Top 10 Move-In Essentials For UT Students

Welcome to the Forty Acres! As you start to pack for your big move, you might overlook some of the small but essential things that’ll make your life a lot easier once you get here. This  top 10 move-in essentials for UT students list covers everything you should bring based on real campus life and personal experience.

1. Storage

A few extra storage bins are a must for everyone moving in, regardless of how many personal items you’re bringing to the Forty Acres. These keep seasonal clothes, books, and supplies out of the way, leaving your room feeling more put together and clean. Storage bins are ideal for rotating items in and out of a dorm or apartment, especially if your space is smaller or shared.

Many students choose to keep them in places like under their beds or in their closets to keep them out of the way. This maximizes the space you have in your room while also protecting your valuables from dust and moisture. A great tip is to keep an extra pair of bedding (sheets, pillowcases, even a comforter can fit if your bed is a twin like mine) in one of these bins. You never know what might be spilled on your bedsheets, and it’s handy to have an extra pair at your disposal in case you need to wash them at night.

Great options can be found at Home Depot, Walmart, Target, and The Container Store.

2. Water Bottle

A large, reusable, metal water bottle is an essential for everyday life in college, especially when you go to college in Austin. A personal water bottle is helpful for saving money on disposable ones and reducing your single-use plastic waste while also keeping you hydrated with cold water throughout the day, even in the hottest moments of August.

There are water fountains and refill stations in every building at UT, so there’s no reason to panic if you finish yours while on campus! Most water bottles also conveniently fit in backpacks for easy transport to and from school.

I know Stanley cups are all the rage, but I would not recommend getting one for your college journey. The shape and size make them inconvenient for movement, and the straw design makes it difficult to throw in your bag like you can with other water bottles. For home, they’re great, but for school try buying from brands like Yeti, Owala, or Hydro Flask. These brands all make bottles with convenient builds that keep your water cold for hours, making them the top choices for University of Texas students.

Try adding UT stickers or decals for an extra spirited flair!

3. Personal Fan (Both Portable and for Room)

Don’t be embarrassed to carry a personal fan at UT Austin! Sometimes, the heat is just too much, and having a fan on your person could be your saving grace from the Texas sun.

On game days, you’ll see many students with electric fans like these from Target and Walmart or even manual ones similar to this one from Amazon. You can also get UT-themed fans from The University Co-Op and Etsy! Trust me when I say that a transportable fan is a must if you plan on going to lots of football games this fall.

An extra fan for your room could come in handy as well. The last situation you want to be in is being stuck in your apartment with no air conditioning, and this spare fan might be the only thing available to cool you down. Some opt to put a box fan on their nightstand or desk, while others purchase a tower fan to sit on the floor by their bed. Regardless of what shape you get, an extra fan is a handy device that all students should consider bringing along with them to Austin.

4. Cowboy Boots

While this isn’t inherently an essential, you might not feel fully assimilated to the Forty Acres until you step onto campus in a pair of cowboy boots.

At an SEC school deep in the heart of Texas, boots have always been a staple of Southern fashion. Students here wear these to class, parties, gatherings with friends, and football games. They look great in the summer, spring, and fall with cutoff denim shorts or a skirt, while in the cold months you can wear them with a nice pair of bootcut jeans.

One of the great things about cowboy boots is that you can always find a nice pair regardless of your price range. Austin’s thrifting culture is booming, and many secondhand stores carry boots in all shapes, sizes, and colors. However, if you’re looking for a brand-new pair, stores like Tecovas, Boot Barn, and Cavender’s will be your best friend.

You can even find customized UT Austin boots with Longhorn motifs and burnt orange details on websites like Gameday Boots or The University Co-Op!

5. Air Fryer

You might not think so yet, but if you haven’t purchased an air fryer, you definitely should. A high-powered oven with the timing of a microwave is a ridiculously convenient purchase for college, both for home cooking and reheating leftovers.

In my West Campus apartment, our air fryer was possibly our most used kitchen appliance and none of us expected it to be so helpful. Not only does it cook and reheat, it also crisps without the use of oil, butter, or mayo. This minimizes both time and mess, encouraging you to experiment with your cooking while in college, even if you don’t have a full kitchen.

Air fryers come in all shapes, sizes, and prices depending on your budget and space. For affordability, check Target or Amazon. For a durable, metal air fryer that can hold larger quantities of food at once, Ninja holds the monopoly, but you can also check for these at Walmart or on Amazon.

If you’ve never used an air fryer or aren’t sure if you’ll keep it forever, try one of the affordable options first. They’ll have the same amazing cooking capabilities at a fraction of the price!

