Do not expect to buy common dorm items at the local Walmart or grocery store. They will be totally sold out on move in day.
Rather than using large bins and boxes which are often bulky, heavy,and hard to carry, we have used mostly those large blue bags from IKEA and trader joes grocery bags to carry our multiple daughters’ items to their dorm rooms. The ikea bags have very long straps and can be carried like a large shoulder bag without hurting your back. They are inexpensive, take up very little space when empty, and are also great to use as laundry baskets. We also bring an inexpensive hand cart for items that can’t be easily carried in the bags.
Some dorms may not have elevators, or they are just so busy that it is difficult to get a turn, so pack things in easier to carry bags, or use smaller boxes or bins that can be more easily transported if you get stuck schlepping items up stairs.
We brought way too much stuff for our older daughters freshman year. so we have learned to streamline, and pick up extra items near the colleges, and also purchase odds and ends on line later as needed.
Make sure you know what is provided by the college. I saw some parents reloading a microwave and mini fridge back into their car because is was provided by the school.
If the closet has a door, we bought a plastic shoe rack that you can cut down to hold all the toiletries and odds and ends. I also bought a boot mat so the snow boots wouldn’t just soak into the carpet.
“If your stuff doesn’t fit into a small Toyota Corolla or similar, it won’t fit into your kid’s dorm room and you’ll end up hauling it all home.”
That was my husbands theory which he told our daughter over and over. She ignored him and we ended up loading an entire SUV plus shipping several Boxes.
If you think this ends with us hauling back half the stuff…nope! She had pintersted everything to death and had every space saving device and technique down pat. Everything fit. The lunch before we left where he got an earful of I told you so wasn’t his finest moment. Lol!
And did she use all that stuff. Yep! she really did including wearing 39 of the 40 pairs of sandals/ shoes/boots she brought!
I disagree with this. For each move in, we’ve had to use hammer and screwdrivers for various things. We had to double hang closets a few times. We also had to buy/assemble additional shelves, curtains, etc. We didn’t bring anything for D1’s first move and had to beg and borrow.
If you are a clean freak like me and you are driving, I would pack a bucket, a mop and other cleaning stuff. They don’t usually clean those dorms very well. I always cleaned their room before unpacking, and the water bucket was usually black after I was done.
Hm. Not driving but might bring a swiffer, because lightweight.
I also disagree with this stement. My daughter’s school doesn’t allow the use of 3M Command Strips at all. They must use 3/4" nails, tacks or blue painters tape. She has a framed photo collage that she wants to put on the wall so we’ll be using a hammer to do it. It won’t be used to assemble any furniture!
If you take a SUV loaded full of “stuff” just keep in mind that eventually you will be hauling that stuff back to your house…times two…because they accumulate stuff while in college.
My DD brought WAY too much stuff last year (freshman). We came from across the country with suitcases loaded. Then rented an SUV and made stops at BBB and Target - not to mention the stuff already delivered to a friend’s house nearby. 
In April, my DD was so overwhelmed with all the stuff she needed to pack up! Too many books from home, too much jewelry, too many decorations, too many “dorm organizers”.
We did visit to big box stores further from campus. The one closer ran out of a lot of stuff.
We brought an old suitcase that we ended up throwing away after it was emptied. We made sure the suitcases we left behind could be nested and stored under the bed. We kept extra sheets and towels inside suitcases as well.
I like the idea of the IKEA bags if you are driving. Easier to carry than a big box. It wouldn’t have worked for us, though.
Everything did fit into her room despite filling an SUV. But, she didn’t like having so much as the year went on. And, she easily admitted it.
One year, I flew out with D to help move D in. So we had 2 checked suitcases apiece, my carry-on and tote (which I intended to leave with her), and her carry-on and tote. I packed clean underwear, toothbrush, ID/cards/cash and cell phone into a wristlet, and perched my glasses on my head. We got there, unpacked all 6 bags, I left, went back to my hotel with just the wristlet and nothing else, wore the same clothes the next day (what was the big deal, I had no need to impress anybody) and flew home - again with just a wristlet. It just wouldn’t have made sense for me to have brought my carry-on and a change of clothes for a one night stay when we needed the room for her stuff. What did I sleep in? Probably either nothing or a hotel robe, don’t remember.
That’s sort of our plan. Also packing a tape measure and my phone charger. 
We did the fly in also. Two suitcases each, one carry one each. One backpack each. We looked like pack mules.
