Dorm room essentials, the sought after list every college and university freshman most definitely is searching for. What does one pack for their dorm room? Well, keep on scrolling for the most important items you need to add to your dorm room essentials list!
Packing to leave home can be intimidating! What if you don’t pack everything or find out you should’ve brought something you didn’t? For us, even leaving on a one week trip is difficult because we always seem to forget something. That’s why it’s so important to have a well thought out list prepared beforehand! Everyone’s list might be a bit different from one another’s, especially based on your sleeping abilities/ like and dislikes, but in general everyone should be trying to bring ideally the same items.
Down below is our recommended dorm room essentials list that will definitely become useful when you’re moving in. Trust us, some/all of these things are ones that you do NOT want to forget! Keep on scrolling to get your hands on our dorm room must-haves!
The Ultimate Dorm Room Essentials List
Sleeping Essentials
1. Mattress Topper
You need to sleep comfortably! If you don’t, it will impact your physical health, mental health, emotional health, social life, grades and overall life. Sometimes mattresses can be super uncomfortable and affect your rest. A mattress topper is one of the best ways to transform a hard or uncomfy bed to one you can’t wait to fall asleep in.
Click here to purchase from Amazon
2. Blankets
You need blankets. Trust us. Oversized hoodies and your comforter can only do so much. Having a cozy blanket is perfect for everyday use or even as an extra layer of warmth if you room get’s too cold. It also adds a cute as heck layer of decor!
We love this one from Bouclair! Currently on sale too!
3. Blackout Curtains
Dormitory or not, you need blackout curtains. Depending upon your class schedule, work schedule or just if you feel like taking a nap, blackout curtains will help make your room feel like its nighttime even in the early afternoon. We love these for any bedroom situation, but especially a dorm bedroom. If you don’t know the measurements of your window, be sure to grab them in a bigger size than you think you need. Hint: check out a store like Homesense, they usually have a ton of different styles and options available! That’s where we snagged ours at a discounted price.
4. Bed Sheets & Comforter Set
Choose something you will love to look at and is extremely comfy and warm! Your bed will become your safe place and a place you get to call your own. Decorate and treat it as such! During University we spent most of our “relaxing” time and “me” time in our beds. It’s the place we recharged, relaxed and sometimes reinvented ourselves. Not using bed sheets that are as soft and comfortable as the set you have at home is a big mistake! Typically we like to hit up Costco for their bedsheets, as they typically have a ton of deals and a huge variety.
Click here to purchase comforter from Amazon
Click here to purchase bed sheets from Amazon
5. Slippers
Get yourself some uber comfy slippers, you’ll thank us. Walking around barefoot isn’t ideal and wearing your runners or any outside shoes isn’t something we would recommend! Wearing slippers will help you feel more comfortable, at home, and it’s way more sanitary.
Click here to purchase from Amazon
Cleaning Supplies
6. Laundry Basket
You need a laundry basket, trust us. Not only to bring your clothes to and from the laundry machines, but also to differentiate between your clean and dirty clothes! This will help your space look more put together and less cluttered. We like the one’s with handles, so carrying it to and from the laundry room isn’t a hassle.
Click here to purchase from Amazon
7. Vacuum
If you don’t think you need a vacuum, think again! There are so many instances where a vacuum will come in handy and not just for your weekly cleaning schedule (which we will just assume you will do ;)). From spills to dust to even a chip bag malfunction, bringing a vacuum is such an important item to pack! You can do a broom and dustpan instead, but if you have a carpet… a vacuum is honestly the only way to go.
Click here to purchase on Amazon
8. Lysol Spray/ Wipes
We use these a lot, especially when we need to sanitize a table or something we need to use! Keep these handy as they will make any mess or clean-up sesh way easier.
9. Trash Can
You need a trashcan. Seriously. You won’t realize it until you don’t have one, but this is a serious necessity that often gets left behind. There are so many options out there that you can definitely get some to match your overall room decor or elevate your style! Definitely check out Walmart, Target or even Homesense for some cute and practical options!
10. Trash Bags
Don’t make the mistake of not lining your trash can with trash bags! This will help any sticky or messy garbage from leaking into your bin and requiring a further cleanup later on. It will also make taking out the trash so much easier! Just tie and take it out.
Click here to purchase from Walmart
Bathroom Necessities
11. Shower Shoes
Please don’t forget these! College bathrooms or any shared bathroom can be a very gross place to put your bare feet. The shower included! Don’t forget some sort of shower shoe, like cheap flip flops or even crocs! These will be a LIFE SAVER when walking out in the halls and in the shower itself. We just feel cleaner thinking about it!
12. Towel Set
This is meant to be plural: meaning several towels. Don’t neglect to bring more than one towel to your dorm! Not only do you need at least 2 body towels, we recommend bringing some face and hand towels as well!
