Retailers have started to roll out their back-to-school sections! If you have a recent high school graduate heading off to college in the fall, it’s time to start gathering the supplies they will need for a successful first year. Ensuring they have everything they need to create a home away from home in their dorm room is key to helping them settle in. While your excited freshman is probably busy thinking about how they are going to decorate their new space, us mommas are more concerned with making sure they have all of the essentials for living away from home for the first time. With this in mind, we are scouring our favorite retailers and gathering essentials your student will need to bring to their dorm room. From tech that will last to must-have dorm essentials, we’ve got you covered below!
Dorm Room essentials:
Target always has a fantastic selection for college dorm prep! That section of the store can get quite chaotic, so we’ve rounded up some of the essentials for dorm life that you can easily shop above. Every dorm is different in terms of whether they are going to use a communal bathroom for the floor or if your student and roommates will have their own bathroom. We recommend confirming that ahead of time so you can make sure you are buying the right items. If they have a space of their own they will need to bring more items such as a trashcan, vanity items, and storage that they wouldn’t need if they are sharing a communal bathroom for the floor.
Those dorm rooms can be really small and there’s even less space if they are sharing half the room with a roommate. Grabbing space-saving storage items will be a lifesaver for your student. This hanging shoe rack is a great example of that. It hangs in their closet keeping the shoes up and out of the way. A narrow rolling storage cart is also a good idea for saving space.
Walmart is another one-stop shop for all of your dorm room needs. When it comes to bedding, it’s likely that your student will be issued a twin-sized bed. Since it’s probably the only year they will sleep on a twin bed, we recommend grabbing affordable bedding options. This Mainstays comforter is under $20 and is reversible if they decide they wanna switch it up during the year. You can also grab this simple sheet set for under $13. These are easy and affordable options that aren’t too expensive in case they don’t need them after the school year.
We also searched Best Buy for some appliances that they are going to need in their dorm room. A mini fridge with a freezer will help them store food and groceries. If they aren’t coffee drinkers yet, they probably will be soon with all the studying they will be doing… Picking up a single-serve Keurig is a good option for a dorm. Set the Keurig on top of the fridge to save space.
A place to sit other than their desk chair or bed is also ideal for when friends are over. We recommend something simple like this folding saucer chair. Pro tip: if they raise their dorm bed you can set up chairs underneath or even put their desk under the bed. It’s all about maximizing space!
Back To College Tech Essentials:
Finally, we made a roundup of tech items that is going to help them study easier and achieve those A’s!! We both have MacBook laptops and they have lasted for years. We use them every day for work so they should be great for studying and completing assignments. A good pair of noise-cancelling headphones is also great for blocking out the noise when they are trying to knock out some studying. Best Buy has options for both over-the-ears headphones and AirPods.
There you have a roundup of all the essentials your college student will need when moving into the dorms. We hope they have a ton of fun decorating their dorm and have a wonderful school year.
If you would like a physical checklist to use while shopping for their dorm, subscribe to our newsletter HERE to receive a FREE dorm room checklist printable!
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