So, you’re about to go to college- how exciting!!! It seems like just yesterday that I was packing to head off to Texas Tech (cue tears). I have so much pride in my Alma Mater and I hope that you feel right at home at your new school, just like I did.
College will hold some of the most challenging, joy-filled, confusing, frustrating, happy, and memorable times of your life and I am SO happy that you get to experience it. What a BLESSING.
Whether you are going straight from high school or have taken some time off before taking this step, you should be so proud of yourself! As a former high school senior teacher, I would encourage my students that this part of your life, albeit stressful, will hold some of the sweetest and carefree times in your life and that they should be cherished!
I know that the journey to this point isn’t easy for everyone, but I hope the following 10 pieces of advice help you in whatever way you need. Take my experience and mistakes and use them to your benefit!
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Here are 10 things I wish I would have known to save time, money, stress and space while living in the dorm:
Don’t bring all of your shoes!
I made the mistake of bringing every. single. pair. of shoes that I owned and 1. ya girl never wore anything other than t-shirts and athletic shorts so really all I needed was a pair of tennis shoes and some sandals and 2. there will not be space for it all!
My mom’s car was PACKED to the top, and there was so much that I had to unpack boxes of shoes and fit them in any crevice that could be found (I am shaking my head right now, so embarrassed).
I wasn’t taking a car right away so we all drove down in her car and I had to hold stuff for the entire 6 hour drive- I’m telling you, it was NOT worth it. If you have a roommate, you will have half of the room, which means half the closet space.
Here is an affordable shoe organizer to help maximize your space.
Condense your clothes and accessories!
Same thing here, I brought everything!
I don’t know if I was naive and thought I would dress up for class or if I was afraid I wouldn’t have something I “needed”, but I truly regret bringing everything.
Condense your clothes or bring whatever is in season. Truthfully, you will relish the fact that you can wear t-shirts and shorts and will probably rock that look often.
As far as accessories go, bring a few hats/ your fav belt/ go-to jewelry and call it a day.
I wish I would have found something like this to help me save space and utilize my closet to the fullest.
Printer? What’s that?
I was lucky that when I bought my computer they were having a deal that it came with a free printer, but honestly, I only used it a handful of times and then it just took up space the rest of the year.
Your college may give you free printing up to a certain amount of sheets or you may luck out and have a prof that only does things on the computer, so when you are just moving in you can skip the printer unless you know you HAVE to have it.
Make sure you check out the campus policies on printing so you know what you need to do. You can always pick one up if you find that you have a use for it, but you probably won’t need one right away.
Rugs. Everywhere.
Oh my word, I wish I would have known this right away. Talk to your roommate and discuss what the plan is for “common space” areas to see if you need to get a rug or if they are- whatever it is, just get one.
If you don’t have a roommate, make sure you find one that fits your space! It will make it more home-y and will detract from the not-so-cute flooring that you will see everywhere.
Here are some affordable options that will keep you comfy and dress-up your space:
Shag Rug | Boho Rug | Distressed Rug
Wall decorations are a WASTE
There, I said it.
You’ve probably been scrolling through Pinterest seeing all of these beautiful dorm rooms, and while there is nothing wrong with making the space your own, there are so many rules about what you can/can’t do to hang things on the walls that it creates so much work (and costs so much that it still makes me cringe).
You really just need pictures with all of your fav people and a lamp to call it good. I bought wall decorations and most of them fell on me during the night so I just gave up mid-year trying to hang them back up.
Make the choice for yourself, but if you dedicate that money to a mini-fridge or microwave it will be used wayyyy more.
Buy a shower caddy and keep your shower shoes+towel+room key close by!
This is the best piece of advice I have for you.
If you have to walk down the hall to your bathroom/shower, you will want to make sure you always have your key/towel/shower shoes in one place that is easy to find and hard. to. forget.
