Items 1 And : A Mattress Topper And Mattress Pad
Dorm room mattresses can be extremely uncomfortable. Theyre old, cheap, and for all the talk about how important it is for students to get a good nights sleep, they sure dont make it easy for us. That is why I highly recommend investing in both a mattress pad and mattress topper for your college dorm room.
The mattress topper provides an extra cushion to the thin dorm mattresses, whereas the mattress pad wraps around the entire mattress, adding an additional plush cushion on top. Both are sure to help you get a great amount of sleep. In fact, when I went without my mattress topper and mattress pad for Spring break interim housing, I spent the entire night with an aching back because of how horrible the dorm mattress was thats why these items are must-haves for your college dorm. Although theyre probably one of the more expensive items youll purchase for your dorm room, they are 100% worth the investment.
A mattress topper similar to the one I have can be found here, as well as a mattress pad here. If youre also looking for a bed bug mattress protector , you can find it here.
A Big Calendar In Addition To Your Planner
Use a big calendar to map out when big projects and papers are due. If you can see that everyday, and continually update your planner, youre less likely to forget that something important is coming up. A calendar to go along with your planner is one of the college must haves.
Essential Gadgets Every College Student Should Have In Their Dorm Room
College is coming. And with it comes long papers, late nights full of junk food, and hopefully many fond memories along the way. If dorm room days are ahead of you or someone you know, the tech on this list will help you chill out, watch Netflix, and get your work done.
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Some are more fun than others, but by the end of four years, any college student should be able to see the benefit of having all of them. We’ve done our best to also pick tech that’ll age well over the course your entire undergraduate career and even after you’ve left school.
So whether you’re looking for a way to make the most of your few quiet hours, avoid disturbing your room mate with loud music, or have a physical copy of your paper ready before you head to class you’ll find what you’re looking for below.
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Extra Set Of Towels And Sheets
Doing laundry in the dorms often takes longer than in your private home you have to wait for the next available machine if its occupied, dorm washers and dryers always break due to the number of people constantly using them, not to mention you have to pay for it. Long story short, you want to minimize the amount of laundry you need to do on campus. Having an extra pair of towels and sheets can put some more time between laundry sessions.
A Gentle Alarm Clock: Because You Want Them To Actually Make Those Early Classes
This Phillips Smart Sleep alarm clock mimics the sunrise, with a gentle, warm glow in the morning. Such a nice way to wake up for those of us who arent morning people, which is why weve recommended it for a long time. Its a terrific small appliance for a dorm room because hey, it might just improve your students energy level overall. More energy, more learning, right?
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Organizer/usb Outlet Desk Lamp $1599 At Bed Bath & Beyond
You don’t get much space in dorm rooms, so any multi-purpose items are great for capitalizing on what you actually do have. This lamp is functional enough on its own, but the added USB outlet and organizational space make it that much more practical. You can hold post-its, paperclips, and other small school supplies in the organization compartments and the USB outlet is great if your room has limited wall outlets.
Hamilton Beach Stainless Steel Microwave Oven $6998 At Walmart
Popcorn, easy mac, ramen there’s so much you can make with a microwave. If you want to go a little more gourmet, you can make your own microwave-friendly dishes like mug cakes and frittatas. With the range of what you can make, and the ease of use, a microwave is a worthwhile and necessary investment for your college years.
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Curtains For College Dorm
Another area you might want to research is how many windows the dorm has. Most will have at least one window. Some will provide mini-blinds. Some will provide a curtain rod. Your childs sleep schedule will likely change when they are in college. If your child has a late study night and needs to catch up on some sleep during the day, I would recommend blackout curtains. Sleep is important to their health and success.
Iris Loft Underbed Stacking Drawer $2999 At Bed Bath & Beyond
Dorm rooms don’t typically offer a lot of space, so you have to get creative to make room for all of your belongings. These plastic stacking drawers are great for under-the-bed storage. These drawers are stackable to really maximize space and the front of the drawer is clear so you can easily see what is inside. These are perfect for storing clothing, towels, sheets, and more.
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Dorm Room Takeover Bed With Cat Comforter Hexagonal Patchwork Bulletin Board And Patterned Throw Pillows
Hexagon pieces create a colorful and fun personalized bulletin board to display photos and jewelry over this dorm room bed. The coral tones compliment the coral in the turquoise cat patterned comforter. Colorful, patterned throw pillows finish the fun, multicolor design.
