Whoever invented college dorms is a genius. Imagine having parents pay thousands of dollars a year for their child to share a room the size of a broom closet with another student. Even with these limitations, you want a comfortable space for your child to relax and (hopefully) study. This year, as my son returns for his sophomore year of college, he has a slightly bigger room and his own bathroom. Translation: I have to buy new things to replace the sizes that no longer fit. If you have a child heading away to college, here’s a college essentials checklist for dorms you don’t want to forget.
College Essentials Checklist for Dorms
- 1. Bedding.
A bedding set that includes a comforter, sheets, and pillowcases is a must. Check with the dorm to find the size of the bed. In shared rooms, this is usually a twin extra long. A mattress pad is a good addition to smooth the lumpy beds.
- 2. Wall Art.
Blank walls are boring. Kids can have a small area that reflects their tastes and interests with their choice of wall art. - 3. Bed Risers.
Dorm rooms don’t have storage space. Utilize the under the bed area. - 4. Under The Bed Storage boxes.
These can hold clothing, school supplies, or any other items that won’t fit in the tiny closet.
- 5. Laundry hamper, quarters, detergent.
For when they run out of clean clothing. - 6. A set of kitchen utensils, plate and cup.
For dorm room snack attacks.
- 7. Towels and Wash clothes.
- 8. A hanging shoe organizer.
It can be used for neatly stacking clothing or for supplies instead of shoes. - 9. A Shower caddy tote.
For dorms with shared bathrooms, this allows for easy transportation of bath items.
Tip: The dorm room will be much smaller than you realize. Resist the urge to send lots of extras that have to be taken home again.
If they have their own bathroom, purchase:
- A Shower Curtian
A Bath Mat
Toilet Paper (seriously, this is often forgotten!)
Cleaning supplies (they might not use them, but they’ll be available)
A Plunger
We purchased several of our college essentials and dorm supplies from the At Home Back To Campus Collection, because I agree with their philosopy, Tuition Might be Expensive, but Your Decor Doesn’t Have to be.
You can check out a complete back to college checklist here.
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What a nice list! My brother is going to be on his own as he got his first job. I will forward this to him.
Great list! I wish I had had it when I was packing for college. Luckily, I have a long time before I send my son off!
I only have toddlers right now, but I know someday the day will come when they may go off to college. These are great tips.
This is a great post!!! I was so lost when packing for college, I literally packed the whole house!!!
These are great ideas, I only live an hour away from school so i just drive but I would love to live in a dorm!
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Underbed storage is a MUST HAVE for sure. The rooms are so tiny – must have the extra room
I agree with you and Stephanie, those bed risers are a great idea. It’s hard to live in a small space, little nifties like those make it more doable.
These are great tips. The risers are so important to add extra storage.
You covered it all! I love the tips that help make the room feel a little roomier.
Nice post for the college-bound students out there.
I really like the idea of maximizing storage potential with that under bed storage unit.
Wow, I bet your sophomore would have a more comfortable stay this time with those essentials that you laid out there! I have a nephew who’s about to go to college as well and I can gladly share this one to him and let him decide which ones are good. Practicing decisions for young adults, I say!
My daughter is going to college soon as well and I always make sure we have a checklist so that we won’t miss anything that she might need when she gets there! This is really useful, thanks for the list!
Such a great list for kids when going to college. Its one great experience for the kids.
This is such a great list! Fun wall art and decor is so essential for making students feel like they’re at home – I didn’t dorm (commuter), but it seems like a great experience if you’re at the right school for sure! Great list and post!
This is a great checklist. While I am far away with my own kids, I work as a high school counselor. This is great!
My daughter is off to college next year. I never would have thought about bed risers. Thank you!
What a great list for college students that are heading off to the dorms!
I never lived on campus during my college years, but had plenty of friends who did, and this list looks great. I love the thought of utilizing under bed space too.
These are definitely some good ideas for dorm or apartment living. I never thought about bed risers and that’s actually a great idea.
Under the bed storage boxes are a great idea. So many people forget that you can use under the bed for storage. In a college dorm, storage space is limited, so that’s a really great idea!
These are great. I can’t help but flash back to the Gilmore Girls episode with the mattress.
I can’t believe it’s been two years since I graduated college (and five years since I lived in a dorm, since I only lived in a dorm my freshman year). These are definitely must have essentials for dorm life.
I’m so far away from the college stage with my kids but my nephew is heading that way this September! These are all great!
What a fantastic list of college dorm must haves for students heading off to the dorms this Fall!
My son – who will be a freshman in high school this year – was just asking me about college dorm rooms yesterday. I don’t think he quite understands the “small-ness” of the rooms yet!
This is a great list for kids going to college. Thankfully I have a few years before I have to think about sending my kids away.
Thanks for sharing this useful list. Dorms definitely don’t have enough storage space. Bed risers are great for creating more space under the bed.
I know we need to be thinking about this since my daughter will be attending college in the fall of 2017, but it makes me little sad. At Home has some great stuff to make my baby feel more at home in her new surroundings.
This is a great list. I love that you included kitchen items. You HAVE to cook when you’re in college. Eating out is way too expensive.
I have a long ways to go before my child was at the college and I am so happy about that! I would be missing him terribly! But you’re right most of these things you could really use in dorm room just remember to get the extra large twin sheets.
Thankfully, my kids are all done with college and those tiny little dorm rooms. The bed risers and underbed storage are must-haves. Great list!