Cal Poly San Luis Obispo

Bed and room basics

Residence hall beds take Twin XL bedding. Room types, bathrooms, air conditioning, flooring and storage vary between communities, so wait for the building and room type before buying a rug, large organizers, extra furniture or shared appliances. Apartment residents have kitchens and a different set of household needs than hall residents.

Pack these first

• Twin XL bedding for the residence halls
• Towels, toiletries and a shower caddy
• Laundry supplies and hangers
• Basic cleaning supplies
• Compliant surge protection

Rules and smart skips

• Use the official residence hall or apartment packing list for appliance and prohibited-item rules. They differ by community.
• Pack light and in reusable bags or bins rather than cardboard you will have to break down.
• Coordinate shared items with roommates before anyone buys a second one of anything.
• Cal Poly suggests earplugs, noise-canceling headphones, hand dusters and a portable air cleaner where construction noise or dust may be a factor.

Before move-in

• Mustang Move-In uses assignment-specific entry points, traffic routes and drop-off zones.
• Review the community page, arrival appointment, campus maps and current parking directions before you travel.
• Confirm the roommate plan so nobody arrives with a duplicate fridge or rug.

Official sources

• University Housing
• Mustang Move-In
• Residential communities
• Housing policies

Continue with DormHQ

Other California schools

• Cal State Long Beach Long Beach, CA
• San Diego State University San Diego, CA
• UC Davis Davis, CA
• UC Irvine Irvine, CA
• UC San Diego La Jolla, CA
• UC Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA

All California dorm guides →

Keep planning

• The ultimate college dorm packing list
• The move-in day checklist
• What to coordinate with your roommate
• The dorm Sunday reset
• What sorority recruitment looks like
• Do dorms have AC, private bathrooms, or kitchens?