Jennie Andrews Photography
The Must-Haves
Comforter: For bargain shoppers, check the sale section of your favorite department store for discounted comforters even if the design isn’t your style, you can dress it up with a stylish duvet. Splurge on a down or down-alternative version for an ultra-plush bed.
Sheet Set: Jersey sheets are a great choice for dorm room bedding: They don’t wrinkle when they come out of the dryer, and they’re as soft as your favorite T-shirt.
Pillows: Add two basic pillows for sleeping by night and lounging by day.
Throw Blanket: Perfect for chilly nights and curling up for marathon study sessions. Bonus points if you find one that complements your dorm bedding.
The Nice-to-Haves
Duvet Cover: Using a duvet cover versus a traditional bed-in-a-bag allows you to easily and affordably change up your bed when the mood strikes. Your bed will be front and center, so why not cover it with a design you love?
Throw Pillows: They’ll add style to your bed and double as on-the-floor seating. Mix and match big and small patterns and textures for a designer look.
Complete Your Dorm Room By Covering Those Blank White Dorm Walls With Wallpaper Photos Art And More
Comforter? Check. Pillows? Check. Even your bedding and storage taken care of, a dorm room with blank walls doesnât feel quite complete. When it comes to decorating your dorm room walls, the possibilities are endless, so itâs a great opportunity to get creative and really make the room your own!
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Favorite Questions About Memories & Childhood
Nest Cam Home Monitoring System
One of the downfalls to dorm living: Random roommates. You may completely luck out and get paired with your future besties , but you could get stuck with someone who doesnt understand the boundaries of personal space. If this is a big concern, a Nest Cam may set you at ease a little bityou could point the camera towards your high-tech desk and keep an eye on things while youre out of your room.
Make sure no one messes with your stuff while you’re in class.
Set up is easy, and once its ready to go, you can access a live stream of your desk using Nests app. It will even send you a notification if it picks up a weird noise or detects motion when there shouldnt be any.
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Food Storage And Preparation
Even if you have a meal plan, you’ll probably want snacks from time to time. The following items are great for dorm rooms.
- A dorm refrigerator typically fits underneath a desk and can be used to store small food items, leftovers, and cold beverages.
- A small microwave allows you to heat foods, pop popcorn, or prepare hot beverages.
- Plastic food storage containers allow you to store foods in a sealed environment, which discourages pests and keeps foods fresher
- A set or two of dishes and silverware allows you to eat the occasional meal in your room.
- A travel mug allows you to carry your beverage of choice to class or around the dorms.
- A water bottle is a great way to stay hydrated.
- Chip clips can help you close opened packages.
- A can opener allows you to make a quick meal or midnight snack such as a can of soup.
A Microwave: Because How Else Will They Heat Up The Ramen
Yes, a microwave is definitely an essential appliance for a dorm room! Speaking from experience, its nice not to have to hit the cafeteria for a hot bowl of oatmeal or forage for ramen in the middle of the night. And college kids and ramen. go together likecollege kids and ramen.
This compact Toshiba microwave has more than 30,000 reviews and is Amazons bestseller, so you pretty much cant go wrong here.
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Make Your Dorm Feel Like Home With Floor Pillows Accent Pillows Body Pillows And More
Picking out pillows is an important part of putting together a dorm room. Your dorm room is your home base at college, so of course you want it to be as comfortable as possible. Stocking up on different kinds of pillows is a great way to ensure that your dorm room is nice and cozy whether youâre hanging out with friends, studying in your bed, or catching up on some much-needed sleep.
Of course, youâll need a few plushy standard-sized pillows for your bed. College is the perfect time to upgrade flat, worn-out pillows for ones that are fresh and fluffy. Adding a variety of accent pillows to the mix doesnât just add comfort and style to your dorm room Body pillows, backrest pillows, and floor pillows make it easy to study comfortably wherever it is that you work best.
At Least One Big Microwaveable Bowl
What youve heard is truecollege kids eat a lot of Ramen and soup. I even had nights where there would be 5 of us hanging out in one dorm, each with our own large bowl of noodles. Thus, another college must have is at least one large microwaveable bowl.
Fun fact: You can also make macaroni and cheese in the microwave, but make sure you sneak some milk from the cafeteria if thats the plan.
