Hello, hello! As many of you know, I am a big fan of getting early starts. It is almost the middle of summer if not past it and I figured it is a good time to share a few of my favorite dorm essentials. Many of these will be linked back to Amazon but in reality, you can buy them from anywhere! In fact, on my Amazon list, you will see that there are many products that state you can find "dupes" at Dollar Tree or other home goods stores (e.g., Ross, Burlington, Homegoods, etc.). Remember to always look for ways to save money to be able to splurge on bigger items!
Let's get to it before I continue ranting!
Note: This post contains affiliate links.*
I think that one of the first things you ought to buy is a comforter or duvet. There a variety of options, including sets that can help you save a bit of money. Now, you can go two ways. One is going for a simple solid color comforter like white and pairing it with colorful pillows or throw blankets; the second is going for a statement comforter as shown in the picture. Choosing how thick and warm it is all depends on where you go to college. Is it colder or warmer at nights? However, make sure this item is at the top of your list!
Dorm beds tend to be a little elevated in many cases. Personally, I struggled to get on and off of my bed easily so having a footstool/ottoman really helped my back! There are many options for this as well. You can opt for a foldable plastic one which is very convenient if you are limited in space or you can get a solid wood one with fluff that can double as seating. Trust me, I really enjoyed having this with me in college because I truly believe I would have gotten injured without it!
Now, I am not sure if I have mentioned this before, but Dollar Tree has got to be my all-time favorite store. I love the collapsable storage bins they sell. They have different colors and different sizes. While you can get them in packs at Walmart, Target, and Amazon, I believe that buying them at Dollar Tree is much better! I always have and always will use theirs for everything! These will multiply the space you have for sure.
Cords of any kind are a nightmare. They always seem to get tangled into an unexplainable mess and provoke massive headaches. Then there's the fact that they are either too short or not enough outlets for all of them. That is why you MUST buy extension cords and outlet extenders or some sort of configuration that meshes both of these! Believe me, you will not be able to connect everything you need with the amount of outlets dorm rooms have. These two products will just make it easier for you to have everything ready to use. My personal favorite is one by Philips that works as a night light, USB outlet, and plug outlet. It literally helps me so much when I am at my desk doing work. While there are some pricey options like the one I mentioned, there are more affordable ones too.
Command hooks. Both helpful and dangerous. I used these all over my dorm room, bathroom, kitchen, and living room. They are great to hang lights, hats, keys, masks, belts, shower caps, ladles, you name it. THEY ARE SIMPLY AMAZING! They help you given that you can not make holes in walls at school buildings. However, when removing you got to be extremely careful because if not, you run the risk of pulling the wall's paint with you. Other than that, I have no complaints. They are good for decorative purposes, storage/organization, and more!
Most dorms already provide you with a desk, some small and some big. So in reality, all you got to worry about is how you will organize it and maximize its potential. A few essentials for the desk area are a lamp, a paper basket, pencil/pen holder, actual supplies, and individual mini bins to keep everything separate and uncluttered. You might be tempted to decorate it to compensate for some of its ugliness but trust me you will later regret it. It is important that your desk remains clean and as free as possible so you can concentrate as much as you can. Every person is different but many tend to get overwhelmed and easily distracted when their desk is overwhelmed with stuff!
Aside from the obvious toiletries, having something to carry them in can be quite beneficial. A plastic or fabric caddy for the shower is nice in order to be able to carry all you need from your room to the bathroom and vice versa. A pair of shower shows is also something you can not forget! While you get clean in a shower, the shower is not always clean (well the floors might not be). Taking shoes to your shower can help you avoid many nasty bits and you probably will thank me later. This is something you just pick up if you did not already know/do.
Depending on what year you are or what your luck is, you might have a kitchen or kitchenette somewhere near your room. If anything, you might have a mini-fridge in your room as well as a microwave. Some of my favorite "kitchen" essentials are actually thanks to my freshman year roommate. I failed to remember these when I packed for college but she had already been prepared for this! So we got her to thank for that. Two things: a Brita and some plates (or dinnerware). A Brita will be a lifesaver when you are dying of dehydration because you forgot to drink water again. It purifies your water and somehow makes it taste a bit better than the one from the water fountain. If you are not a fan of a pitcher or do not have room, then get a bottle with a built-in filter! Really. Lastly, just take stuff to eat your food from because you got to. Simple as that.
I can go on and on with other stuff but that is what my Amazon list is for. I will be adding all my college dorm/apartment essentials there so you can cross-reference it. You do not have to buy it from Amazon because I didn't for everything. I am not going to lie, I did do some shopping before I first moved but most of my things came after I had already moved in. I bought from everywhere as I went along with my journey and knew I realized something. For example, as the pandemic began, I found myself lacking sanitary/cleaning products and medicine. Like others, I did not anticipate needing them but eventually stocked up on them. It is a learning process and you do not need to buy everything all at once. Maybe just the very basics like your bedding and shower stuff (and kitchen stuff if you do not have a meal plan).
Do not feel pressured to buy brand name or from the same place. Do not even think that you need to buy brand new stuff. You do you and use what you got. Make the best out of it and always reflect on your current circumstances. I recognize that I am privileged to have been able to buy all I needed but I also want to point out that in some way, it helped that I made some cuts here and there in addition to looking for affordable options/deals/sales!
Everything that comes with college is not easy. I hear you. I hope that I am able to help you in some way with this post and if you want more advice let's chat! I am always down to give advice and look at what you got.
We are in it together. We got to help each other as much as we can.
Wish you all the best in this new upcoming academic year and I hope that all your moves are safe and easy. <3
Diana
Tips:
Do not buy a vacuum! You can always borrow the building's if an option.
Do not buy rugs from the store! While not always cute, buying carpet scraps can be cheaper!
Browse through home goods stores for more affordable options.
Buy secondhand (OfferUp, Facebook MarketPlace, GroupMe/Facebook Groups)!
Dollar stores also have great alternatives to some products.
For bigger appliances/splurges, talk about splitting the cost with someone.
Buy a reusable bag that you carry everywhere for groceries or outings! Can save you a few cents.
*Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, which means that if you click on a product link, I may receive compensation. This compensation comes at no additional cost to you, and as always I only recommend products I trust! The SEA Project is a participant in the Amazon Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.