Dorm Room Essentials
A new school year is beginning! If you are moving into a dorm, start off your year on the right foot with these packing and decor tips from Domestic CEO.
The new school year is beginning, and for many, this will be the first time attending college and living in a dorm room.
It can be difficult to think of everything you might need for your daily life when you are away at school. I know I took for granted a lot of the things that were just always available in my parents’ house. Once I was in my own dorm room, I realized just how much stuff my parents provided on a regular basis–who really thinks about the fact that you can always find a stapler, scissor, or paper clips on hand, for example?
When you move into a dorm room, though, suddenly you need to own all those things yourself. So here are some pointers on how to get ready for life on your own in your college dorm room.
Less is More
As you are packing up your belongings and necessities, remember not to over-pack. Check with the college to know exactly what items are provided for you; things like a bed, dresser, trash can, a mirror, or maybe even a microwave might be provided. Get the list in advance, so you know what not to purchase.
While you are packing your clothing, use a “less is more” mentality. You don’t need to take every pair of jeans or every t-shirt you own. Think about which clothing items you can mix and match easily, which items can do double-duty (like a sweatshirt working as a shirt or as a jacket), and take into consideration the weather in your college town. If you are moving far away from home, you might be facing lots of rain and snow,, so get clothing that works for that climate. If you are headed to sunny Arizona, you’ll need to stock up on shorts, tanks, and flip flops. Remember, you can always purchase more clothing once you are at college.
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Storage Needs
To get all your clothing stored in a teeny, tiny dorm room closet, try using some of these handy products:
- Wonder Hangers: this hanger accessory expands the amount of storage space available by hanging your clothing vertically. This is a must have for anyone who loves clothing–and has a stuffed dorm closet.
- Hanging Jewelry Organizer: I just love the small amount of space one of these takes while providing a ridiculous amount of storage and organization for jewelry. Many of these organizers offer 80 compartments just waiting to be filled1 Who says you can’t take all your jewelry to college? You can also store hair accessories in this organizer, too.
- Free-standing shelf or plastic drawer cart: If there’s space in your dorm room, both of these are good options for adding more storage. Even if there’s not enough wall space, you can always plac ea shelf or storage cart at the foot of your bed, if there’s room.
- Command Hooks: These handy hooks are a college student’s good friend. You can add these hooks anywhere in your room to add more storage. Attach hooks on the back of a door to stow your purses, backpack, hats, and jackets.
- Bed Risers: These handy helpers can drastically increase storage space under your bed. Using these risers adds additional inches of height, so plastic storage bins can fit neatly under the bed. Stow jackets, boots, and other seasonal clothing under the bed when they are not needed.
- Space Bags: These bags are another wonderful way to store seasonal clothing items. You can load up a bag with tons of stuff, then use a vacuum cleaner attachment to suck out the extra air–dramatically reducing the amount of storage space you’ll need for those items.
Bed & Bath
So, now that your clothing and storage has been addressed, let’s talk about some of the more basic needs. These are items you may or may not think of getting for your dorm room.
You’ll need bedding. Usually, dorm room beds are XL twins, but make sure you’ve got this information correct before purchasing your sheets and comforter. Don’t forget your pillow, pillow cases, an extra blanket, and a mattress pad.
On to the bathroom essentials! Be sure to have a few sets of towels, which includes bath towels, hand towels, and washcloths. A shower caddy is handy to have, especially if you’ve got to carry your bathroom products to and from the showering area. Shower shoes or flip flops are also a good idea if you will be showering in a community shower.
Don’t forget a bathrobe for that chilly journey from the bathroom to your dorm room. And remember all your bathroom products, like body wash, shampoo, face wash, make-up, hair spray, deodorant, lotions, and so on.
Cook & Clean
If you’re allowed to cook food in your dorm room, you may want to take along these items: a small microwave and refrigerator, a toaster, a hotplate, plates, cups, bowls, flatware, a can opener, and reusable water bottles.
You’ll probably need some cleaning products to keep your room looking good, too. After all, mom isn’t going to come clean your room for you! Some of the cleaning basics include sanitizing wipes, air freshener, dish soap, a dishwashing sponge, kitchen towels, an iron or steamer, laundry soap, a lint roller, a laundry bag or hamper, dryer sheets, a broom, a handheld vacuum cleaner, a trash can and trash bags.
Set the Scene
Décor items might be the first thing you think of–especially if you are female. Personalizing your dorm space will make you feel more at home, and help create a comfortable atmosphere for the year ahead.
You may want to purchase a small area rug, especially if your school is in a colder climate and there’s no carpeting on the floor. A door mirror is handy to have to make sure you’re looking your best before heading to class. Frames, a bulletin board, a desk lamp, and/or a desk chair, if needed, are all things that help you personalize your space. Don’t forget to use those command hooks to hang artwork or posters to really add some pizzazz to your room.
Study Essentials
Finally, you will have homework to do, so you’ll also need some office supplies. Even though most homework is now submitted electronically, you’ll still want to have some things on hand.
Of course, first and foremost, you’ll need a laptop. You’ll also need pens, pencils, a stapler, scissors, tape, paper clips, some notebooks, and some loose leaf paper. If you’ll be taking a math class, you’ll probably need a graphing calculator as well.
Whether you’re a college newbie or a seasoned collegiate veteran, it’s a good idea to compile a checklist before you head off to school. And if you forget something, don’t panic–every city has a store, and if all else fails, call mom!
Photos of girl moving in and boy with parents courtesy of Shutterstock.com.