Residence Hall Move-in Guide

What you need to know about moving

This guide covers all the information you will need to make a smooth transition to campus life here at Indiana University Bloomington.

Pre-arrival to-do list

Renters Insurance

IU does not assume any financial responsibility for the personal property of students or large-scale unintentional damage that students cause to housing property. We strongly encourage residents to obtain renters insurance prior to moving on campus. IU has partnered with GradGuard to make their renters insurance plan available at preferred rates. Please visit the GradGuard website if you have any questions.

Get a quote from GradGuard

Furniture Layouts and Fridge/Microwave Combo Units

Save space in your residence hall room with furniture layouts and fridge/microwave combo units from Bedloft. Bedloft is an approved vendor of Indiana University. Furniture set-ups can only be done by purchasing the service through Bedloft. If you would like to place an order or if you have more questions, visit the Bedloft website.

Visit Bedloft.com

Shipping and Your Mailing Address

Students who wish to lighten their load on move-in day may ship items directly to their residence hall via the “Ship-to-School” program offered through Guys and Dollies.

Items shipped through USPS, UPS, FedEx, Amazon, DHL, etc. will not be accepted before August 7 and must be addressed with the proper campus address.

Necessary Items

  • Bathrobes, shower shoes, towels, and washcloths
  • Charging cables and station
  • Cleaning supplies
  • Clothing hangers
  • Command hooks, tacky putty, or painter's tape (for hanging decorations)
  • Computer or laptop
  • Cups, cutlery, dishes, or mugs
  • Ethernet straight-through patch cord – Cat 5 or Cat 6 at these buildings
  • Extension cords and surge strips and protectors with LCDI technology
  • Extra-long twin bed linens, mattress cover, blankets, and pillows
  • Hair dryer
  • Laundry detergent, and basket or bag
  • Personal prescription medications
  • Personal toiletry items and a small, plastic bucket for carrying the items
  • Seasonal clothing
  • Small first-aid kit
  • Umbrella and rainwear

Optional Items

  • Bicycle with a U-lock
  • Coffee maker (i.e., Hamilton Beach, Keurig, Mr. Coffee)
  • Flashlight
  • Flexible lamp
  • Hanging closet shelves
  • Holiday lights
  • Microwave
  • Mini Refrigerator/microwave pulls less than six amps, 3.3 cubic feet or less
  • Multi-purpose furniture (i.e., futon, storage cubes)
  • Small sewing kit
  • Snack food and beverages
  • Sporting equipment
  • Streaming media player
  • Streaming TV (no larger than 46")

Prohibited Items

  • Air conditioners and windlowless air conditioners—unless approved by IU Housing for medical needs
  • Air fryers
  • Alcohol and alcohol containers of any kind
  • Antennas and satellite dishes
  • Bed risers
  • Combustible liquids—including pressurized butane canisters
  • Crockpots
  • Drones
  • Electric open-coil heaters or any appliances with exposed burners
  • Firearms—including BB guns, paintball guns, pellet guns, and slingshots
  • Fireworks
  • Full-size refrigerators and freezers
  • Grills of any type including charcoal, electric, and propane indoor grills
  • Halogen lights and lamps
  • Hot plates
  • Hoverboards
  • Immersion water heater coils for heating water
  • Incense and incense burners
  • Pets
  • Portable washing machines, dryers, and dishwashers
  • Power tools
  • Smoking devices (e.g., hookahs, pipes, electronic cigarettes, vapes)
  • Stoves and camping stoves
  • Sun lamps and tanning beds
  • Toaster ovens
  • Wallpaper

Set Up Your Room

Residence hall rooms come with:

  • Campus streaming services (cable TV connection at some locations)
  • Closet or wardrobe
  • Desk and chair (one per student)
  • Wi-Fi
  • Single bed and an extra-long twin mattress (one per student)
  • Wastebasket
  • Window coverings

Before doing anything to your room, please read the IU Housing Rules and Regulations.

Beds cannot be repositioned without using BedLoft.

Information About Your Parking Permit

Parking permits for the 2024-2025 academic year will become available for purchase online through the IU Parking Portal on August 1.

On Thursdays throughout the month of August, Parking Operations will send email offer notifications for Campus Housing (CH) permits to your IU email. If you have requested a CH permit through the CH permit waitlist, you will be notified through your IU email if you have been selected to purchase a permit.

CH Permit offers must be accepted by completing the purchase of the permit in the online parking portal, prior to the specified offer deadline. CH Permit offers will expire on the Wednesday following the offer email. All unclaimed CH permits will be reoffered on Thursdays to the next students on the waitlist, so expired offers cannot be extended.  

If you do not receive an offer, please check your email each Thursday through August to see of an offer is made. If by August 30, you have not received a CH permit offer, please proceed to purchase a Student (ST) permit. Upon completion of your purchase, you will receive a link to print a temporary permit to place on your vehicle for immediate use. ST and Evening permits are only available for purchase online with bursar billing as the payment method. An ST permit will not be required to be displayed in any ST zone until September 1.

ST and Evening permits purchases will be delivered through the US Mail. Please be sure to enter your local or campus mailing address, including Center, room and apartment number, to receive your ST or Evening permit.

CH permits will not be mailed but must be picked up at parking operations in the Henderson Garage, beginning Wednesday, August 21.