It’s hard for me to write this but…I have another son going off to college! In fact its the baby which means I will be an empty nester! What am I going to do? ha!

Maybe you are a mom of a soon to be college freshman too or you will be a college freshman yourself, so you are probably wondering what do I need for my dorm!

With my first son, I bought more than I needed! So I have learned with the second one what he actually needs including storage solutions, decorative items (here’s a hint – if you have a boy the answer is none!), and more.

In this post I am going to share with you a list of dorm room essentials to help you get ready for move-in day! But before I get to the list, I want to share with you one thing to making sure you have what you need for your first year in college…Make your dorm feel like home by filling your space with photos, your favorite blanket or childhood memento and cozy bedding! You want your dorm to be a place you can relax in and help you enjoy your freshman year!

Some things on this list may be specific to the type of dorm room you have. For instance, if you have an apartment style dorm, you will need kitchen essentials and if you are in a dorm with a hall bathroom then you may need shower essentials that you might not need if you have your own bathroom! So I have broken this list into sections!

Top Dorm Room Essentials

These are the things you need no matter what type of dorm you are in and no matter whether you are a girl or a boy!

1. Mattress Topper – the beds are not super comfy so make sure you have a plush mattress topper to make your dorm bed as comfy as possible! Click here for the one I suggest!
2. A Rug – dorm room floors are kind of gross! ha! And definitely not comfy to walk on especially when you first get out of bed! Get a rug that will be soft to your feet when you hit the floor first thing in the morning!
3. Comfy Bedding with XL Twin Sheets – as I mentioned above, making your bed comfy is key! It is where you will spend a lot of your time because some dorms are just a bed in a room! So make sure you have XL twin sheets, a comforter or duvet and pillows
4. Fan – if you are attending school in the south, it is hot! And even though dorms have air conditioning, it will still be hot! So make sure you have a fan for your room!

Dorm Living Essentials

In your room, you will need these things in addition to what I listed above to make your dorm room the best it can be!

• Trash Can
• Bedside Storage such as a tray that attaches to bed or a bedside table
• Hangers
• Laundry Basket
• Decor – for boys this means flags and for girls this means mirrors, frames, wall prints, wallpaper, etc.
• Desk Lamp/Organizer
• Charging station
• No Screw Curtain Rod
• Curtains
• TV
• Mirror
• Throw Blanket
• Extension cords

Dorm Bathroom Essentials

If you have a bathroom to yourself or one you share with your immediate roommates, you will need the following:

• Rug
• Shower Curtain
• Shower Liner
• Shower Curtain Rings
• Under sink storage – I like the plastic stack drawers for my son but you could always do something more decorative!
• Toothbrush holder
• Handtowels
• Hand soap
• Towels
• Toilet paper
• Plunger
• Cleaning supplies
• Trash can
• Shower organizer for shampoos etc

Dorm Kitchen Essentials

For both of my son’s, they have lived/will be living in apartment style dorms. This means they have a common area that includes a living room and kitchen. At The University of South Carolina, apartment style dorms come with furniture for the living room including a sofa, chairs, and table and chairs. However, the kitchen only comes with the stove, fridge and microwave. Which means, if you want to utilize the kitchen you will need the following:

• Plates – I suggest the $.50 per plate plastic ones at Target!
• Cups – same as above
• Bowls – same as above
• Extra microwavable bowls for pasta etc
• Pots/Pans
• Silverware
• Silverware drawer organizer
• Soap
• Dish Towels
• Pot holder
• Cooking utensils
• Coffee Maker
• Mugs

Dorm Move-In Day Essentials

Move in day is chaotic! So my biggest tip is to get any and everything you need before move in day! I made the mistake with my oldest son of thinking I could run to Target for anything we needed that day and everyone else had the same idea! The shelves were bare and the line went all the way to the back of the store! So if you can, make sure you have what you need beforehand. Here is a list of my suggestions:

• Ikea style moving bags! You can get these from Ikea or Amazon and they hold a ton of stuff!
• Command Hooks
• Tacs
• Tool kit with screwdriver, hammer and scissors
• Wagon or Dolly of some kind – most colleges will have some but not enough for everyone so having your own will be super helpful

Shop My Dorm Essentials

If you want an easy shopping guide to help you with all the essentials for your dorm room, click on either of links below! Hope this list helps you with all you need for your freshman dorm and what you don’t need! If you have any other suggestions to add to this list, comment!

SHOP LTK

SHOP AMAZON