What to Bring | Linens Program | MicroFridge | Lofting Information | Damaged or Lost Items

Your room will have basic furniture including:

Single bed frame (bed height can be adjusted from 5" to 30" off the ground)
Twin XL mattress (mattress dimensions - 80" long x 36" wide)
Desk and chair
Bookcase/shelf
Bureau 
Wardrobe or closet

The furniture must stay in that room/apartment. Furnishings need to meet safety standards and be assembled properly. Residents may be held financially responsible for costs associated with replacing missing furniture and/or removing furniture from their rooms. As specified in the Terms and Conditions for the Room Condition Form (RCF) you were asked to complete, you can review a list of estimated Repair and Replacement Costs. 

Decorating Your Space

Residents are encouraged to decorate and personalize their rooms. Head over to our Facebook page to see examples of decorated student rooms. As you decorate, please keep the following policies in mind:

• Decorations must not cover more than 50% of the area on each wall and room door
• No items are allowed to be suspended from the ceiling, light fixtures, sprinkler head, or fire equipment.
• Residents of North Apartments and the Commonwealth Honors College Residential Community (CHCRC) are only allowed to use push pins to hang decorations.
• Residents in all other areas are only allowed to use removal strips (such as 3M or Command Strips), commercial hanging putty, and painters tape to decorate their walls and doors.
• Any use of other materials such as nails, screws, and masking or duct tape are not allowed as they may damage the walls, which will result in a fee for residents.
• Applying wallpaper, borders, stickers, and/or painting or drawing on walls, doors, windows, shades, or furnishings is not permitted.

What to Bring

Before you decide what you intend to bring to campus, review important reminders and suggested items. Please keep in mind, some items are prohibited from the residence halls. Students that live outside Massachusetts and wish to ship items to campus prior to Fall Move-In should review the Luggage Program.

 

Suggested Items

Remember, your space on campus will most likely be smaller than your room at home. Keep this in mind when packing. 

Below is a list of suggested items: 

Personal Items

• UCard: (You need this for Move-In, access to your hall, and your meal plan)
• Government Issued ID (License, State ID, Passport)
• I-9 documentation  

Shared Items

Suggestion: Talk to your roommate and see what items they will be bringing on-campus!

• Audio Equipment
• TV ( No Cable TV provided in rooms)
• Gaming Console
• Printer and Printer paper
• Coffeemaker with an automatic shut-off and integrated duel safety circuit
• Microwave/refrigerator with integrated circuit (check out microfridge rentals)
• Microwave up to 700 watts and 0.7 cubic ft.
• Small refrigerator 3.0 cubic ft. or less – with a ground adapter plug
• Area rug
• Posters/art/decorations

Room needs/storage

• Storage
• Storage items (bins,  under the bed storage trays, stackable crate, pillow top ottoman with inside storage, shoe rack)
• LED desk lamp
• Flashlight and extra batteries
• Drying rack for laundry
• Mini toolkit (including screwdriver, hammer, wrench)
• Command hooks/strips for hanging pictures/poster (CHCRC residents should bring pushpins as command strips are not permitted there)

Linens/Laundry

The Linens program, run by the UMass Residence Hall Association (RHA) offers convenient and affordable linens to on-campus students. Proceeds from this program go to the RHA and are used for the programming in the residence halls.

Note: If you are ordering before the beginning of the semester be sure to have the order shipped to your home address as we will not be accepting packages.

• Sheets and pillowcases
• Towels
• Pillows
• Mattress pad/Memory foam topper
• Blankets
• Comforter/Quilt
• Clothes handers
• Laundry bag/basket
• Laundry detergent, fabric softener and stain remover
• Mini sewing kit

Office/Desk Supplies

• Stapler and staples
• Pens and pencils
• Folders with pockets
• 3 ring binders
• Index cards
• Sticky notes
• Paper clips and binder clips
• Rubber bands
• Tape
• Scissors
• Highlighter pens (Multiple colors)
• Ruler
• Stackable desk trays/Desk Organizer

Electronics

Note: all electric cords, plugs, and appliances must be in good condition. All appliances should have an Underwriters’ label or seal of approval from another recognized testing laboratory. All appliances with exposed heating coils or those that can become excessively hot are potential fire hazards and are prohibited from your room.

• Laptop & Charger
• Portable speakers (if you want to play music from laptop/phone)
• HDMI/VGA cord
• Power strip/Surge protectors (UL approved)
• Headphones
• Cellphone/Charger
• Any other necessary chargers

Personal care items

• Medications and a lockable storage bag
• First Aid Kit (Adhesive bandages, antibiotic ointment etc,)
• Toiletries (ie. Shampoo and conditioner, toothpaste, toothbrush, shower caddy, shower shoes, etc.)
• Cleaning Supplies
• Clothing (Suggestion: If possible, bring clothes that coincide with that season!)