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Item : Marker Boards And Cork Boards
My marker board was a major organizational tool in college. Hanging right next to my desk, I would divide it up into two sections: my short-term and long-term to-do lists. Paper due tomorrow? Short term list. Present for a friends birthday next month? Long term to-do list.
Each time that I accomplished something, I would erase it off the marker board watching the list have less and less on it was the best feeling in the world. Not only did it give me an easy way to see everything that needed to be done, but it also helped me to stay on track to get everything done in time.
Of course, to-do lists arent the only things that marker boards can be used for. Many students hang them up on the outside of their door and write jokes, quotes, and messages for other students who live in their hall.
I also had two cork boards in my room, which gave me a place to hang up birthday cards, pictures, business cards, and trading pins, but its also helpful because you can change these out and re-organize them easily throughout the year. A corkboard also provides a great place to hang up a calendar, rather than on the wall, where you might be charged for damages.
To check out some cool marker boards and cork boards from Amazon, just click here and here.
Have A Place For Everything And Everything In Its Place
One of the great mysteries of college life: how is it so easy to lose things in a space as small as a dorm room?! Whether itâs your student ID, your notes and school supplies, or the candy stash from your last care package , never waste time searching your dorm room high and low for it again.
Organizational tools like caddies and hooks donât just save your sanity â they also save space. Organizers that hang on your wall with Command hooks or get simply be hung up in your closet help you get the most out of your dorm room by maximizing your vertical space.
Some organization essentials even double as decor â check out our creative wall hooks, like this minimalist city skyline.
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Mini Vacuum Cleaner Or Swiffer
Similar to the lint roller, mini vacuums and Swiffers are great easy-to-use cleaning devices for a dorm, especially since they wont take up too much space! Mini vacuums or hand-held rechargeable vacuums are a must-have for fully carpeted dorms and for hard-to-reach spots like under the bed. Wet Swiffer wipes are good for cleaning your non-carpeted floor without the mess of a traditional mop.
Command Strips & Hooks
You cant put holes in your dorm room walls so you need an alternative.
Command hooks are very popular for dorm rooms because theyre sturdy, easy to use, and easy to remove. Plus, they can carry your heavy items.
Use them to hang up your LED lights, tapestry, wall canvases, and pretty much anything!
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Before You Pack: Understanding The Realities Of Dorm Life
Traditional dorms are singles or doubles, with some triples or quads, and students share a communal bathroom and living area. Some students live in suites or apartments during college, in which they share a bathroom and common living space with a few roommates. Shared bathrooms are a major adjustment for a lot of students, so as you get ready to move into your dorm, think about what will make you most comfortable in these shared spaces.
Most four-year colleges have dining halls and meal plans. Dining halls offer some wonderful, well-balanced options, but they aren’t open all the time and don’t always cater to students’ dietary needs as best as they can. Make sure to have ways to eat and prepare food in your room from the get-go. You’ll be in need of plenty of late-night snacks and meals!
You’re going to spend lots of time around other people and in shared spaces. The best thing to do is to be prepared and make sure you’re being conscientious about your living space and what you need to be comfortable and happy.
For better or worse, this is your home for the next four years. You can never be too prepared! Anything in college is possible, and a lot of craziness will happen. Deciding what to bring to college is challenging, but hopefully this college packing list will get you off to a great start so you can enjoy one of the best times of your life in comfort.
Fugoo Sport Jacket Speaker
Youll want a great-sounding Bluetooth speaker, but one thats easy to schlep around from party to party, and one that wont die if it gets into an accident with a red cup. The Fugoo Sport is lightweight, and its included Jacket sleeve is ruggedits shock proof, waterproof, mud proof, and snow proofso its up for the challenge. Plus, it packs 40 hours of battery life and pairs easily with Siri or Google Now to give you greater control.
Michael Brown
The rugged Fugoo Sport can handle even the rowdiest parties.
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Power Strip With Flat Plug
A power strip with a flat plugso it was flush to the wallwas actually a requirement at my older daughters college. In other words if an inspection turned up a traditional surge protector, your student would be asked to remove and replace it. Perhaps thats a little too Big Brother, but nonetheless, to avoid any issues, we invested in a power strip with that flat plug. It did end up being a real space saver for her in a small dorm room. If you can find a surge protector with a flat plug and USB ports in it, thats even better.