Things You'll Need for Your college Dorm Room!

This time of year, every retail store is eager to help you decide what to buy for your student’s dorm room. This is usually a list of 300 things that convince you that you’ll need a small moving truck just to make it back to campus.

As a mom that’s been there, I can promise you…your college student doesn’t need all of that!

I’ve learned that there’s a big difference between things that seem useful when you’re shopping in the dorm room aisle, and things that they’ll actually use once they move in.

If I could go shopping with you and help you choose everything you actually NEED to buy, these are the things we’d be leaving with today!

Before You Start Shopping…

Check your college’s housing list of banned items.

You’ll be truly surprised by what’s not allowed.

Some that caught me off guard were candles, some small appliances that I assumed every college student would need, and extension cords.

Dorm rules vary from school to school, but candles are almost always on the banned list.

Something else you may not have considered is coordinating some of your purchases with your child’s roommate.

No dorm room needs more than one microwave, and they can probably share a mini fridge.

Also, most dorm room mattresses are Twin XL, definitely confirm this before purchasing any bedding!

Bedding

College students spend a TON of time on their bed.

If you’ve ever visited a dorm room, you know that the student’s beds are where they sit to hang out, study, and even eat most of the time.

I recommend buying:

Twin XL sheet sets (2) – always have at least one backup sheet set. You know as well as I do that laundry isn’t going to get done very often, but having a second sheet set means they’ll at least change their bedding now and then.
Mattress topper – this is a must for comfort.
Mattress protector – another must. Your student is going to be eating in that bed, I can almost guarantee it. A mattress topper will be a lifesaver.
Comforter – choose something washable. We found that it’s better to layer blankets rather than having a big thick comforter that is difficult to wash.
Pillows – bring their favorite pillow from home and buy a few more for comfort.
Backrest pillow – this is a must when so much studying and reading happens in bed!
Throw blanket – like I mentioned above, layering blankets is super convenient, but a throw doubles as decor!
Bed risers – The more space you can create under the bed, the better. The only storage space in most dorms is whatever you can create yourself.
Under-bed storage bins – to use in all of that new space you just created!

Bathroom and Shower

What you purchase in this category will depend on whether your student has a bathroom in their room or if they have to go down the hall to a bathroom they’ll share with the whole floor.

Regardless of your student’s bathroom setup, these are a few universal products that every college student needs:

Shower caddy – Get one that is easy to carry and has enough room for everything your son or daughter uses on a regular basis. My daughter bought a fold up shower organizer with zippers and it has worked perfectly!
Shower shoes – Especially if your college student is sharing a bathroom with multiple people, these are an absolute must!
Bath towels – Purchase 3 or 4 of these so there is always a clean one available. We bought Turkish towels because they’re very thin and absorbent…and take up much less room than traditional bath towels!
Hand towels – These are a must if your student has their own bathroom in their dorm room.
Wash cloths – Pack several if your student uses them. Otherwise, send loofah’s or shower poofs.
Robe – This is a definite must if your daughter has to walk down the hall to use a community bathroom.
Toiletries – Shampoo, conditioner, body wash…I sent way more of these products than one college kid could possibly use in a semester. Toiletries have a way of going missing in college dorms and friends are always asking to “borrow” these products when theirs run out!
Hair tools – Whatever your daughter regularly used at home, purchase a new one that is as compact as possible. Hair dryers especially can be surprisingly large.
Toilet paper – Students with their own bathroom are expected to supply their own.
Bath mat – Again, only necessary if your child has their own bathroom.

Storage and Organization

Dorm rooms are notoriously tiny. Add a roommate and all of their belongings to the mix, and this tiny space can get out of control fast.

Good storage and organization can make all the difference between a dorm that feels like they’re living in a closet and a room that feels almost like home.