I made the mistake many times of forgetting my keys and it was a very embarrassing walk down to the basement in my towel to get someone to open my room for me. Its best to keep it all together so you don’t have the dreaded (and very cold) walk to ask for help.
There are so many different kinds of shower caddies, you really have to find what works for you. I used a plastic one, but there are some really functional mesh ones now that have cute patterns!
I also love the towel set I got off amazon, so I linked them below as well. You won’t need a ton, so one or two sets should get you through your year in the dorm.
Black Shower Caddy | 2-pack shower caddy set | Plastic Shower Caddy | Towel Set
Organization– work smarter, not harder
As you shop for dorm accessories, you will see so many 3-drawer and caddy organizers, but I urge you to invest toward in-drawer organizers so you can maximize the space you already have instead of adding more things to find space for.
Much like a printer, you can always add this later if you need more space. Move in first and assess what you need or could benefit from, and then find something that will work for you.
These drawer organizers are something that you can take with you if you move into a house/apartment after the dorm, and will make your life so much easier! I love the bamboo drawer organizers because you can change the size of them and they look so chic!
Bamboo Drawer Organizers | Grey Organizer set
Bedding
This is the most important purchase you will make for your dorm. Make sure that you have:
- Comforter/Quilt/Duvet
- 2-3 sets of sheets (This way you can put a new set of sheets on when you are cleaning the used ones and have an extra)
- Comfy Mattress Topper (This will save your life, your back, and your precious hours of sleep. Go ahead and thank me now)
- Mattress Protector (Germs are real. Bed bugs are real. I’ll leave it at that.)
- Blanket
- Pillow(s)
Make your bed your safe haven and as comfy as it can be! I wish I would have invested more in a mattress topper because I am pretty sure that my dorm bed is where my back problems started (kidding, but seriously, invest in a good topper).
I went ahead and found some mattress toppers for you to browse through. It’ll be the best thing you buy for yourself.
Memory Foam Mattress Topper | Extra Thick Mattress Topper | Green Tea Memory Foam Mattress Topper | 2- Layer Mattress Topper
If I were to shop for my dorm again, these would be my choices for my bed! Comfy, cozy, and clean!
All-season down comforter | Waterproof Mattress Protector | Bed Sheets | Fluffy Throw | Pillows | Duvet Cover
Cleaning Supplies
Just like your room now, you will need to keep your dorm clean; they can get messy FAST and you don’t want to be known as having a stinky room. Make sure that you have stuff to keep it clean and nice while you are living there. You will need:
- Broom and dustpan
- Multipurpose cleaner
- Paper towels
- Disinfectant Wipes
- Laundry Detergent (Tide pods are the easiest and most convenient to store; they are also very cost effective when you break it down to how many times you will be doing laundry a month/semester)
- Dryer Sheets
- Poopouri (sharing a bathroom is not fun, at least do your part to make it smell better. Don’t knock it until you try it, its the best thing I have ever purchased and I wish I found it when I was in the dorm)
- Room spray (you can’t have candles, so room spray is the next best thing)
If you want to start small, you don’t have to get everything, but I found that I used all of this every week when I cleaned up my room and while I was doing laundry. I stored all of these supplies in a basket that I kept in my closet.
Bring slippers!
Ohhh honey. I wish I would have taken a nice pair of slippers when I lived in the dorm- they are SO easy to throw on to go get breakfast, go to your mailbox, or even to walk to the bathroom when you have to go in the middle of the night. Keep them by your bed ready to go whenever you need them!
I love my Ugg slippers and 10/10 recommend, but I also know that they can be costly, so here are some cute options that won’t break the bank!
Grey Cross Slippers | Ugg Slippers | Ugg Dupe Slippers
I hope these 10 things help narrow down your list, ease some stress, and give you an idea of things you may need for this next step.
Need some more tips? Have a question about college or dorm life? Make sure you comment below or send me a message and I would be happy to chat about all the college things!
I am SO excited for you to experience the college life and I wish you all the best!
