My freshman year, I lived in the suites, which is what a lot of schools call the stereotypical “dorms.” Mine came with a bed, three drawers, a desk, a chair, another set of drawers for the desk, and a closet. The bathroom had a toilet stall, two sinks, and one shower with cubbies next to it. It also came with a shower curtain. They did not provide toilet paper, so I’ve included that in this list.
If you can find a video of a walk-through or better yet, do a walk-through at the dorms over summer yourself, it’s super important to know what is already there.
I want to emphasize: YOUR DORM DOES NOT HAVE TO BE PERFECT.
My initial decorations were not very cohesive and I ended up moving them around and buying a couple different things because they just didn’t seem like me. Pinterest is great for inspiration, but most dorms don’t look like that.
The two most important aspects are COMFORT and FUNCTIONALITY.
Let’s get started!
BED / CLOSET
- I bought this set from OCM:
https://www.ocm.com/ocm/p/c2c_bhmt - If you don’t get this one, you’ll need
2 sets of sheets
4 pillowcases (ideal)
an extra blanket (or two)
a throw pillow
2 body towels
a hand towel
laundry hamper
- Hangers
They don’t have to all be the same! It’s a nice aesthetic, though.
Bring a few extra in case you buy clothes. - Clothes / shoes / makeup
I’ll make a separate post about these, so the link to that will be in here when I do! - Lights near your bed
Fairy lights, nightlight, etc. so that girl from The Sixth Sense doesn’t get you - Storage
Can be canvas or crates. The set above has two canvas ones for under-bed storage, but I also bought two from Target. Here are some that look like mine: - First Aid:
Nyquil, Dayquil, Advil, Emergen-C, band-aids, aloe vera
BATHROOM:
- Shower shoes
I got cheap sandals from Target, it doesn’t have to be the specific “shower shoes.” - Shower caddy
I got this one: - Toiletries
shampoo, conditioner, face wash, soap, razor, moisturizer, etc. - Toilet bowl cleaner
- Toilet paper
Mine didn’t stock it for us! You might as well bring a small pack just in case, you can use it for other small cleaning or makeup removal, too.
DESK:
- Desk lamp
- Makeup holder
I got this from Amazon and I love it:
- Stand-up mirror
They have mirror like this at Daiso:
- Desk pencil holders
I use mugs (I have way too many to just use for tea) and mason jars. - Coffee maker
I got a single-serve that came with the travel mug:
Coffee Maker NOTE: I got a Keurig last year and I bought a reusable K-cup to just put straight coffee in (sustainable, ya know) and it ALWAYS leaves grinds in my coffee. Just as a heads up.
- Filer
It could be a magazine holder, an actual file holder, or just a manilla envelope.
Just make sure you have something for important documents. - Post-Its
I’m a fan of the passive aggressive post-it note. I love labeling my things because people are less likely to touch it if it literally has your name on it.
My roommate and I would also leave notes like “have a great day!” or “good luck with your interview!” or “the election sucked but you don’t!” for each other sometimes! - Bulletin board
To hang it up, I just used tacks because they said they cared but they didn’t.
You could also use command strips or strong tape! - Office supplies
Stapler, scissors, tape, rubber bands, clips, paper clips, staples, tacks
WALL:
- Extension cord
- Fan
- Power strip / wall tap
- Decorations:
1. Keep it simple, big things like tapestries or posters are nice because it doesn’t require a lot of organizing.
2. Command strips are okay but they’re expensive. My dorm said no tacks but everyone still got away with it. See what kind of walls they have before buying.
3. Don’t be afraid to start simple and see how it goes along the year! You don’t want to commit too much to a huge set of decorations that you get tired of or that end up being too much.
4. You also want to leave some things on the wall in your normal bedroom when you visit home for Christmas and any holidays.
5. I leaned against the wall by my bed a lot, so maybe avoid a lot of decorations around your bed that stick out of the wall.
FOOD:
- Fridge
- Microwave
- Storage for food
- Mugs (2)
- Reusable water bottle
- Bowls (2)
- Utensil set
Check and see if your school has a sustainability center/program that gives these out! - Paper towels
- Disinfectant wipes
BAG:
- One backpack
- One purse
Unless you have a small and big one for different events like I do. - Makeup/travel bag
This is so nice to have in your purse/backpack to switch your essentials between
I would say something like this:
Go Bag In the go bag: chapstick, pencil, pen, wallet, sunglasses, travel deodorant, hand sanitizer, and anything else you need
- Pencil bag
You can combine this with the last one, but that’s a little annoying to get ALL your stuff out when you need a pen in class.
You don’t need a bunch, but picking maybe a few colors at the beginning w/ a few highlighters wouldn’t hurt
>>> minimalist: red, blue, and black pen & yellow, orange, green highlighters
>>> creative: a color scheme like pink, green, blue pens & pastel highlighters
Also put some scissors, white-out, a travel stapler maybe mini post-it’s in there - Notebooks
Check w/ your professors. If you have a small laptop and they allow it, you can take notes on there. Studies say handwritten notes are better, but laptops are quicker.
I learned to combine notebooks. I got three-subject notebooks and would actually use them for multiple subjects! Imagine that.
I split them up either by day of classes or type of subject
>>> Ex: My MW classes were in one notebook and my TuTh classes in another
My two Psych classes in one and my two electives in another
Make sure they have a pocket for the syllabus and KEEP TRACK OF IT. That’s your best friend, check it often.
OPTIONAL:
- Glass container for coffee or snacks, etc.
- Bullet journal
- Mug/container for makeup brushes
- Desk supply container
- Printer (check your school’s printing–mine had a 20 pages/day policy so I didn’t buy a printer)
- Computer mouse/mousepad
- Deodorizing spray
Have a great year! Leave a comment if you followed this or have anything to add!
A Quick & Easy Guide for Students 