Top 6 Items for Dorm Life

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We are still on the Moving To College topic and today we are continuing with the Top 6 Items you need for Dorm Life.

Simon just spent his first summer back at home after his freshman year at Georgia Southern in Statesboro, Georgia. We’ve had a lot of conversations about how useful his initial dorm supply list was. Here is what he took with him this time last year: Preparing for College Move In Day

Comfy Bedding

Buy the best bedding you can afford, would be my recommendation here. Not only do you want quality and something that will last you for a whole year of dorm living, but you want it to be comfy. We’ve all bought bargain “bed in a bag” combinations and they just don’t cut it. The fabric is scratchy and thin and after the first wash, all the filling moves to one corner.

We had an extra set of bedding that was used for one weekend in our Texas apartment, and since it was used by Simon, sent that with him to college. It didn’t hold up as well and he had to replace it with something else halfway through the year.

Another item that fits in this category is a mattress pad. You want that extra barrier between your sheets and the mattress and the extra padding it provides.

Lastly, it is highly likely that you will have a roommate and most roommates want to coordinate their items. So talk to each other and buy items that will not only last the whole year but are cohesive in appearance.

Versatile Desk Lamp

A lot of the items that made up Simon’s supply list came from the Texas apartment. So we already had a spare desk lamp for him. His lamp included a USB port so it did provide some extra functionality.

While shopping for Sidney’s supplies this year, we found this great lamp on Amazon. Not only does it have a USB port and a power outlet, it also serves as a pen holder. The LED light kit is included and the whole lamp is nice and sturdy, without being too big.

Customized Closet Storage

In the words of our now second-year student, “you will never have enough storage in your closet”. We’ve toured Sidney’s new dorm room and are aware of the closet limitations. To make it more functional, we included two fabric bins for the top shelf, a hanging shelf, a shoe shelf and some over-the-door storage. We even have some additional hooks that can go over the bathroom door and provide hanging space for towels and such.

If you are buying any fabric shelving items, make sure you pick a good quality fabric and that the shelves have some extra support. Flimsy shelving will not work for your student. This option below has reinforced shelves and can be split into two units if needed.

Multi-Purpose Cleaning Supplies

Yes, my dear students – you will be cleaning your own room and bathroom, yay! I know you can’t wait… To make cleaning easier, include an all-purpose or multi-purpose cleaner. It can clean spills, surfaces, mirrors and even toilets and showers. Paper towels do seem wasteful, but no student wants to rinse out rags and store them somewhere.

I use Simple Green All-Purpose Cleaner in my own house and this is what I’m sending with the kids. Add in a broom and dustpan combo and they should be all set.

Laundry Bag

Sidney is trying out a Laundry Backpack this year and I will let you know how that goes. Simon had a laundry bag that hung on a hook in his room. When it was full, he would go over to the laundry room and do a load of laundry. It also served as his “luggage” on trips home. That, along with his laundry basket, gave him versatile storage options.

Phone Chargers & Cables

Those little suckers go missing so quickly. So if possible, stock up on a few charger blocks as well as get extra charging cords. Remember to at least get one long one – you never know how far you are going to be from the wall outlet itself!

Bonus Item – Coffee Machine

Even if you don’t have a kitchenette or a large room, making space for a coffee maker of some sort shouldn’t be too big a challenge. With the new “one cup” machines you have many different coffee flavors and can fulfil that on-demand caffeine need. Not in the mood for coffee? Then use it to dispense boiling water and make some tea or hot chocolate. The machines are versatile enough to cover all the hot drink bases.

Simon and his roommate had a Keurig, which is exactly what Sidney and her roommate will have for their first year. There are less fancy and more fancy options – so go with what you can afford or even better, take your parents’ spare machine.

Have you seen the Keurig K-Mini? Very affordable and won’t take up too much space in a dorm room.