Drawer organizers – These can make any drawer function better, especially if it’s holding several different items like socks, underwear, and other small things.
Over-the-door hooks – In a small dorm room, you have to use every bit of storage space you have. These are great for bags, jackets, and even bath towels.
Removable adhesive hangers – These are important to buy because they’re low-commitment. Your student can move them easily, and they’re perfect for lightweight items.
Hangers
Rolling cart – great for school supplies or toiletries. Even snacks can go on one of these!
Desk organizer – If your college student has a designated desk space, somewhere to store pens and pencils is always a good idea.
Closet shelf – To make better use of vertical space when there is limited storage space in the closet.
Storage ottoman – These should be considered a must-buy for all dorm rooms. They’re great for storing things like shoes or extra blankets, etc., but they double as seating!
Storage bins – Whatever can fit in the closet, under the sink, under the bed. Wherever there is storage space, use it!
Shoe rack – Just something small for right inside the door. Even a small basket would work!

Desk and School Supplies

Obviously your son or daughter will need supplies for class, but you really don’t have to go overboard here.

Just start with a few basic items that you know they’ll need. Trust me, class requirements will pop up and you’ll be glad you underspent on this category.

Laptop – This is the thing your college student will use the most of all the things they bring with them to their dorm. Hands down.
Desk lamp – I like the ambiance that a desk lamp gives to a dorm room. Fluorescent lighting is the worst. Having a desk lamp offers some less offensive lighting when your student has to spend their entire day (and night) studying!
Surge-protected power strip – check your college’s housing list for this before buying. Some sort of surge protector should be allowed.
Charging station – one central spot for charging all of their electronics.
Notebooks – I like to just buy a handful of these until we find out what each professor requires for their class.
Pens, pencils, highlighters – Just the basics that you know they’ll need. One item my kids use way more than we expected is white out tape!
Backpack – focus on the kind with thick, comfortable shoulder straps.
Headphones – All college kids use these!
Printer – I wouldn’t say a printer is a must-buy, but if your child has the space in their dorm room, it is definitely nice to have! Having their own printer has saved my kids more than a few trips to the library to print materials!

Tech

Tech items have been the focus of our kids’ lives since they got their first iPads when they were little. College life is no different than when they were living at home. Just now they’re fighting with roommates over chargers instead of siblings!

These are the tech items I bought my kids for their dorm rooms:

Extra-long charging cables – The outlets in dorm rooms are almost never conveniently located.
Portable charger – We bought these for super long days on campus when your college student can’t make it back to their dorm room to charge their phone and laptop.
Flash drive or cloud storage – It seems like we’re always buying more cloud storage! Teach your child to make sure their work is ALWAYS backed up somewhere other than the local storage on their laptop.
Ethernet cable – Check with your child’s college to see if wired internet connections are available in addition to Wi-Fi before purchasing one of these.
Streaming device – Our kids each took a Roku with them so they can watch Netflix and Youtube easily on their TVs.
Bluetooth speaker – These are great for listening to music while studying.
Alarm clock – My kids can sleep through anything. They need an alarm clock across the room in order to wake up. Phone alarms are too easy to snooze.
Laptop lock – Any extra security is a good idea when you’re essentially living with strangers.

Kitchen and Food

Even though you’re buying your student a meal plan, they are going to eat most of their meals in their dorm room. This is everything we purchased that actually gets used:

Mini fridge – Make sure one isn’t already provided in the dorm. If not, this is a must-buy.
Microwave – Double check with any roommates to be sure a microwave isn’t already in the room. In my experience, this is where almost every meal will be made.
Water bottle – A reusable bottle comes in super handy. Most campuses have refilling stations in convenient locations.
Mugs, plates, and bowls – One or two of these are enough. You don’t need to purchase enough for the entire quad. We also sent plenty of disposable plates and silverware.
Utensils – We just gave our kids a whole set of utensils because we know how easily they can go missing.
Can opener – This is another item that gets almost daily use!
Food storage containers – Great for leftovers. We also sent some chip bag clips and resealable bags.
Snacks – We send regular care packages, but to start them off, we sent our kids with a ton of their favorite snacks.
Coffee maker or electric kettle – Again, check to see if these are allowed in the dorms at your child’s college…but my kids use their little single serve coffee makers every day!

Cleaning and Laundry

For most students that live on campus, this is the first time in their lives that they are expected to do their own laundry and clean anything other than their own rooms.

Few first-year college students have ever had to clean a kitchen or bathroom themselves.

