Move-In Checklist
🥳 GET READY FOR MOVE-IN!
Read on for a list of what you should bring with you, what's included in your room and what you should definitely leave at home.
What should you bring?
After receiving your room assignment, you will want to contact your roommate and discuss what each of you plan to bring. Decide who will bring large items such as the TV, carpet, etc. Will one of you bring a small refrigerator (or renting one)?
Note: Some homeowners insurance policies do not cover residence hall belongings. Check your policy or consider purchasing renters insurance for coverage.
What's included in your room?
Your room will have desks with drawers, desk chairs, beds with an extra-long twin mattress, blinds, locking closets, a wireless internet connection, a smoke detector and a wastebasket.
Hall pages have specific information on room layouts, furniture types and dimensions. We do not have room diagrams for every room available.
Want to make Move-In easier?
📦 THE ULTIMATE PACKING CHECKLIST 📦
🚶🏿FOR GETTING AROUND
- Your i-card (for meal plan and building access)
- Key ring/wallet for keys and i-card
- A cart or dolly to expedite your move in process
🛌 FOR SLEEP
- Pillow(s)
- Comforter or bedspread
- Blankets
- Mattress pad or protector (for extra-long twin bed)
- Alarm clock (as a backup to your phone)
- One or two sets of sheets measuring 36” x 80” for extra-long twin beds (two for when one is in the laundry)
🧺 FOR YOUR WARDROBE
- Clothing for warm and cold weather — Illinois winters can be very COLD! Storing seasonal clothing at home is recommended.
- Swimsuit or other athletic clothing
- Umbrella, rain gear (jacket, poncho, rain boots)
- Clothes hangers
- Laundry basket or bag
- High-efficiency (HE) laundry detergent (Liquid, powder or pods).
- Shoe rack/hanging storage
- Drawer liners
📚 FOR STUDYING
- Non-halogen desk, floor, or bedside lamp. Consider purchasing LED or compact fluorescent bulbs.
- Two power strips with a 15-amp circuit breaker — All power strips must be UL-approved with a heavy cord and three-prong grounding.
- 15-foot HDMI cord
- Computer, power cord, and accessories. If you are bringing a laptop, you should also consider a laptop cable lock.
- Headphones
- A 15-foot or longer ethernet cable (to get faster internet than with the provided in-hall and on-campus Wi-Fi)
- Office supplies
- Calculator
🚿 FOR BATHING/WASHING
- Bathrobe, shower shoes or sandals, shower cap
- Small bucket or water-resistant caddy for carrying toiletries
- Towels and washcloths
- Toiletries (shampoo and conditioner, soap, shaving cream, hand/body lotion, toothbrush and toothpaste, contacts etc.)
- Hair dryer, styling tools
🏠 FOR MAKING YOUR ROOM FEEL LIKE HOME
- Room decorations: posters, artwork, photos of loved ones.
- Poster putty, painters tape, or command strips for hanging up decorations—no masking tape or scotch tape on wood or painted surfaces.
- Small microwave, 800 watts or less (one per room)
- Small refrigerator — one per room, no more than 4.4 cubic feet and Energy Star certified (combo appliances available for rent.) (Note: Sherman and Daniels already come with combo appliances.)
- Video game console (Checkout games from campus libraries!)
- Bookshelf
- Throw rug or carpet samples (Note: Busey-Evans and Daniels are already carpeted.)
- TV, DVD/Blu-ray player, stereo, record player — There are TVs in the central area of halls.
- Board/card games (You can check out games and more from campus libraries too!)
👋 OTHER HANDY ITEMS
- Coffee mug, drinking cups, dishes, and utensils for snacks
- Electric coffee or tea maker
- Assorted plastic containers with tight lids for storing snacks, detergent, or other items
- Bike and U-shaped lock, rollerblades or other “green” transportation (Deter theft and register your bike at GO.ILLINOIS.EDU/MYBIKE.)
- Headphones or earbuds
- Emergency kit (flashlight, batteries, bottled water, first aid kit, etc. See redcross.org.)
- Mirror with over-door hooks
- Crates or stacking containers
- Seat cushion for desk chair
- Fan (box or window fans are recommended in non-air-conditioned residence halls)
- Reading pillow for your bed
- Bedside caddy
- Paper towels and basic cleaning supplies
- Dish soap and sponges
- Hand vacuum
- Filtered water pitcher
- Air freshener
- Sewing kit, scissors, safety pins
- Personal sports/recreation equipment
- Cell phone and charger
⛔ DO NOT BRING ⛔
Residents are not allowed to modify their room or furniture. This includes building lofts, room dividers, furniture modifications, etc.
The following items are NOT permitted in the residence halls:
- Wireless hub (the default configuration of most wireless routers interferes with the internet connectivity of rooms around you)
- 3D printer
- Nerf gun
- Halogen lamps or halogen bulbs of any kind
- Hotplate, skillet, toaster, toaster oven, rice cooker, George Foreman Grill Air Fryer or similar cooking or high-wattage appliances with exposed heating elements
- Air conditioner, electric or space heater
- Your own mattress
- Rolls of quarters — cost of laundry is included in your room and board.
- Pets (except fish)
- Candles (either for lighting or decoration), kerosene heater, incense, scent pot burners or other fire hazards
- Nail picture hangers (no nails or thumbtacks in woodwork or walls)
- Alcohol (even empty, decorative bottles)
- Oversized stereo speakers
- Vehicles (Parking on campus is extremely limited. Visit Campus Parking at PARKING.ILLNOIS.EDU to learn more and apply for a permit.)
- Hoverboards, Escooters or micromobility devices
- Extension cords
Download a non-accessible print version of the Move-In Packing checklist here.
Download an accessible print version of the Move-In Packing checklist here.