6. Shower Caddy

A shower caddy is a specific must for people who plan to live in dorms with communal restrooms. Rather than walking down the hallway with your shampoo, conditioner, and soap tumbling out of your arms, a caddy like this one from Kohl’s keeps all of your items centralized with a handle that makes it easy to carry regardless of how many products you fill it with.

While many items on this list are worth a splurge for the highest quality option, in my opinion, a shower caddy is a product that you should save on. Most standard options are $3–10, and this is a fair price to pay for a plastic caddy. This is especially true if you only plan on living in a dorm for 1–2 years; it will easily last you through your stay while also saving you a few bucks that you could put toward something like a metal water bottle or electric fan.

The best shower caddies come from Walmart, Target, and Amazon. Remember, don’t pay more than about $10, unless you plan to keep and regularly use it for years beyond your time in a dorm. If this is you, check out this one from Pottery Barn!

7. Spray Deodorant

Keeping a spray deodorant in your backpack or school book bag is a fantastic way to keep yourself fresh throughout the day, no matter how far and hot your walk to class is. Many have found that they sweat no matter if they walk or take the bus, so even if you feel like you might not need it, it’s a helpful thing to have for everyone on campus!

The spray format is easiest for on-the-go use because of its inability to melt and its fast and simple application process. Sprays often leave no marks or residue on clothes, unlike most sticks. Some formulas, like this one from Dove, even combine their deodorizers with antiperspirants to offer 48-hour protection against odor and stains!

Bottles of spray deodorant are also often quite compact, making them easy to fit in your bag regardless of what shape and size it is. To save yourself the embarrassment of pit stains during your school year, consider adding spray deodorant to your list of packing essentials for when you need a quick refresh between classes!

8. Headphones

Over-the-ear headphones are a multi-use product that can be extremely helpful to own in more situations than you know.

Your roommate won’t stop snoring? Headphones. Riding the bus to campus? Headphones. Exercising in a public space or shared gym? Headphones. Minimizing outside distractions while studying? Headphones!

If you’re planning on doing virtual classes or video calls, headphones are also a must to ensure that you’re fully able to focus on the task. These are just a small collection of scenarios in which they might be useful on a campus as busy as UT’s, the possibilities are truly endless!

Apple AirPod headphones are easily the best pair on the market because of their noise-canceling abilities and sound systems. Bose also makes many great models, with Sony being comparable in quality. For those with a more alternative style who feel that over-the-ear headphones won’t mesh with their outfit, consider this pair from Best Buy!

Target, Marshall’s, Walmart, and Amazon also have more affordable options for those looking for the ease and comfort of headphones without paying the prices of brands like Apple.

9. Backpack Laundry Bin

If your dorm or apartment doesn’t come with an in-unit washer, a laundry basket with backpack straps may be the right fit for you! You can even find ones with pockets, such as this one from Amazon, which doubles the convenience by giving you a designated space to store your detergent.

I would always recommend a laundry basket with straps because of how helpful it is to be able to carry heavy loads on your back rather than by hand, especially if your walk to your washer and dryer is longer than average. My first year of college, it was down three flights of stairs and included an outdoor, uphill walk which coincidentally is when I developed my appreciation for my strapped laundry basket!

Even if you don’t feel as though your walk is very far, I would still recommend looking into one of these at stores like Ikea, Pottery Barn, or CleverMade. More affordable options can be found at department stores like Target. The backpack design is truly the easiest and most efficient way to transport your laundry back and forth from the washroom!

10. Extra Hangers

One thing that I would say to every incoming college student is that you should indefinitely pack a few more hangers than you think you need. At UT, free shirts and swag are handed out at almost every event you attend, and it’s very common to keep this merch and wear it on campus.

Beyond receiving clothes for free, West Campus is dotted by thrift stores like Buffalo Exchange and Pavement, where students often go as a pastime with their friends to source stylish secondhand clothing. It’s a pretty common experience to go thrifting as an activity with friends here, and the clothes can add up quickly! We also boast the presence of clothing stores like Urban Outfitters on The Drag; clothing, apparel, and having your own distinct style are big parts of Austin’s culture!

Buying a few packs of extra hangers from Target ensures that your closet won’t run out of space and your drawers won’t get overwhelmed. On average, hangers are $5–15, making this a cheap and useful tip to consider taking part in as you prepare for your move-in date. Combine two tricks into one by keeping them in your extra storage bins!

Final Thoughts

Whether you’re heading to a dorm in Jester or a West Campus apartment, packing the right move-in essentials will level up your UT experience. From the basics like water bottles and storage bins to underrated lifesavers like air fryers and portable fans, these items will help you stay cool, organized, and ready for whatever the University of Texas throws your way. With this list of the top 10 move-in essentials for incoming UT students, you’ll be ahead of the game.

Pack well, stay cool, and don’t forget your cowboy boots. Welcome to the Forty Acres – you’ve got this!