Click here to purchase on Simons
13.Towel Wrap
We have a huge love for towel wraps, seriously. If you’re a girl and heading off to college, you’ll want one. This is a life saver when leaving the bathroom after your shower, as if you’re a dedicated towel wrapper, this makes the job easier, hands-free and risk-free!
14. Robe
Not only are robes a necessity for the shower, but we highly recommend them in general. We love to just chill around in our robe on nights in, or even just to use when we need to warm up.
15. Shower Caddy
Does lugging everything you need for the shower in two arms for two trips sound plausible to you? We didn’t think so. Investing in a shower caddy cuts down the stress and time needed to get your shower in! It can hold a bunch of different items, limiting the risk of forgetting any shower essentials.
Living Essentials
16. Vanity Mirror with Lights
We know how hard it can be to get ready in iffy room lighting, or even on the floor with a mirror placed in front of the window. Trust us, been there, done that! If your room has space for it, we highly recommend investing in a vanity mirror with lights. This will help with the lack of good lighting and it”s easy to place on top of a desk or wardrobe.
Click here to purchase on Amazon
17. Hanger Expanders
This is gold. If you are someone who hangs a lot of shirts, pants or sweaters, this is something you need to add to your packing list. Hanger expanders are a great way to utilize space and cut down the amount of hangers you need.
Click here to purchase on Amazon
18. Closet Extenders
A closet extender is similar to a hanger extender, but larger. A closet extender is great if you only have on bar to hang things on and lots of room underneath it. You can get a closet extender in multiple different forms! From just another bar to floating shelving.
Click here to purchase on Amazon
19. Full Length Mirror
We stand by the rule of not leaving your room until know what we look like, from our shirt to our shoes, we need to see the whole picture. If we don’t? We never feel satisfied going out, we try to find our entire image in any nearby reflection. If you’re trying to save some space, this full length mirror attaches to the back of your door!
Click here to purchase on Amazon
20. Under Bed Storage
Listen, college dorm rooms aren’t very spacious. If you can maximize your interior for space, then why not!? We highly suggest snagging some under bed storage drawers, for extra things you can’t fit in your closet or on your desk.
Click here to purchase from Amazon
Dinnerware Necessities
21. To Go Mugs
These are one of the only things that kept us awake during our early morning, mid-day, evening, and night classes…. and what’s inside of them! To-go mugs not only hold coffee or teas really well, but truly any other drink you’ve been dying to bring along. We can’t survive any class without a major caffeine intake and what’s better than sipping away during an 8a.m lecture? Nothing, that’s what.
Click here to purchase on Amazon
22. Cutlery
You need cutlery, it’s pretty self explanatory! You’ll definitely need this daily.
Click here to purchase on Amazon
23. Disposable Dinnerware
Another thing you cannot neglect to bring! Self explanatory, obviously. We suggest the disposable ones (eco friendly) as it can be harder to store plates made of ceramic. It’s also easier for cleanup purposes!
Click here to purchase on Amazon
24. Single Serve Coffee Maker
Ok, unless you can afford to bring a Nespresso to your college dorm room… we highly suggest a “single-serve” coffee maker. YES! They do make these! Instead of a regular 12 pot system, there are single serve ones on the market, such a great concept. It allows you to purchase the bigger tins of coffee that would last you pretty much the entire semester at such a steal! Keurig also makes a cute single cup machine. Check it out down below!
Click here to purchase on Amazon
Click here to check out Keurig on Amazon
Extra’s We Love
25. Projector
Movie nights just got so much better and bigger. We love a good laptop movie sesh, but if you plan on having more than just yourself, a projector is the best idea.
Click here to purchase on Amazon
26. Headboard
This is a little extra, but if your dorm room doesn’t have a headboard, you can always bring your own! This jazzes up the space and gives you an extra boost to decor.
Click here to purchase on Amazon
27. Speakers
A necessity. Truly! There is nothing like hooking up your phone to a speaker to listen to music. There’s something different about a good speaker than just listening to it from the one on your phone. If you want, we suggest grabbing an Google or Amazon smart speaker! These are wonderful for not only playing the tunes, but also using as an alarm clock, a reminder system, or even a timer.
Click here to purchase on Best Buy
28. Good Headphones
Yes you need these. If you have a roommate, you’ll definitely get distracted. Headphones are something you can use on your way to class, in the library, at the gym, while watching a movie on your laptop, or even to cancel out the noise in your room. Seriously… DON’T forget these!
Click here to purchase on Best Buy
29. Wall Plug In
A wall plug in can help to significantly brighten up the air in your room, it’s a must if you ask us. A lot of them also come with a night light too!
Click here to purchase on Amazon
30. Extension Cords
Never assume you’ll have enough plugs! Even if, we love extension cords to extend the wall plug closer to us. Check out hardware stores like Home Depot or Lowes for the cheapest prices.
Click here to purchase from Home Depot
This is everything we recommend packing when heading to college or university to stay sane and at home. Did we miss anything essential? Let us know in the comments down below!
This is our Dorm Room Essentials we swear by!
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