When I started shopping for my college dorm I realized something, I had no idea how to shop for it! I knew that I needed the obvious things like pillows, bedding, laundry supplies, towels, shower supplies, and a futon. But what else? I decided to google it and see what came up. There were all kinds of lists that had organizers and clothing lists but most lists had things that I didn’t think I would really use. Instead I considered what I would be using on a daily basis and what would make my schedule easier. So after a little bit of trial and error, I came up with a list of things that I actually used on a weekly, if not daily, basis.

#1 Bedside Caddy

Out of all the things that I found helpful while living in a college dorm, having a bedside caddy was my favorite. When you’re sleeping in a lofted bed there is nothing more annoying than having to get up in the middle of the night, in a pitch-black room, and try to find your water bottle, Ibprophen, glasses, or whatever it is that you’re looking for. Not to mention the slight danger that comes with not being able to see what you’re climbing down on. It’s an accident waiting to happen! My bedside caddy solved these problems. It hung right off my bed and held my water bottle, a flashlight, glasses, Ibprophen, and much more! I got mine from Target, but you can find them almost anywhere you would shop for “back to college” dorm supplies.

#2 Extension Cords & Power strips

This one may seem kind of obvious, but I’m here to tell you that you can never pack too many extension cords or power strips for your dorm. It always seems like outlets are put in the hardest to reach, most inconvenient spots when you are setting up your room. What can fix this problem? That’s right, extension cords and power strips. Having these will make setting up your TV, microwave, Keurig/coffee pot, minifridge, lights, and whatever else you’re setting up that needs to be plugged in, so much easier!

#3 Bedrest Throw Pillow

If I’m being honest, I didn’t have one of these my freshman year, but it would have made my life a lot easier if I did. I got one my Sophomore year and used it all the time. Whether I was chilling out on the futon, or doing homework in bed, it was my go to pillow because it can support you and won’t fall over or fall flat like other pillows do. I don’t live on campus anymore, but I still use this pillow all the time! You can find them almost anywhere that sells “back to college” dorm supplies.

#4 Food cubbies

When you’re in college you see these all the time, in fact it almost seems like every dorm room you walk into has one, food cubbies. This was one of the first things that my roommate and I bought for our dorm. We got one with four cubbies and got two slide out bins to put in it. It made keeping our food organized and separate very easy. They are also great because they can double as a tv stand which is very important when you’re trying to fit a bedroom, kitchen, and living room, all in a dorm room that’s half the size of your room back home. 

#5 Mini Keurig

My roommate and I had one of these our freshman year and it was great. It holds just enough water for a couple of cups of coffee and is smaller so it’s a great size for a dorm. I recommend a Keurig instead of a coffee pot because they make many types of beverages such as hot chocolate, tea, coffee, apple cider, and can just dispense steaming water to make hot chocolate or tea that aren’t K-cups. We had a reusable K-cup that we could put ground coffee into as well to save money. Over all it seems to have more options than just a regular coffee pot so that anyone can use it, even if they don’t like coffee.

#6 Microwave

A microwave is an essential for dorm living. You can make popcorn, frozen dinners, ramen noodles, reheat leftovers, and make just add water mug cupcakes and muffins. Some dorms do have rules regarding how many watts that microwave can be so I would recommend checking on it before buying one or choosing one with a lower wattage.

#7 Minifridge

I loved having a minifridge in my dorm room. I got one that had a freezer in addition to the fridge. It allows you to have a lot of the basics like milk, cheese, yogurt, and juice with even more options if you have a freezer like ice cream and frozen dinners.

#8 Bowls, Plates, and silverware

I bought some microwave safe bowls from Walmart that had lids with ventilation tabs. They worked great for making soups, ramen noodles, reheating leftovers, and having cereal in the mornings. I also bought paper plates and plastic silverware. If you want to buy reusable silverware and plates that would work as well but I liked how low maintenance paper plates were.

#9 Dish soap & scrubber

Having dish soap and a sponge/scrubber is a great idea especially if you decide to use reusable bowls, plates, and silverware. The one that I got had a handle that filled with soap which made it super quick and easy to use. I always had Dawn dish soap because a little went a long way and it also doubled as a great stain remover for clothing, especially grease stains.

#10 Clorox wipes

Clorox wipes are a life saver in college. They work for everything; dusting, cleaning up spills, and disinfecting the room when your roommate is sick. I went through many containers of Clorox wipes so I recommend getting the big pack of them right away, trust me you’ll use them!

Planning and packing for your first year of college can be stressful. You don’t want to forget something that you need, but you also don’t want to overpack and make the small space that you have seem even more cluttered. Take a step back from it all and think about what you use on a daily basis. Those are the items that you are most likely to use when you move into your dorm. Don’t make the transition to college harder than it has to be by completely changing your habits and schedule. You know what you like and what makes you most comfortable so trust yourself and buy what you know you will use! Good luck with your shopping and remember, it’s supposed to be fun!