College Dorm Room Essentials

I have seen so many college dorm room essentials posts that say “yes, you need a cozy comforter and twinkly lights!”. While yes, those things are great I wouldn’t really call those “essentials” + isn’t it obvious that you’ll need basic things like bedding for your college dorm room? I think yes.

Which is why today I have compiled a list of things I brought to college and couldn’t have lived without. These items are things that many kids overlook when shopping for their dorm room but made all the difference my freshman year of college. Not everything I had my freshman year is still in stock but I did my best to link similar versions of those items below!

Throughout this video I’m discussing my top college dorm room essentials that made all the difference my freshman year at Kent State. For college content every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday be sure to hit the subscribe button

1. Alexa: Obviously this isn’t a necessity but it was one of my most used dorm room items. I was constantly using this to set alarms, create reminders, listen to music with my friends, and more. The Alexa Video is a great alternative to FaceTime as it oftentimes had much stronger connection; this is how I called my sister and second fam while at school!
2. Fan (Similar): I’m someone who simply cannot sleep without a fan no matter how cool the room already is. While yes, we did control the heat and air condition in our room, I loved having this mini retro fan at nighttime. Plus, it was a really cute addition to my desk!
3. Vacuum: If you are dorming in a room with carpet, you need a vacuum. You don’t need something super fancy, just a cheaper stick vacuum will do. We had this one and used it every three days or so because the amount of lint and hair that built up on our floors was unreal. Also, getting the communal vacuum is such a pain, you will thank yourself later for having one of these; I promise.
4. Printer: I know some people say you don’t need a printer but I have to say, I’m someone who brought one and used it almost daily. Printing in the library is so costly and inconvenient considering I never did my schoolwork there. I saved myself so many headaches by getting a printer for my room. I linked the same one I have, however, we found mine for almost half the price on sale at Costco!
5. Brita: Emma and I hardly ever reached for plastic water bottles and constantly were refilling our Hydroflasks with the Brita water. Tap water is gross if you ask me so having filtered water at our convenience was so nice. It’s annoying as heck to fill up but it makes all the difference and is better for the ~environment~.
6. Ice Cube Trays: Not all schools provide ice cube trays so grab yourself a few just in case. I prefer ice in my water so having extra trays was a must.
7. Ottoman (Similar): If you’re considering half lofting your bed and are on the shorter side, an ottoman is a must-have to get on and off your bed. I recommend getting a cheaper one as you will be getting up and down so often as will your friends who come over and forget to take their shoes off, so it gets dirty pretty easily. I grabbed a $15 one from Target. It served its purpose for the year but was so gross by the end of the year that I threw it out. It’s also great to have one for extra storage purposes and for offering up extra “seating” when you have friends over.
8. Husband: I didn’t get my husband pillow until second semester and it was life-changing for me. I do a lot of my blog work from the comfort of my bed while at school but don’t like to be laying down while doing so; a husband will keep your back propped up. Mine is from DormCo and it’s a bit larger than your typical husband making it extra comfy.
9. Zippered Ikea Bags: These $5 zippered Ikea bags were life-changing for me. I moved over half of my stuff in these bags and constantly used them to pack up all of my mail/extra clothes. These also stack really well which makes packing your car so easy; I highly recommend this zippered kind over the typical blue Ikea bag.
10. Basic Cleaning Supplies: Not every dorm has a sink in their room but many do. If you fall under this category I would highly recommend bringing a few basic cleaning supplies. Things like Clorox wipes, Windex, a duster, and extra trash bags were must-haves for me.
11. Curtains (Similar): Curtains aren’t an “essential” but they were definitely something that made my room ten times cuter and really brought it together. I would recommend picking up a tension rod and some curtains and hanging them up to make your room feel a bit more “homey” and to let in the natural light.
12. Headboard: Again, another thing that isn’t necessary but really will transform your dorm room. I bought my headboard off of Dormify and while it was definitely pricey, it was so worth it. This one has a little USB charging station along the top which made charging my phone super convenient.
13. Power Strips: Extension cords will be your best friend in college. There aren’t a lot of outlets in most rooms and often times they are in super inconvenient spots. We had one of these by our coffee machine, desks, beds, and more. This is one thing I would recommend having extra of.
14. Command Hooks (Velcro and Actual Hooks): Make sure you are stocked up on all sorts of Command strips before move-in day. You will use these for hanging up decor, hooks to hang stuff from, and more. These tend to go on sale this time of year and are an item that is oftentimes out of stock at your closest Target to school so grab these ahead of time.
15. Full-Length Mirror: If you’re a girl a full-length mirror will be your best friend, especially if you’re a blogger like me. I linked the one we had from Target but honestly, I don’t recommend it. It was one of those “fat” mirrors that I honestly hated. I plan on getting a much bigger, better mirror for my sophomore year as this part of the room is obviously crucial for me considering my job.
16. Mattress Pad: You definitely will want a topper for your bed to give it a little extra cushion. Dorm beds are so uncomfortable without one.
17. Extra Long Bed Skirt: Most people who half loft their bed do so because they want the extra storage space. Personally, I kept all sorts of shoes, luggage, dishes, and other random stuff under my bed. Having the extra space was so helpful; however, nobody wants to see all that crap. Do yourself a favor and get an extra-long bed skirt to cover it up! DormCo has so many different options.

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There are definitely other items that I loved and used throughout the year that I didn’t mention throughout this post. If you want to check out my full freshman year dorm tour you can click here to watch. I will be uploading college content three times a week so I will be covering other favorites and items to bring in the coming weeks. I hope you found this post helpful!

With love, McKenz

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