Back to School Dorm Room Must Haves

I’m struggling to believe this time next year I will be packing up my oldest child and getting her off to college! I feel like I just finished college, how am I old enough to have a college-age child? I have so many friends who are ahead of me in the college world. JuneBug and I have been picking the brains of both the students and the parents. My eldest is very much the planner and likes to know what to expect, so we’ve put together a list of things recommended to her for college dorm life. We will also be updating this as we do more college tours and hear back from more of the girls’ friends.

Not only will this list be helpful as the girls head off to college, but for my after-prom shopping. Our school holds an annual event held, you guessed it, after prom. It’s a safe and fun environment the kids all look forward to. Not only is it free for our high school seniors and their guests, but they can win all kinds of prizes! From popular dorm items to TVs and iPads!

Dorm Function

Furnishings in dorm rooms vary from university to university. The most common included furnishings are extra long twin bed and mattress, desk, chair, closet, and dresser. Many of the schools JuneBug is considering also have a fridge and microwave (or a combo unit).

Space is going to be tight, especially since most dorms are shared. I did luck out and get a single my freshman year of college. Ironically, that was the year I didn’t want to live alone!

Even with a single room, there wasn’t much space.

Bunking the beds frees up floor space but isn’t always the most comfortable way to use a space where you sleep, study and hang out with friends.

Bed risers are a great way to increase storage space. Increased storage space lends to better use of space overall. These pieces of plastic might not look like much, but really do make a huge difference. IronFish and I used them in our first apartments, which weren’t much bigger than dorm rooms!

With extra space under the bed, out of season clothes and luggage can be tucked behind things used more commonly. Like laundry baskets or storage drawers. There are also a variety of options for extended bed skirts to conceal everything under the bed. I’m thrilled to know this, otherwise, I probably will be asked by someone to make one…

Convertible or multi-use pieces can be a huge asset to enjoying your home away from home. My kids all have storage ottomans that can also be used for seating when they have friends over. This chair takes it a step further!

Milk crates are still a great way to make your own customizable shelving and storage. Now there are so many colors available, even collapsible ones. I use ones like these to keep my trunk organized, they are awesome.

I remember using crates to build storage around our dorm fridge (microwaves weren’t allowed in dorms until my senior year). We used pipe cleaners to secure the crates together so we could stack them higher!

A fridge organizer like this would have been great for storing our small supply of plates and silverware:

This adjustable shelving unit made for around the fridge and microwave is probably the safer option to stacking crates!

Comfortable Bed

A good night’s sleep goes a long way to making it through college classes. The included mattress will probably not be as comfortable as your student is used to at home. There are so many options for bed toppers nowadays, it shouldn’t be too hard to improve the mattress.

The most important thing is to remember most dorms have extra-long twin beds. This means standard twin sheets won’t fit!

Every year at our senior after-prom party, I give away a few Bed-In-A-Bag sets. The kids go nuts over winning everything they need but the pillows! Since I’ve shopped around a lot for these, I haven’t found a better-priced set, especially with so many color selections.

Since the bed may be bunked or raised higher than normal, it’s important to be able to access everything you need from a high perch. We’ve come up with a few options.

A bed caddy is probably the easiest solution. Small, lightweight, and inexpensive. Easy to pack and take with you on your new adventure.

A bedside shelf is another fairly inexpensive option and allows room for a drink or snack. Let’s face it, any kid who had a “no eating in your bedroom” rule is going to break that within the first hour at college!

Clothing Storage

I was also over 12 hours away from my parents, so I didn’t have the luxury of only taking the clothes I needed for the season with me. I wish I had been savvy enough back then to utilize a capsule wardrobe. JuneBug prefers her basics and mixes everything with black, gray, white, or denim. Tasha is my style queen and will probably want to take all her clothes (and books) that she’s ever owned.

Using magic hangers and space-saving velvet hangers help to maximize small closets.

Plastic storage drawers are a great way to organize and store clothes beyond the university provided storage.

Traveling to and from College

I’ve been a huge fan of packing cubes since I first found them. Over the years they have only improved and now I can’t travel without my compression packing cubes. JuneBug, my neat and tidy gal, has suggested compression packing cubes as gifts to her graduating friends.

If your student is going to have to fly when coming home for a holiday, they will need a suitcase. I personally love my hard-sided carry-on suitcase. Suitcases can always be filled with out of season clothes and stashed under the bed. But, I’m really loving this expandable suitcase that folds down to practically nothing when not in use! Great for storing in tight spaces. Use for an overnight, a weekend, or even expand for a longer trip.

A good friend of mine in college liked her room to be set up more like a living room than a bedroom. She had a travel trunk perfect for packing lots of clothes to get to college. During the school year, it doubled as a coffee table!