Dorm room packing as a Type A perfectionist is so overwhelming; trust me, I get it. When I was trying to pack for my freshman year of college I was so overwhelmed and anxious that I would forget something. If you're anything like me you aim to be prepared for every situation and alwasy remain organized. So these are the 30 Dorm Room Essentials that are absolutely essential to survive living in a dorm room!
Hey, y'all! My name is Isabella, and I’m a college student learning how to navigate adulthood right alongside you!! Today I will help you determine how to stay healthy in college as a busy student!!
*This post may contain affiliate links.*
1. extension cord Tower block
This extension block tower is so useful. I still use mine and find it to be an essential for college no matter if you live in a dorm room, apartment, or house.
It is so efficient and keeps all of your cords in one spot.
I have this exact brand, I love and swear by this one! It truly can power so many items at once, and it even has a light on top!
2. command strips
You should honestly get any and every kind of command strip product. I use command strips for actually everything and for the most random things but they are also so helpful.
I linked my favorite command strip kit below, which has a variety of command strip products. It has lasted me 2 years and still proves useful! This is an essential for college.
3. costume box
If you don't already have a costume box, then it is definitely time to start one.
This is pretty self-explanatory, but it is just a box of dress-up items for any and every theme possible because there are so many date parties and socials in college that you will need random costume items.
I don't have a specific link because this can be whatever you want! My box has personally grown to be a huge Christmas decor-sized box, but you can pick whatever size works for you!
4. shoe organizer
This is an AMAZING space saver. In my dorm room, I put this inside my closet door so it was out of sight.
It cleared up so much space and always kept my shoes organized. I also had a basket on the shelf in my closet, which I used for more oversized shoes, such as my rain boots.
5. mattress topper
Sooo I hate the be the bearer of bad news but if you did not know already, dorom best are incredibly uncomfortable.
A mattress topper is genuinely essential if you want to sleep well. Do some research to find one that fits your needs.
I got the My Pillow 2” Twin XL mattress topper. It was terrific; I seriously loved this mattress topper I have used it 2 years in a row! I attached the Amazon link and the actual link to the My Pillow website. Since buying it on the website was cheaper, I did that.
6. clear storage drawers
These target clear storage drawers are essential! They fit perfectly under a lofted dorm bed and have wheels on the bottom for easy accessibility.
Also being the Type A person that I am I love that I can easily see precisely what is inside of them and label them for easy recognition.
These are the medium ones, but they also have large ones, which I have used for 2 years and will continue to use!
7. damp rid dehumidifier bags
Dorm rooms, especially, are just gross! They hold moisture and create mold, especially since you do all your daily activities in one room. Someone suggested to me to get this, and I didn't think it would be necessary, but WOW.
I always had one bag in my tiny closet, and I replaced it at least three times. The amount of liquid that filled mine up was disgusting.
It's helpful to keep your clothes in excellent condition regardless of where you live, but especially in a dorm room, my clothes always smelled fresh, too, and never got a musty dorm smell.
8. water filter
This is necessary, especially since the sink is your only water source. I have linked the one I had.
Most of them don't fit in a mini fridge, so keep that in mind when buying one. We had this one in the 6-cup size with a standard filter, which fit in our mini fridge.
This may be a hot take, but I like the Zero Water brand I have linked significantly better than the Brita!
9. ice maker
You genuinely wont realize how much you miss ice until you lose the convenience of having it readily available. Especially at 7 am in the morning on the way to class trying not to wake up your roommate that is asleep a foot away from you!
I asked all of my roommates what items they found essentials for living in a college dorm room and all 3 of them immediately said an ice maker!
This is probably the last thing I would have thought of, but now that we have one, it is seriously so helpful. Especially when you are running out the door and trying to fill up your water in a hurry this is truly an essential.
I have linked the one we have and love!
10. woozoo fan
Woozoo fan. We loved it! I was recommended this exact fan, and we're so glad we got it.
The dorm temperature is inconsistent, so we left it on 24/7 for nine months. It helped circulate the room to keep it from feeling stuffy and kept us cool on the hot nights.
I truly love this fan but I'll let the amazon reviews speak for itself!
11. steamer
You will use it more than you think!
Since you don't have space for an iron, it saves space and works faster than an iron with less work. Also since you have less hanging space and more drawer space you will have to fold and store so many clothes that you may not be used to having to iron.
I always used it for date parties, church clothes, etc. I seriously loved mine! Also, it is easy to travel with. I took it on spring break!
12. air dehumidifier
The dorm rooms are a little musty, and you would be surprised how much moisture will be sucked out of the air.
I would highly recommend investing in a good quality one because this will help you to stay healthy and help keep your feeling fresh and not light you're living in a dorm room.
13. air purifier
This will keep you healthy!