The hope here is that if we give them the right supplies, maybe they will eventually decide to use them!

Laundry Basket or Bag – My kids both prefer durable laundry bags. This isn’t the place to cut costs or buy dollar store options. Buy a super durable, washable laundry bag that will last.
Detergent Pods – These are so much easier to take to the laundry room than a bulky jug!
Dryer Sheets – We have switched to wool balls over time just out of convenience, but if your family uses dryer sheets, send some of these along!
Stain Remover – They will inevitably need this. I also send the little to-go pens along with them to college!
Disinfecting wipes – These are great for cleaning up quick spills a little more efficiently than dry paper towels.
Small vacuum – Stick vacuums are almost always on sale during back to school season.
Trash can and bags – I highly recommend sending scented bags!
Paper towels – I send way more than necessary because they go through them fast!
Multi-Surface Spray

Health and Safety

When my kids first went off to college, I didn’t send much in the way of health and safety other than some Ibuprofen.

Over time, I’ve learned which items my kids have needed to purchase, and which they’ve asked us to send to them in care packages.

First aid kit – This just kind of covers all of your bases. There are band aids, ointments, burn cream, etc.
Basic OTC medications – Sending pain relievers, cold medicines, stomach medicines, and other common OTC medications is a great idea. This could save your child a trip to the drug store or the campus health center.
Thermometer – My first question to my kids when they say they aren’t feeling good is “do you have a fever?” Trust me, you’ll be glad you sent them off to college with one.
Fan – Dorm rooms can get super warm, especially if your child has a roommate. All of that body heat and stagnant air in a small space calls for a fan. We love tower fans because they take up so little room.
Flashlight – You’d be surprised how many times my kids have used their flashlight, despite having one on their phones.
Copies of important documents – Hard copies of insurance paperwork and other important documents may come in handy.
Small Lockbox – We sent each of our kids to college with the smallest lockbox we could find. This is especially helpful if you’d like your college student to keep any cash on hand, or if they have any small valuables.

Decor and Comfort Items

Dorm rooms can feel cold and gloomy when you first move your child in.

A few cheap personal touches can make it feel like their home away from home.

Rug – If you do nothing else, buy a cozy, plush rug. This instantly makes the room feel warmer and more inviting!
Removable Wall Decor – Think anything that is non-breakable that can either hang with thumb tacks or adhesive hooks. Definitely avoid anything breakable and anything that could possibly damage the walls.
Family Photos – Send a few family pictures, pictures of family pets, friends, etc.
Mirror – A full length mirror is not only convenient, but will make the room feel much bigger.
String Lights – Twinkle lights will give any room an instant ambiance-lift!

Your goal isn’t to recreate their bedroom at home, but a few familiar things and personal touches can go a long way when homesickness starts to set in.

What to Leave at Home

I’m an over-preparer at heart. I want to be ready for any little unforeseen circumstance at all times.

Packing for college isn’t the time for that.

If you send your child to college with way too many clothes (like sending them winter clothes *just in case* it gets cold before their next trip home) is a recipe for disaster.

Dorm rooms are too small to keep more than the essentials.

Don’t bring any full-sized furniture, even if you think it will serve the space well. There just isn’t room for it.

Also be careful not to accidentally send banned appliances, no matter how ridiculous the rules may seem to you as a parent.

The last thing I would caution you to leave at home is anything you or your child would be heartbroken to lose.

Childhood stuffies and family heirlooms of any kind definitely need to stay home.

You Will Forget Something, I Promise

Luckily, in just about every college town, there is a large retail store or access to Amazon lockers.

I tell my kids all the time, “we’re just going to let Walmart store that for us.”

Instead of panic-buying everything I think my kids will need for the entire semester and packing their dorm rooms to the brim, I just accept that we’re going to forget some things.

There is always a way to get things to your kids after move-in day, and they don’t need to have every last item or a perfectly decorated dorm to have a successful first year at college.

They need the essentials and a parent that is cheering them on, willing to help however you can. That’s your role now, so stop stressing and try to enjoy this new chapter. As we know all too well, these chapters go way too fast!