Recommended Packing List

Hello All,

The following are my recommendations for what first-years should pack to move into Baumer Hall (aka the best hall on campus). This is just a list of things I found to be very useful during my freshman year, so I hope this helps.

As far as room dimensions go, I don’t have any exact measurements. Refer to the floor plans for the best estimate of size; each room size varies.

Feel free to email me with any other questions at swall@nd.edu and I’d be happy to answer them.

Best,

Shane

My freshman year room, corner room 251

My freshman year room, corner room 251

  • Furniture and Storage

    • Mini-fridge (coordinate with your roommate)

    • Futon (again, coordinate with your roommate)

    • Rug and rug pad. I have an 8ft x 10ft rug that fills a double room completely when both beds are lofted. Keep in mind that most of these rugs get thrown out at the end of the year.

    • TV and TV stand

    • It’s hard to gauge how much space you have until you get to your room. Consider starting with one shelving unit and deciding what to do from there. There are 3 Targets within driving distance from ND, as well as a Walmart. Sometimes the closer ones are very busy or sold out of things during Welcome Weekend, so consider going to a further location from South Bend to avoid the rush.  

  • Bedding and Linens

    • 2 bath towels

    • 2 cloth hand towels

    • 1 mattress protector (thin padding that slips around the mattress first)

    • 1 mattress topper. You won’t regret getting a memory foam one.

    • 1 set of twin-XL size sheets. It’s pretty easy to wash/dry your sheets in the same day, so I did not end up needing 2 sets.

    • 1 quilt/duvet twin-XL size. I brought 2 freshman year but really only used one of them.

    • You can bring a blanket but I didn’t use it as much as I thought I would. Baumer is very well heated/cooled.

    • 2 pillows

    • Note: the mattresses in Baumer are size Twin-XL (80 inches)

  • General Advice On Clothing

    • In the fall, it can get pretty hot in South Bend. I remember packing my winter coat for move-in and regretted it since I didn’t need to use it until after Fall Break in October. I just left it in the basement storage until I needed it. Try and skip it for this trip out to ND and bring it out when you come back to campus after Fall Break.

    • Bring a suit for dances as well as a suit for formal wear. If you’re in Mendoza, there will be plenty of opportunities for you to wear a suit. 

  • Miscellaneous 

    • 20-pack hangers

    • Shower shoes

    • At least 2 power strips

    • Air purifier. It made my room less dusty, so you might want to bring one.

    • 1 floor lamp or set of LED lights. There is an overhead light, a sink light, and an LED under-the-hutch light on the desk, but many of us also stick color LED lights around the ceiling.

    • A small box or desk fan. I put mine next to my window to circulate outside air.

    • Don’t bring Tupperware. The dining halls don’t allow take-out.

    • Ziploc bags can come in handy throughout the year.

    • A toolbox kit with a screwdriver is very helpful, especially during Welcome Weekend. I keep mine under my sink throughout the year and it always comes in handy.

    • Command Strips are useful for hanging things on the walls. I’ve used them in the past and I haven’t had any issues with them stripping the walls when I move out. I also recommend getting poster puddy from the ND Bookstore - 10/10 for keeping posters on the walls all year long.

    • Getting a full-size mirror from Target is nice because the only mirror we have in the rooms is the sink mirror.

    • A small vacuum is great. I got one off Amazon and I used it more often than I thought I would.

    • Hamper

    • Laundry bag or basket to carry clothes down to the basement.

    • Detergent. Our machines can take Tide pods or liquid detergent, but no Downy Unstoppables.

    • Small bottle of dish soap 

    • Dryer sheets

    • Clorox wipes

    • Paper towels

    • Box of tissues

    • Travel-size box of band-aids

    • Paper plates and disposable forks

    • 1 microwaveable bowl or plate. We have microwaves in the lounges on each floor.

    • Hooks for the side of your bed. If you loft your bed, you can put a set of hooks off the side to hang towels, hats, etc. I got one from Target that has five hooks and it hangs underneath my lofted bed.

    • Bedside shelf. Can’t stress it enough, especially if you loft your bed.

    • Fire TV Stick, Roku, or other TV plug-in. We have no cable TV in Baumer. An HDMI cord is also useful to have.

    • An 8-foot long phone charging cord. Outlets can be in odd places, and if you want a charger to reach your bed, definitely invest in a long charging cord.

  • Final Note

    • If you forget anything after moving-in, please note that we have the privilege of delivery to our dorm room doors for (mainly) items off of Amazon and items delivered by UPS. *However, you are NOT able to have items shipped ahead of move-in weekend, only thereafter.