19 College Dorm Room Must Haves

It’s been a whileee since I posted a college blog post. But I’ll to be more consistent with and will be posting a college blog post every week. Leave your email below to receive a notification every time I publish an article on this blog. I won’t spam you, pinky promise. Anyways, three years ago while I was creating this blog I also couldn’t stop thinking about college and was planning my first college dorm decor to a T. I was beyond excited about moving to college and I wish I knew about these dorm room must haves. While you don’t really need them, they’re so useful!

Tall Charging 3 Drawer Cart on Wheels from Dormify

We all know dorms are tiny af and any additional storage space we can get is super helpful! I got this cart on wheels from Dormify and I’m obsessed! Not only you have extra storage space, but you also have a charging station and it fits everywhere. You could use it as a night stand or anywhere. It is very easy to assemble, it took me 2 hours, and the quality is great!

Desk lamp

Another one in the dorm room must haves list is a desk lamp. Honestly, this one is pretty obvious, but form some reason my last roommate didn’t have one? Dorms don’t have the best lightning and desk lamps always come in handy. I got mine from Target for super cheap, it has lasted me 3 years now and the thing I like the most is that it has an outlet and USB port incorporated to charge my phone or laptop. It also has an organizer which I use for post-it notes and pens.

Portable charger

I can’t stress enough how important it is to have a portable battery. It can save you in a night out or in a long day of classes. I have this one!

Wireless headphones

I used to be a fashion design student and one of the things I hated the most was when I was working on something , leaned over and my wire headphones got tangled in whatever I was working on. Besides, I can’t be the only one that finds it annoying to use wire headphones while working out. I got these ones of working out on amazon and they’re amazing!

A good planner

Maybe this is not dorm specific but it is still a must have! It’ll help you stay organized and be productive. If I’m being completely honest I haven’t found yet a planner I love, which is why I decided to make my own bullet journal. This is the notebook I use for that and it is perfect!

Ultra Thin hangers

It might not seem like hangers can make a difference but they do! Your dorm room closet is going to be tiny af and you want to take as much advantage of the space as you can. I used to have the traditional hangers which were white & thick and when I switched to the thin ones I could fit so much more in my closet. Besides, you don’t have to be worrying about your clothes sliding, because the thin hangers will keep your clothes in place.

I’m aware they are more expensive than the traditional hangers. But you can get good deals at ross or Burlington!

LED makeup mirror

If you love doing your makeup and do it on a daily basis, you should definitely consider buying a LED makeup mirror! As mentioned before, dorms don’t have the best lightening.

Laundry basket with wheels

I have to lug around a heavy af laundry basket all the way from the 11th floor of my building to the basement and that’s the main reason why I hate doing laundry in the first place. Do yourself a favor and get a laundry hamper with wheels, doing laundry will be so much easier.

Trash can

I guess this depends on your school. When In went to the University of Cincinnati we were given trash bags & trash cans. But at FIT, they don’t give us anything. And even if you already have a trash can in your dorm, I love to have one in my bathroom and a small one by my desk.

Also, what me and my roommates do instead of buying trash bags is using the plastic bags we receive when purchasing something. You have no idea how many bags from Trader Joe’s and Target. It’s a way of reusing those plastic bags. Now that trash bags are banned in NYC, we might start buying eco-friendly trash bags.

Keuring Coffee Maker

Probably the most important dorm room must-have. The coffee at the dining hall sucks and spending $5 at Starbucks for coffee every day is a waste of money… So, get yourself a Keurig mini – it doesn’t take up much space and the coffee is so good!

First aid kit

You never know what could happen so you should have a first aid kit. You could buy one or just make your own by keeping a drawer or box with medicine and a supplies. A couple things you should include are: alcohol, bandages, Tylenol, ibuprofen and bandaids.

Desk Organizers

Another dorm room must haves are desk organizers! With all the books, notebooks and school supplies, there will be barely enough space in your desk to keep it all. Get some organizers to keep everything neat and decluttered. I got mine in the dollar section from target… You can also find some cute stuff in the dollar store.

Related: Ultimate College Packing List

A good backpack or tote bag

I got mine from Amazon for $19, it’s very basic but it can hold a lot of weight and 2 years after it is still in perfect condition. When I don’t feel like using a backpack I use a tote bag. It can be a leather one or a simple fabric tote. The important thing is to make sure it can support the weight of your laptop and books. The last thing you want is for it to break in the middle of the day or your commute.

Reusable water bottle

Buying water in plastic bottles is the worst you can do. Besides, there’s so many water fountains around campus to refill your reusable water bottle – be eco-friendly! The Healthish water bottle is my favorite ever because it reminds me to drink enough water throughout the day. However I understand is on the pricey side, so here’s another option.

Reusable straws

If you’re constantly using plastic straws. Get reusable ones and have then in your purse. They’re easy to clean and you’d do the environment (and the turtles) a favor.

Storage drawers

As mentioned before you want to take advantage of every space you have. You could place the storage drawers under your bed to create the perfect storage space or under your sink in the bathroom to keep cleaning supplies.

Shoe Organizer

An over the door shoe organizer is the perfect purchase because it doesn’t take up much space. The only downside is that it really doesn’t work for boots or high heels. If you have a lot of shoes or simply don’t like over the door organizers, you should consider buying this 4 tier shoe organizer.

Foldable Bins

I love foldable bins. Mine are from Walmart and I got them for $3, they have lasted for over 3 years now. I think they also sell them at the dollar store. Foldable bins are so simple and perfect for additional storage.

Mattress Pad

And the last dorm room must haves is a mattress pad. Because your sleep is super important and dorm mattresses suck! Good quality sleep is essential and you could also get a foam topper. But honestly, I recommend a mattress pad instead. They are pricey, but so worth it! I have the Tempur-Pedic® TEMPUR-Topper Supreme 3-Inch Mattress Topper, which was $300. But they last for a long time and it has been great for my back!

PS. if you’re shopping at bed bath & beyond, go to your local store oick out the items and set the pickup for your college town. On move-in day you can go to the closest bed, bath & beyond location and pick up your items.

Related: Dorm room shopping tips