleaning Supplies

• Kitchen & Snack Must-Haves

• Health & Safety Essentials 

• Tech & Entertainment Gear 

• Fashion & Daily Wear Essentials

• Self-Care & Mental Wellness Items 

• Tips on Making the Most of Your College Essentials

• Final Thoughts

 

Bedding & Comfort Items 

• Cozy Bedding Set (sheets, comforter, pillows, mattress topper) 

– I get my bedding from Brooklinen. I got my sheets and pillowcases from them three years ago, and I am still enjoying them today. Although their bedding is pricey, it lasts a long time and is the most comfortable fabric I have had for bedding.

• Essential pillows for studying, sleeping, and lounging

– I have three sets of pillows. I use one set for sleeping, one set for lounging, and one set for studying. I ensure that each set of pillows is only used for its designated purpose.

This helps me make a clear distinction in my daily activities. I have found that I sleep better when I use the same pillows every night and don’t use them during the rest of the day.

By making the distinction between study pillows and lounge pillows, I can relax more when I am not studying, and I can study better because I am not thinking about when I can take a break or go to sleep. 

Photo by Elena Chawla

I am a big fan of using bookshelves as storage space. In front of this bookshelf, I keep books and notebooks. Behind them, I store art supplies and other small things that I have no other place to store. 

 

Organization & Storage Solutions 

• Under-bed storage for maximizing dorm space

– Since my trip to college involves air travel, I have several suitcases that I need to store.

To maximize space, I use my suitcases as storage and keep them under my bed. The space under the bed is valuable and great for storage.

For those who don’t have suitcases, bins and boxes are a great storage alternative. Most of the things I store are weather-specific clothes.

I put my winter jackets in storage during the fall and pull them out when the weather starts to get cold. 

Photo by Elena Chawla

My closet provides plenty of space for storage. On the top shelf, I store my weather-specific clothing that I am not actively using.

I use the bottom shelf to store my cleaning supplies and anything that doesn’t fit on my desk.

In the far corner, I have my hanging organizer. I keep it there so that it is out of the way of everything else.

I have some clothing hanging on the railing next to it. On the floor, I have my laundry, shoes, and trash. This is how I maximize my space. 

• Hanging organizers for clothes & accessories

– I put a hanging organizer in my closet to give myself more storage. This is where I store all of my smaller items that are harder to stack because the organizer I have has several small cubbies.

I like having this storage unit because it’s easy to access and maximizes vertical space. Since college bedrooms aren’t spacious to begin with, it’s important to find ways to maximize storage space.

Since mine goes down to the floor, I hang it in the corner of the closet to maximize floor space. 

• Floor space in the closet 

– I use the floor space in my closet as storage because I’m not using that space for anything else.

I put my trash can in the closet so that it doesn’t take up space anywhere else.

The closet is also a great place to store a mini fridge if you have one. Some of the space in my closet is taken up by the hanging organizer, so I use the other part of the closet for storage. 

Photo by Elena Chawla

I have a lot of space under my bed, which makes it a great place to store my suitcases.

Suitcases are also a great place to store anything you don’t otherwise have space for. As for the nightstand, I put a tissue box on top of it and a lamp next to it to brighten the room. 

• Bookshelves 

– I am a big fan of using bookshelves. It’s a great place to keep books and notebooks.

Since I don’t have enough of either of those, I use the rest of the space to store cleaning products and school supplies.

I typically use the extra shelf space to store anything that can be stored on a desk because I prefer an empty desk when studying. 

Related: What to Do When Bored in Class: 120+ Productive and Entertaining Ideas

 

Study & Productivity Must-Haves

• A planner or digital calendar for time management

– I enjoy using a planner and calendar. I use a physical planner for keeping track of my homework and college-related events.

The planner I use has a calendar for each month, and I use that calendar to keep track of college events. The majority of the pages within this planner are divided into weeks. You can see one week at a time.

I find this helpful for tracking homework progress because I can see my weekly to-do list without feeling overwhelmed by future weeks. 

 

– I use a digital calendar to keep track of personal events, activities, and trips. I find it easier to separate the two to avoid confusion.

As a result, I have been able to keep a school-life balance. Having a balance between college and personal life makes it easier to get your homework done without getting distracted by your phone when trying to look at your digital calendar.

When you try to relax, you are not getting bothered by notifications on your phone reminding you of your schoolwork.

The calendar I use is the Google calendar, and I have the app on my phone so I can check it easily.

I find this calendar useful because I have it set to show me the entire month. This way, I get a holistic view of the activities going on in a particular month.

I can select any individual day, and my calendar will show me the specific times of each event I scheduled on that day. 

 

Personal Care & Hygiene Essentials 

• Shower Items 

– In terms of showering in college, I have found it helpful to have a designated pair of shower shoes. These are shoes that I can easily get rid of when they get ruined, and I only use them for showing.

I also have three towels. I know this is overkill, but I like to be prepared. When I put one of my towels in my dirty laundry bag, I have another towel I can use.