Two of the large suitcases were old junk…and they were put in the dumpster when they were unpacked. DD kept one other, and I brought the last one home with me, along with my carry on and my backpack. Thank you SW airlines.
Hint! When you rent your car, make sure the opening to the trunk is large enough to accommodate the suitcases. I rented some economy car…and while the trunk was big enough to hold everything (and the backseat too), the opening to the trunk wasn’t large enough to fit the large suitcases through. So we upgraded at the car rental place.
Not sure if anyone else said this, but I was glad to have a sweet smelling cleaning product and some paper towels. The dorm was very clean, but it still felt good to go over everything one more time before loading up. Unpack the bed FIRST - once made, you can pile everything on top. If you don’t finish, at least your child has a place to sleep.
I haven’t seen any “psychological advice”. We talked to our daughter beforehand, and told her that she was driving the train. We would stay as long as she wanted, leave as quickly as she wanted, and do what she wanted without guilt. In our case, her roommate was not there and she elected to have us help her unpack every single thing so that it was done and she didn’t have to worry about it during orientation activities. We would have been fine with walking away, and likely would have for space reasons if her roommate was attempting to unpack at the same time. We left her with a bag of receipts from BBB, some extra coupons, and some items that we knew she wouldn’t need now that we had unpacked and saw the room. This made her popular a few days later, when a group of kids went to BBB together - she could share the coupons. Three of us flew with a suitcase and a backpack each, and picked up everything else she needed after preordering at BBB. BBB took us 45 minutes, and was a breeze. Target was a pain - crowded, out of many things, etc. We were thankful that we had coupons to get everything at BBB.
One more thing: parents on this board recommended investing in Tote a Ton bags https://www.amazon.com/Samsonite-Tote-A-Ton-32-5-inch-Duffel/dp/B004YZCZL4 in lieu of some of the cardboard boxes. We bought two, and DD asked for a third close to move-out of freshman year. Think about it - they are likely to move eight times. Who wants to commandeer boxes 8 times? Better to throw these babies under the bed or mattress, and pull them out once a year. They are very light and durable, although they have no wheels so can be heavy when full. She is now in her second year post grad, and has all three waiting for the next move.
A cheaper alternative to the Samsonite Tote-A-Ton is the IKEA Frakta XL tote bags: https://amzn.com/B00OS47EDK
Lots of good tips here. Mostly I say don’t overdo it, especially in terms of packing and trying to anticipate every conceivable need. Research what move in day is like at your particular school. Most schools will have older students around to help unload and carry stuff, and have things available like hand trucks, rolling bins, etc. Some even have a Bed Bath & Beyond or other “Pop Up Shop” on campus on freshman move in day. http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-backtoschool-popups-idUSBRE96E0PI20130715. Here’s another concept: your kid can figure stuff out on his or her own after you leave, especially with the help of experienced students. At my kid’s LAC you didn’t even register for freshman classes until after move in day and placement exams. At the suggestion of the older students she rented her books from Amazon. There was an Amazon Locker really near her dorm, and she had lots of stuff delivered there.
My credit cards do not need preauthorization for international travel so I didn’t give move-in day a second thought. Two credit cards were declined at Target. My sister pulled out her cc and it was also declined. I had to call the 800 number in the checkout line. Perhaps calling your cc company ahead of time can avoid this hassle.
@MaterS same thing happened to me…in NC. I had about $500 worth of stuff in my Target cart. Had already been to Mattress Firm, and a couple of other places. Credit card company put a fraud alert on my card! I appreciated their diligence…but… I had the clerk hand me the phone…and I didn’t get off until the card was approved.
Now I call…but they tell me it isn’t necessary
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Oh…and way to embarrass your kid…we got to BBB to pick up our ore-ordered goods. I did not have enough coupons…so I asked “anyone have any extra coupons?”. I thought DD was good got die! But a nice lady pulled out a fistful and handed me all I needed!
I love it when you travel overseas and the CC call your home to verify, since they couldn’t get hold of you they just decline all future purchases.
I have a CC company that emails me now to do verification…took them a while to figure it out.
I agree with the IKEA bags. Bought a set of 3 zipper bags for move out last year and they were wonderful and inexpensive. Sturdy and soft sided allows for easily fitting in the car especially if they are not over filled.
Made a tool kit for my son last year. Used on move in day and left it with him. You would be amazed at how much it was used through out the year and many on his floor borrowed tools. My husband is currently making one for my daughter for this year to also leave with her.