Hey y'all!! As promised I have put together a dorm room checklist of all the must have dorm items to make your place feel like home! Just like the Apartment Checklist, there is no need to buy every single one of these items, instead use this post as inspo when choosing what items will best suit your needs! Also, be sure to check out my Dorm Room Must Haves blog post. I am linking my "COLLEGE" board on Pinterest filled with different decor ideas and storage solutions. CHECK IT OUT HERE. Click on the checklist to download and save it, or pin it to your Pinterest board to keep it around. Happy Shopping! I also made an Amazon list "COLLEGE DORM & APARTMENT MUST HAVES"!
FIRST OFF: if you are moving anywhere you NEED these Ikea storage bags! They will be your best friend, they fit EVERYTHING, have handles, come with zipper closure or not, and fold up so small (perfect for dorms). I also would use these to put all my laundry and clothes in when I came home for a weekend. I am linking a few options here, I have both the zipper and non zipper options and use both!
KITCHEN: As you can tell this list is quite extensive, but because you are in a dorm you are not going to be doing a lot of cooking. I have put together this list of anything you could ever need with dorm cooking. As far as must haves go, I would 100% have a mini fridge with a freezer, a microwave, air fryer, coffee maker, toaster, water filter, cutting knife (perf for avocados, fruits, etc), and dishes (whether that disposable or reusable it does not matter). I used a mix of both disposable and reusable last year, as that is what worked for me (disposable plates, reusable bowls & cups).
RETAILERS TO CHECK OUT: Dormify, Amazon, Target, Walmart, Bed Bath and Beyond, Kohl's, The Container Store, Williams Sonoma, Rugs USA, Wayfair, Overstock, Arhaus, Urban Outfitters Home, Best Buy, Anthropologie, Nordstrom Home, Nordstrom Rack Home, Pottery Barn, Crate and Barrel, West Elm, World Market, H&M Home, Capri Blue Candles, QVC, Macy's, Verishop Home.
CLEANING: Be sure to have different cleaning items on hand at all time! Whether you have a cleaning service offered or not, you'd be surprised how dirty (and dusty) a small space gets in such little time. I always had Windex (for mirrors), a bleach cleaner (for the bathroom), and Clorox wipes. Another must have is an air purifier!! I swear this is what kept me healthy, because dorms are super, super dusty 100% buy one. A vacuum is another essential, once again everything get dirty so quick (especially on dark carpet) and a handful of girls would always have to borrow mine.
RETAILERS TO CHECK OUT: Amazon, Target, Walmart, The Home Depot, Lowe's.
BATH: Everyone's needs will be different due to your living situation: communal bathrooms, individual bathroom, shared quad bathroom. I have listed just about everything you would need for each living situation. The one thing I would say is to make sure you have more than enough towels, it was nice to have a different set when one was in the wash.
RETAILERS TO CHECK OUT: Dormify, Amazon, Target, Walmart, Bed Bath and Beyond, Kohl's, The Container Store, Williams Sonoma, Rugs USA, Wayfair, Overstock, Arhaus, Urban Outfitters Home, Best Buy, Anthropologie, Nordstrom Home, Nordstrom Rack Home, Pottery Barn, Crate and Barrel, West Elm, World Market, H&M Home, Capri Blue Candles, QVC, Macy's, Verishop Home.
ORGANIZATION: Organization is so, so important in a dorm room. With a smaller space, it is important to have more organizers, drawers, bins, etc. that in return create more space. Starting out with under-the-bed storage: I had two drawers provided via my dorm along with two 3 Drawer Wide Carts and one 3 Drawer Medium Cart for clothes. Another item I loved was a Storage Crate, I used these for food! I also had bed risers to create more space for storage under the bed. Depending upon the size of your room, it may be helpful to have a bookshelf, shelving unit, or cabinet organizer shelf of some sort for different items. For desk storage: I loved having a shoe riser on my desk to store different products along with pencil cups, a jewelry stand, and different sized desk organizers. More handy little organizers included the 3 Tiered Rolling Cart, a Mini Fridge Caddy, and storage ottomans.
RETAILERS TO CHECK OUT: Dormify, Amazon, Target, Walmart, Bed Bath and Beyond, Kohl's, The Container Store, Williams Sonoma, Rugs USA, Wayfair, Overstock, Arhaus, Urban Outfitters Home, Best Buy, Anthropologie, Nordstrom Home, Nordstrom Rack Home, Pottery Barn, Crate and Barrel, West Elm, World Market, H&M Home, Capri Blue Candles, QVC, Macy's, Verishop Home.
BED: When it comes to bedding, definitely spend the extra money on a good mattress topper, it will be so worth it! I would say must haves include a clip on bedside shelf/tray, black-out curtains, a weighted blanket, a standing fan, and lots of pillows and blankets. I also loved having a body pillow to put along the wall. Also, having two sets of sheets was so convenient to be able to wash one and not have a naked bed, hahah. Make your dorm feel homey!
RETAILERS TO CHECK OUT: Dormify, Amazon, Target, Walmart, Bed Bath and Beyond, Kohl's, The Container Store, Williams Sonoma, Rugs USA, Wayfair, Overstock, Arhaus, Urban Outfitters Home, Best Buy, Anthropologie, Nordstrom Home, Nordstrom Rack Home, Pottery Barn, Crate and Barrel, West Elm, World Market, H&M Home, Capri Blue Candles, QVC, Macy's, Verishop Home.
DECOR: Decor is such an easy way to make a boring room into a fun space. Pick a vibe/theme you are going for first and then run with it. Check out my Pinterest board for ideas, HERE. Find different items to mix together; sentimental items and pictures mixed with fresh, new decor. Some essential decor items include lamps (more light the better), command strips/hooks (you will use more than you think), mirrors (easy way to brighten & make a space bigger), ottomans (functional storage), and picture frames (sentimental).
RETAILERS TO CHECK OUT: Dormify, Amazon, Target, Walmart, Bed Bath and Beyond, Kohl's, The Container Store, Williams Sonoma, Rugs USA, Wayfair, Overstock, Arhaus, Urban Outfitters Home, Best Buy, Anthropologie, Nordstrom Home, Nordstrom Rack Home, Pottery Barn, Crate and Barrel, West Elm, World Market, H&M Home, Capri Blue Candles, QVC, Macy's, Verishop Home.
ELECTRONICS: The best thing you will buy is extension cords! They are incredibly helpful and I had a bunch all over the room. I also loved having a printer in my room for convince. Personally, having an essential oil diffuser, an alarm clock, and a TV with an Apple TV/Fire Stick in my room was so convenient and fit my needs.
RETAILER TO CHECK OUT: Dormify, Amazon, Target, Walmart, Bed Bath and Beyond, Best Buy, QVC, Macy's.
As you can see, this checklist is quite extensive make sure to go through and find items that best suit your needs and living situation, everyone is different. Make your space feel like home! On my LiketoKnow.it, I have posted different options for each category so if you need some inspo, check that out.
Once again, my Amazon list "COLLEGE DORM & APARTMENT MUST HAVES" is such a good resource.
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XOXO,
Sloane