This way, I can take a shower with a clean towel and not have to worry about constantly needing to do laundry. 

Photo by Elena Chawla

I store my most-used products on the counter by the sink. The products I use the most are lotion, cleanser, ChapStick, Aquaphor, and Neosporin. I find it helpful to keep my most-used products in easily accessible spaces. 

• Skincare and Haircare  

– I don’t use many skin care products, but I do use lotion regularly. Recently, I have been using Aveeno lotion to help with my dry skin. This lotion has reduced dryness on my hands.

Occasionally, you can find me using cleansers from Sothys Paris. I highly recommend this product because it has made my face look less red, has less acne, and feels softer. I have found both of these products to be beneficial for my skin. 

– I also rotate between a few different hair products that I use when my hair is dry. I have curly hair, so it gets super frizzy, and using hair products makes it easier for me to maintain my hair. 

I use Garnier Fructis products to control my frizzy, curly hair, and I have found great success.

The curl refresher spray is good for keeping your curls intact and preventing flyaway from getting in your face.

The only downside to this product that I have experienced is that my hair feels slightly crunchy once the product sets.

This product can sometimes be difficult to get out of your hair in the shower because it makes your hair crunchy.

On some occasions, I have found myself spending more time rinsing my hair because of this product. I am willing to overlook this because I find the benefits to be good enough. 

The anti-frizz serum has helped my hair be less frizzy, but it does not hold my curls together like the curl refresher spray.

I highly recommend this product because it does not make your hair look greasy, it smells good, and it reduces frizz. 

The 10-in-1 leave-in spray is my favorite of the three because it keeps my curls intact, reduces frizz, smells great, and doesn’t make my hair crunchy.

The only downside I found to this product is that it makes my hair feel slightly greasy without actually looking greasy. 

On top of using their products to control my hair when it is dry, I also use their shampoo and conditioner.

I use shampoo and conditioner from Garnier Fructis because these products have been great for my curly and frizzy hair.

I have found myself needing to use more shampoo and conditioner when I use other brands than I do with this brand.

These products smell good and last a long time. I make sure I get the containers that have the pump at the top to make showering in college dorm bathrooms easier.

Related: The Best Self-Care Essentials Every College Guy Needs -The Ultimate Guide

 

Laundry & Cleaning Supplies

• Laundry hamper or mesh bag, detergent, dryer sheets 

– Having the proper laundry supplies makes it easier and faster to get your laundry done.

Personally, I prefer having a mesh bag for my laundry instead of a hamper or basket. When I do my laundry, I put the mesh bag in the machine with my laundry.

This way, I don’t have to carry a basket or hamper around. Mesh bags also don’t take up that much space. I also put my laundry on the floor of my closet to maximize that space and minimize clutter around the rest of my room.

I put my laundry detergent and dryer sheets on the floor next to my laundry, so I don’t lose them. 

• Clothing stain remover 

– Although I rarely use stain remover, I have found it to be very helpful and effective in the circumstances in which I need it.

I mostly use this to clean stains out of the hand towels I keep in the kitchen. I use kitchen towels to clean up all the messes I make in the kitchen, so they often get stains. 

Photo by Elena Chawla

My roommates and I keep our cleaning supplies in a communal spot so we all have access to them. I mainly use these products to clean my bedroom and clothing.

Although I rarely use cloth stain remover, I have found it useful to have on the occasion that I need it.

I usually switch off between using a rag to dust off surfaces and Clorox wipes to clean them off. I use a small handheld vacuum for smaller cleaning jobs, such as my bedroom. 

• Vacuum Cleaners 

– I have two vacuum cleaners in my apartment. I use a small, handheld vacuum cleaner for smaller cleanups and for cleaning my bedroom. I use a larger vacuum to clean the rest of my apartment.

I try to vacuum my bedroom once a week, so a smaller, more compact vacuum is good enough for me to use to clean. I do not clean the rest of my apartment every week, so I have more of a need for a larger vacuum. 

• Disinfectant wipes, all-purpose cleaner, and paper towels 

– I use disinfectant wipes to clean up small messes around my living space. I spray all-purpose cleaner on surfaces when I am doing a larger cleaning job and wipe it down with paper towels.

When I need to, I use paper towels to clean up spills. One thing I have found to be useful when cleaning up spills on the floor is to put paper towels under my feet and push them over the spilled areas. 

 

Kitchen & Snack Must-Haves 

Photo by Elena Chawla

On top of having access to food, I make sure I have access to plenty of drinks. Since I enjoy drinking Vitamin Water, I make sure to get plenty of it every time I get groceries. 

• Mini fridge & microwave (if allowed)

– Mini fridges are great to have for storing late-night snacks and drinks. I usually fill my fridge with fruit and caffeinated drinks.

Not every college will allow people to have microwaves for themselves in a dorm room, but many colleges will provide them for communal use.

Having access to a microwave has been super helpful for me because I use it for reheating leftovers from the previous night’s takeout. 

