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College Dorm Room Essentials

by | Jul 20, 2023 | NPP Recommends, Apartment, Dorm Room

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College Dorm Room Essentials That All Freshman Will Need

Are you wondering what your freshman will need in their dorm room?  We have had 5 teens head off to college, and my final senior is about to go in the fall. What are the college dorm room essentials that all freshman will need? Here is the breakdown of what your teen will need and why!

When it comes to dorm room shopping, if you are anything like us, you want to get it done as efficiently as possible. Our list of what is absolutely necessary and nothing more!

This post could also be called dorm room essentials Amazon because Amazon is a great place to shop for your dorm room!

Get our FREE PRINTABLE Dorm Shopping Checklist.

Check out our Complete Dorm Shopping and Move In Organizer

**This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small commission. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. For more information, see our full disclosure.

College Dorm Room Essentials -Picture of cute decorated dorm room
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College Dorm Room Essentials For Organization

The main thing you are probably realizing is that dorm rooms are tiny! If you have visited any campuses, then you know what I am talking about! Space is at a premium. So, you need to be very thoughtful about your purchases. This post is broken down into areas of use for your convenience and covers What does every college student need?

Before you get started, you will need tools to get you from the car to the dorm room. There will be teams of upperclassmen to help with this process, but two things that have really helped us in this process are the Big Blue Moving Totes -4 Pk. and a Utility Wagon. Prepare yourself for a long, but really fun day!

College Dorm Room Essentials for Sleep

First and foremost, a dorm room is for sleeping. Here are the things you must have for sleeping to be comfortable. If you don’t have anything else in the room , bedding is number one on the list of  freshman dorm room essentials!

  • Mattress Topper -this can be key when thinking of your student’s comfort!
  • Mattress Pad -just get one, let’s not even think about what is on that mattress.
  • Bed In A Bag -easiest way to coordinate with little effort.
  • Pillows -remember to get a couple of extra pillowcases too!

Some things that you might want for sleeping to even more comfortable:

  • Bedside Caddy -this thing is so handy for all the “things” your student might want at their fingertips!
  • Cozy Throw Blanket -can never have enough comfort.
  • Clip On Lamp -this is so great for reading or studying on their bed or tipped towards a chair.
  • Small Fan -for noise or a little stir of air.
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College Dorm Room Essentials for Study

The next thing that you hope will happen in the dorm room or somewhere! is study. Here are the things you must have for studying to be comfortable:

Some things that you might want for studying to even more comfortable:

College Dorm Room Essentials for Self-Care

Grooming and personal maintenance will also need to occur. Some dorms are set up suite style with a bathroom right there next to the bedroom. Some are older, and your student will need to walk down the hall to the nearest bathroom. Either way, they will need to be organized. Here are the things you must have for self-care:

Some things that you might want to make self-care to even more comfortable:

  • Makeup Organizer -again, this will help your student to have a place for everything
  • Dop Kit -this is great for carrying bathroom items around, keeping them organized, and even for a weekend away!
  • Mirror Tiles For Back-Of-Door -these are really cool and can be arranged however instead of messing with a full length mirror.
  • The “Sick-Kit Lite” -another version of a kit for staying healthy.

College Dorm Room Essentials for Cleanliness

At some point, you hope that your teen will realize that their room is a dirty mess. There are a few items that are must have to make this job easier.

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College Dorm Room Essentials for Eating

Students can have so many small appliances in their dorm rooms now that they can make snacks and meals without ever leaving the comfort of their room! Here is what you must have.

Some things that you might want to make eating to even more comfortable:

College Dorm Room Essentials for General Organization (And Comfort)

This covers a lot of general storage ideas and tricks for utilizing every inch of the limited floorspace available. Here are some things you must have to get the room organized!

Some things that you might want to make the room more organized and even more comfortable:

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College Dorm Room Essentials Make Life Easier!

The best way to be the best organized for this event is to contact the college and get the exact room measurements and what they will allow and NOT allow in a dorm room. Today’s kids are used to many conveniences and the more comfortable they are, the happier they will be.

But don’t overbuy. Your list of dorm room essentials for guys may be different than for your daughter.

Another tip is to stay in close contact with the future roommate and make sure that they are on the same page about dorm room decor.

Get our FREE College Dorm Shopping Checklist!

3 page dorm shopping checklist

Are you looking for help with the moving process? We have a new resource to share! *One thing to note that this service is not available on all campuses, but, I know this would be a great option if it’s available where your child will be going to college!

Dorm Room Movers “offers full-service moving, storage & shipping services for college students around the nation both on and off campus. They’ve served over 85,000 students at campuses across the country with storage and shipping solutions.”

They have options for packing, storing, moving in or out, and a lot more resources!

College Dorm Room Essentials Related posts:

5 Crucial Conversations Before College to Have With Your Adult Child

NPP Review of Mama Bear Legal Forms -if you have kids over the age of 18, please read!

Essential Technology for College

Parent Survival Kit For College Drop Off

Dorm Room Move In Planner

Apartment Move In Planner

We would love to stay in touch!

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