My roommate swears by hers while living in the dorm because the vents there can be old and not very well taken care of, so having this ensures you aren't breathing in unpruified moldy air that may make you sick.
This is genuinely essential. if you have to pick between an air dehumidifier and an air purifier, then I would go with the air purifier!
14. medicine
Do not forget medicine! Going out and having to buy all new medicine will get so expensive so fast. This is definitely a dorm room essential because it could so easily be forgotten and get expensive fast!
Just be sure to bring the essential medicines that you know or think you may need and also ensure you have first aid supplies because you never know what will happen.
15. Plastic plates & bowls
You may be thinking well that seems obvious but I want to specify to bring some actual plastic or glass bowls.
My friends and I all seemed to rely on paper plates and bowls which ended up costing a lot to keep buying them and was simply not as sturdy as a normal bowl.
I just got some of these $0.50 ones, and they worked perfectly for dorm life!
16. metal utensils
Ok, again, this may seem obvious but I want to encourage you to bring at least 3 of each metal utensil. My roommate and I shared 3 of each item between the 2 of us and it worked perfectly.
It made us stay on top of our dishes, not produce too much waste, and was cost-efficient. There is no problem with getting plastic utensils as well I just like having both options.
My roommate and I just picked up 3 of each silverware item at Walmart and they were super cheap, I highly recommend!
17. Extra large moving bags
These bags are amazing. They fit so much. I added stick-on labels to mine.
For example, I had clothes in some, appliances in some, and bedding in another.
The labeling made unpacking more organized and saved us a few trips up and down the stairs. These are truly so essential.
18. stuffed animals
Ok, this may be a hot take...but you will miss them! When I asked my roommates what they wished they had brought to college, they said their stuffed animals.
Go ahead and bring it if you think you might miss it! I promise more people have them then you think and they won't judge you 🙂
19. air mattress, pillows, and blanket.
These are essential if you plan to have your friends stay in your dorm room!
You, of course, want to be a good hostess and ensure they, at the very least, have a comfy air mattress to sleep on. And this will be something useful to have for all of college in general for every sleepover or road trip!
Be sure to keep an extra pillow and a few blankets on hand along with the air mattress.
20. extra towels
3 towels is the perfect amount to have.
Perfect for if you have a friend or two, come to stay, or even if you get behind on doing your laundry.
Having three towels is not hard to store and is the perfect middle ground between not enough and too many towels. I genuinely stand by this!
21. full-length over the door mirror
Our dorm had a mirror, but we got this to put on the back of our door since we put hanging shoe racks over the ones on the inside of our closet door.
It was a great way to use our space efficiently.
22. tool set
I got one as a grad gift, and it was perfect to keep on hand.
There is also always a chance someone in your dorm might need it, so it's good to have it just in case. You never know what you might need the tools for!
You probably won't need much out of it aside from move in day but it is essential to keep on hand.
23. a portable laundry bag
Some kind of laundry bag that either rolls or goes on your back is absolutely essential.
Especially if you don't have an elevator and will have to be carrying your laundry then a backpack laundry bag is a great option for this scenario! I have linked the one I use.
24. hanging lamps above your bed
This is something my roommate and I totally did not think about but my mom ended up suggesting it and turned out to be one of the most useful things in our dorm.
I cant find the exact one I have but I have linked a similar one below.
This is so crucial because it is the best form of soft lighting in your room and trust me, you will get tired of the horribly bright florescent lighting that comes in the room.
25. storage organizer to hold your fridge and organize food
This was such a space saver for us! One of the best tips is to use vertical space wisely in a dorm room, and this shelf helped us do just that.
You could also get a shelving unit that has doors so you can hide away all of your food to make it look a little bit cleaner!
I can't find the exact brand we used, but I linked an alternative on Amazon that is the exact same layout and shelving. We bought the white version.
26. robe
I was never a robe girl but became one in college. When living with roommates, it's a must.
You never know who will open the door to your dorm room and at what point if you leave it unlocked.
I got one as a graduation gift, and it is a waffle texture like this, which I love!
27. air freshener
Some kind of air freshener is essential because sometimes the old dorms don't smell so great.
A wax melt is a perfect option if you aren't allowed to burn a candle in your room.
You can also use an air freshener spray or a wall plug in. But we loved out wax melt and it smelled so good!
28. poo pourri
This seems to be self-explanatory...but when sharing a bathroom with other people, this is essential.
TIP: Consider getting a wagon. Move-in is an exhausting day of hundreds of trips up and down the stairs. If your dorm has an elevator like mine did, then this would 100% make your life easier. I wish we had one on move in day!
I hope that you feel so prepared to move into your dorm room and know you will have everything you need! If you are still looking for more dorm room essentials then check out my post of 25 College Dorm Room Essentials To Be Best Prepared.
With Love,
Isabella XO
