Well, it’s that time of year again. Kids are graduating and parents are starting to buy all the things for their dorm room. My daughter is going into her second year of college and I have a pretty good handle on what are dorm essentials and what you can save your money on. Some are things we purchased last summer, while others are either things we got as the year went on or things I am buying right now. It’s an exciting and expensive time! Check out these must have items and get them while they are on the Amazon Prime Day super sale!
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Dorm Essentials for Packing
Yes, this deserves its own category. One of the best things we bought for our daughter were the must have blue bags. They are strong; can hold a lot of things; and they stack well in the car and the giant bins at your child’s college. My daughter packed all of her things in these bags and we labeled each bag. One, so we knew what to unpack first, and two because some items were breakable so you we didn’t want to stack that on top. I want to say a six pack was enough for her, but at this price, grab two packs!
Tech Essentials for the Dorm
At my daughters college, they could only have surge protectors. We sent her with one that you could plug a bunch of things into it. Come to find out, they needed multiple. This is the surge protector we got her. I highly recommend the flat plug. Personally, everything should be a flat plug. Not only does it look nicer, if it has to be seen, but it also works out better because there was a bar from my daughters bed right across the plug. Trust me, get a couple.
A few other tech related items:
- Desk lamp that also charges their phone
- Cord Organizers so they aren’t crawling under their desks
- They will want a fan to circulate air. If you don’t get the Woozoo from Costco, this is a good fan
- Don’t forget the fan shelf, perfect for if they loft their bed
- Ipad mini, perfect for taking notes and having digital textbooks on
Air Purifier or No Air Purifier
I would get an air purifier. Most dorms are old. Kids get sick. Purify that air! You can get this Shark Air Purifier, it gets really good reviews and it’s on a super sale. However, this Levoit Air Purifier is one that most people got, and it is a lot less expensive. Whichever one you get, get a few extra of the filters and have your child put a reminder in their phone to change it monthly. Sooner if they keep the windows open a lot. Trust me. My daughter said when they didn’t change their’s for a month or so, it was gross. To think they were breathing all that in.
Dorm Essentials – Bed Linens, Towels, Etc.
One of the first things I bought my daughter last summer was a mattress topper. Those dorm beds are thin and not very comfortable. The next thing I got was a mattress protector to go over top of that. This way, if they are sitting in their bed eating and drinking and they spill, all they need to do is wash the sheet and the mattress protector. Other bedding related items you will want:
- Good pillows, and multiple of them
- Cooling bedsheets (be sure to check if your dorm is a twin or twin xl)
- Wedge pillow to act as a headboard
- Quick dry bath towels. Trust me on the quick dry part! And prewash them!
Shower Essentials for the Dorm
My daughter opted for the traditional dorm setup with a bathroom at the end of the hall (or in her case, across from her room). I don’t know why. That is NOT what I would choose, but she liked it and even opted for it her second year. These were the shower essentials she had this past school year.
- Shower caddy for the bathroom
- Quick dry shower shoes. Always wear shower shoes!
- Shower scrubber (a fantastic alternative to a wash cloth or shower puff)
If you have the same set up as my daughter, most likely the bathrooms are cleaned by the custodial staff. However, if you have a bathroom in your room, you will most likely be responsible for cleaning and want to remember to take the appropriate supplies.
Miscellaneous Dorm Essentials
If your child is on any kind of prescription medication, especially things like Adderall that someone may try to steal and sell, you will want a locking medicine case. If you are like my daughter and very organized, then you will want a desk organizer to contain all the things. Another item that was essential was a dorm fridge. We got one with the separate freezer and fridge. They got ice cream, dino nuggets, and frozen fruit for smoothies all the time! The last thing I will link today is the electronic picture frame. My daughter loaded hers with pictures and it was one of her favorite things she had.
I probably missed a couple things (or twenty). Follow me on Instagram (@leah_Kanaan). I will list more items in my stories!
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