Photo by Elena Chawla

Having proper Tupperware for leftovers is important because it will keep your food fresh. Even takeout food comes in containers.

It is important to make sure you have snacks and meals available to you, and the key to making that happen is proper containers to keep food fresh. 

• Easy dorm-friendly snacks & meal prep tools 

– While living in a dorm, I found it helpful to have prepackaged snacks such as fruit snacks and Cliff Bars.

Every morning, I put one or two of those snacks in my backpack so I could have a midday snack when I needed it.

I also got myself a few snacks that were in larger packages or containers and kept them in my dorm.

Once a month, I ordered takeout and kept the leftovers in my mini fridge. Now that I live in an apartment, I have the same system while also having a fridge full of food I can cook. 

Related: 30 Effective Study Motivation Tips – The Ultimate 2025 Guide

 

Health & Safety Essentials 

• First aid kit, medications, and vitamins 

– I have a small first aid kit that I keep in my backpack, and I refill it as needed. I keep Advil, Excedrin, and some Band-Aids in a small pocket of my backpack.

In my bedroom, I have a designated desk drawer full of medications, vitamins, and any other first aid-related items I might need.

On top of having cold medications, I have Benadryl, Tylenol, Dramamine, tissues, bandages, toothpaste, extra toothbrushes, and period products.

In terms of vitamins, I have daily multivitamin gummies and Airborne. My reasoning for having all of these is so that I am prepared to take care of myself when I get sick, while also having any of the first aid supplies that my roommates need. 

Photo by Elena Chawla

I keep all of my first aid and health-related items in a drawer because they are not things I need to use every day.

I have found it incredibly helpful to keep all of these things in a drawer together, so it is easy to find them when I need to use them. 

 

Tech & Entertainment Gear 

• Charger, adapters, and flash drives

– Having the right tech and entertainment gear is super important. Most college students rely on their computers to get their homework done and turned in, so having a charger can prevent your computer from dying.

I have found adapters important because they make it possible for you to plug your computer into projectors, speakers, and other types of technology.

Personally, I enjoy having a flash drive even though using one can be time-consuming. My reason for having a flash drive is to save all of my important files somewhere other than my computer.

I like knowing that I won’t lose anything important if something happens to my computer. 

Photo by Elena Chawla

Having the right technology in college is important for being successful. The tech that I have found to be some of the most important includes chargers, earbuds or headphones, speakers, and flash drives.

While phones and computers are the most obvious in terms of importance, I find these other products important as well. 

Related: 40 Best Books About Learning and Studying – The 2025 Student Guide

 

Fashion & Daily Wear Essentials 

• Clothing for different occasions

– I have four different categories of clothing. One category is for the clothing I wear on the weekends.

This clothing is comfortable and helps me relax. I have the category of clothing that is for classes and is meant to be flexible and allowing me to walk between classes.

Another group of clothing I have is designated for going out at night. There are plenty of fun activities for a night out, and I have clothing to fit those occasions.

The last category of clothing I have is weather-appropriate.

I bring out my raincoat and winter jacket in the winter, and I save my shorts for the summer. Separating my clothing into these categories helped me find an outfit quickly and not risk running late for anything. 

 

Self-Care & Mental Wellness Items 

• Cozy loungewear for relaxation

I have a pair of cozy slippers to wear around my apartment. These slippers keep my feet warm and are comfortable to wear.

Wearing them around my apartment helps me relax because it keeps me warm while providing a boundary between classes and the stress of college and being relaxed inside. 

Since people lose a lot of their body heat through their feet, wearing shoes can prevent that.

Something that helps me relax is having a pair of shoes that are for inside use only, because it helps me separate going outside for classes and relaxing in my apartment.

In addition to this, I also have something that I call weekend clothing. This is an outfit I wear on the weekend when I am not focusing on schoolwork and going to classes.

I do not wear this outfit to class because it can be nice to differentiate between school and free time. 

Related: 30 Best Dorm Room Ideas You Will Absolutely Need in College

 

Tips on Making the Most of Your College Essentials

I have packed for college plenty of times already, so I have become good at finding the best ways to pack for a seamless transition back to college.

I start by packing larger pieces of clothing such as shirts, pants, shorts, sweatshirts, and jackets. Smaller items like socks are things I put in last because I use them to fill in the holes left behind by the rest of the items.

I always put a full change of clothing in my backpack just in case something happens, and I need an extra change of clothes.

I always put two water bottles and several travel-friendly activities in my backpack.

Any item I have that can be easy to break, I put in the center of my suitcase, so it is more protected. This way of packing has made moving into college easier. 

 

Final Thoughts

Everyone has different items they need to have on their essentials list, but that shouldn’t stop you from being able to create your own. My essentials list has changed and evolved during my time in college, and that is normal.

I found it helpful to create a list of my essentials before I left for college. As my time in college went on, I found myself changing my list to better serve my needs.

Given that, I have had a better and more enjoyable college experience because of my essentials list. Now that you have seen my essentials, you can share your must-have college essentials below. 

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