I will be leaving in a few days to enter novitiate and have received a list of things I should pack. It's not very much.
Which is fine with me, I am just wondering the protocol.

For example, I have been told to bring under 10 books, and to only bring one statue and two rosaries.

I would have thought religious orders would be fine with having religious art in their rooms, and in fact, when I have visited, they do have much art and statues in their rooms, and certainly the house has more than 10 books per person. Bringing "one or two rosaries and a few medals" is fine for now, but will they eventually okay with me getting my other sacramentals, if only for the good of the Order.

Is this only for novitiate, then? Will I be able to add more things after the 2 years, as they seem to have done in their own rooms? Must I then acquire it anew, or can I have my parents gift stuff from home back to me over time once I arrive.

Also, what about donations to the Order? Certainly, I personally don't need more than 10 books for the year. But I have many books I would like to eventually add to their common library just to help stock it with spiritual and secular classics. Would they accept these from my parents eventually? I don't need all that personally, but I would think the Order would like to have books and religious art and sacramentals shared with them collectively...

I think that instead of asking this question on the board you should be asking your vocation director.

Think about today's Gospel. You want to start out in this new life with as little as possible so that Christ can transfigure your life. Even religious articles can be a distraction, btw. You will find that as time goes one, you become detached from books, religious articles, etc. that in the past had a lot of meaning for you.

Really, you need to talk to your vocation director.

SMC

Through my own experience in the monastic life, I have come to totally agree with SMC up there Any materials can become distractions, even if they're of a religious nature. And my sacramentals were the things I was probably most attached to. Talk to your vocation director!

My concern is that you have not discussed this before with your superiors. Usually the clothing list is provided right after one is accepted and a date is set up. Have you known this group a long time? Did you do an aspirancy with them. Sorry if you have talked over this before, don't recall. Make sure you know what you are getting into, and your questions are answered.
And of course, Sr. Catharine is right on. You need to travel light. I would be looking at why you want to bring these things in with you, that is the real question. You will be starting a new life, so starting anew is the thing

I never recieved a list of what to bring and what not to bring. I did however talk to my Formation Director today and he told me to keep it simple. So I will take one suitcase of clothes, 1 messanger bag for my laptop, and a backpack for school. KISS< Keep it Simple Stupid! Thats what my mother told me today. LOL