Do you have a kiddo going off to college this Fall? Or, maybe you just want to help your younger ones refresh their bedrooms. Now is the time to shop for their dorm room essentials. Stores like Target and online shops like Amazon are stocking their shelves with items students need.
I happen to have two college students, so I have a really good idea of what items they need to pack up and bring with them to college and which they don’t. And, I’ve put together this online shopping list so you can get it done all in one shipment. The items below come in multiple colors for both guys & girls.
And don’t forget to check out my extra dorm room tips at the bottom.
Bedding
The beds at school will be size X-Long Twin. Keep this in mind when shopping for bedding. The mattresses are not usually fluffy pillow-tops. Instead, expect them to be pretty firm plastic-wrapped mattresses and be sure to buy a foam mattress topper and padded mattress pad.
- X-Long Twin Comforter
- X-Long Twin Sheets
- Pillow
- Foam Mattress Topper
- Mattress Pad
- Blanket
- Footboard Storage
- Bed Risers
Bathroom & Laundry
Your student will need every one of the items on this Bathroom & Laundry list. Choose bath towels that are on the thinner side so they dry quickly. I just bought these Navy Blue Threshold towels at Target for our bathroom and love them.
- 3 Bath Towels
- 2 Hand Towels
- 2 Wash Cloths
- Men’s Bathrobe
- Women’s Bathrobe
- Shower Shoes
- Shower Caddy
- Toothbrush Holder
- Soap Holder
- Laundry Sack
- Shampoo, conditioner, soap, toothpaste, deodorant, razors, shaving cream
Desk
The most important items on the Desk list are the lamp and power strip. The dorm room will not have enough plugs for all of their electronics, so a power strip or two is essential.
- Laptop
- Laptop Case
- Women’s Laptop Backpack
- Men’s Laptop Backpack
- Lamp
- Clip-on Light
- Fan
- Power Strip
- Pens, pencils, notebooks
Storage
Absolutely purchase these x-large and large duffle bags. They make it incredibly easy to transport bedding and clothes. The x-large bag will fit all of your bedding!
- X-Large Soft Canvas Duffle Bag to transport bedding
- Large Soft Canvas Duffle Bag to transport clothes
- Storage Drawers
- Large Command Hooks for coats & towels (set of 2)
- Stainless Steel Water Bottle that keeps water cold and coffee hot all day
Decor – not essential but really fun!
Now the fun stuff. I finally got an Echo Dot for our home and LOVE it. I was worried whether it would work in our home because we don’t have Amazon Prime (I know, we are one of the only ones on the planet without it. Don’t judge me!). But, you just plug in the speaker and it prompts you to download an app on your phone. That’s it. No Prime needed.
My daughter has this tapestry to decorate her wall and I highly recommend. It’s an inexpensive way to add lots of style & color to a dorm room.
- Amazon Echo Dot
- Tapestry and Command Strips to hang fabric
- Blackout Curtains and Tension Rod
- Poster and Command Strips to hang it
- Area Rug
- Extra Pillows
- Tall Mirror
- String Lights
- Whiteboard Calendar
A Few More Important Tips
I ‘d like to offer a few more tips for students living in dorms (and their parents)…
First and foremost, be mindful of your space. There will be at least two people living in a room that’s only on average 10′ x 20′. Or, in the case of my son, who was in a forced triple, there were three of them.
Bring only the essentials to school. One of my son’s roommates showed up with a full set of pots and pans and a extra storage drawers that did not fit under his bed or in his closet space. These items were taking up the very limited space in the room and were not necessary.
Pack soft, foldable luggage like the duffle bags mentioned above. Storing hard-edge suitcases takes up too much extra space.
Bring only clothes for the season you’re in. Do not bring your winter boots, coats, and heavy sweaters. There will be plenty of time to bring these over Thanksgiving break. Bring just a few pairs of shoes and maybe 2 or 3 dress shirts and ties. One of my son’s roommates showed up with 20 pairs of shoes and 20 ties. His items were overflowing out of his closet!
Rent the refrigerator/microwave combo unit from the school. Save yourself the trouble of having to lug these heavy items to and from school. Most schools now have an option for you to rent these. They deliver them to the dorm room and pick them up at the end of the year.
Do not bring appliances unless the school specifically says they are allowed. Many are not.
If you think of any essentials I may have missed, please add them in the comments below and I’ll update the list above with them!
CLICK HERE to print the list:
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links to products I use and love. I would greatly appreciate if you shopped through this list (meaning one of the links above should be the last click-through before you finalize your Amazon order on the same day). In doing so, I earn a small commission which helps me keep this blog going and continue to bring you valuable content. Thank you.
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