Miscellaneous

• Umbrella
• Backpack
• Sports Equipment
• Bike and bike lock (optional)

Sustainability
Sustainability is a community effort at UMass that crosses units and disciplines and is woven throughout our academic and social spheres. Making sustainable choices starts with the purchases you make before coming to campus. We encourage you to consider the sustainable options below when deciding what to bring.

• Reusable water bottles (we have hydration stations, don’t waste your money and plastic on cases of water bottles!)
• Tupperware to keep leftovers in your fridge
• Reusable cutlery
• Cloth napkins and cleaning towels
• Reusable bags for grab-n-go and other purchases
• Bike for getting around campus
• MicroFridge for keeping and reheating leftovers while saving energy
• Buy gently used items at the New2U tag sale like rugs, furniture, and décor!

Learn additional ways you can live sustainably on campus!

First Week of Class Essentials

Residential Service Desks receive over 60,000 packages during the first 4 weeks of the semester which can cause extreme delays for students. Bring items essential to your health and academic success with you instead of waiting to order them once you’ve arrived.

• iClicker – if your class requires an iClicker you will need it during the first week for attendance
• Required textbooks

Prohibited Items

To maintain the safety of the residence halls for all students, items that may be a fire hazard or other hazard are not permitted. Candles, hoverboards, octopus lamps, and toasters are a few examples of prohibited items. For a complete list, please review Residential Policies. Possession of any prohibited item violates these policies and/or the Code of Student Conduct and will result in disciplinary action.

Linens Program

The UMass Amherst Residence Hall Association (RHA) has found a convenient and affordable way to ensure you have sheets that will fit the extra-long mattresses in our residence halls. Proceeds from this program go to the RHA and are used for programming in the residence halls at UMASS.

The Residence Hall Linens program has all your campus living needs, from extra-long twin sheets and comforters to matching towels and storage items. Everything is guaranteed until graduation, and there's free shipping for all Value Pak orders. Placing your order early is recommended for the best color and pattern choices. You can also have them shipped directly to campus so they will be ready for pickup from your Residential Service Desk when you arrive for Move-In!

MicroFridge

MicroFridge© units are perfect for any dorm room, or suite, and are equipped with a microwave, freezer(.74 cu. ft.), and refrigerator(2.13 cu. ft.) all in one attached unit. 

Specially designed for residence hall rooms, these units offer plenty of space for both roommates. Roommates often chose to share a MicroFridge© to avoid having two units in the space and to save on cost. 

Order by August 1 and your MicroFridge© will be delivered to your room before Move-In! You avoid the hassle of transporting your unit, and it will also be picked up at the end of the year once you move out.

All MicroFridge© units must be purchased through the Campus Specialties website at www.mymicrofridge.com, or by phone at 1-800-525-7307.

Lofting and Bunking Your Bed

Lofting or bunking your bed is a great way to maximize space in your room. Availability of lofting kits is limited and is first come, first served. Please review the appropriate Lofting and Bunking Instructions before attempting to loft or bunk your bed. Bed rails are also available upon request if you would like one for your bunked or lofted bed.  Requests for a bed railing should be made using the Service request.  The bed railing will be delivered to your room and must be returned at check out by requesting a pick up through a follow-up Service request.  Students will be billed if a bed rail is not returned at check out.

Lofting kit locations by residential area are listed below. 

Central
Baker 335B and 225B, Brett 040C, Brooks 007, Butterfield 005, Chadbourne Basement lounge, Gorman 023, Greenough basement lounge, Van Meter 136, Wheeler 021

CHCRC
Birch 325, Elm 606, Linden 225, Maple 245, Oak 252, Sycamore 201

North
North A 117A, North B 117A, North C 117A, North D 114A

Northeast
Crabtree 018, Dwight 006, Hamlin 015, Johnson 008, Knowlton 030, Leach 004, Lewis 023, Mary Lyon 001, Thatcher 003

Orchard Hill
Dickinson 332, Grayson 332, Field 332, Webster 432

Southwest
Cance 429, Coolidge 1202, Crampton 323, Emerson 320A, James 400A, JA 508A, JQA 1908A, Kennedy 1202, MacKimmie 423, Melville 400A, Moore 018, Patterson 344, Pierpont 327, Prince 111, Thoreau 220A, Washington 1902

Sylvan
Brown 008, Cashin 008, McNamara 008

Damaged or Lost Items

Students and families are encouraged to review their home owners insurance policy to determine if their student is covered while away at school. If not, it is recommended that students purchase renter's insurance. The university is not responsible for student personal property. However, if you feel the university is responsible for property loss or damage, you may file a  Lost or Damaged Student Property Claim.