56+ Ultimate List of Dorm Room Essentials For Freshman
If you are moving into a dorm room, this dorm room essentials list is your one-stop shop for everything you are going to need in your room!
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As a college student, I understand exactly what you’re going through when it comes to buying everything for your dorm room. To make it as stress-free as possible, I am giving you one single list that will cover it all!
I used all these dorm room essentials in my room and can guarantee they will be perfect for yours!
This post is all about dorm room essentials for freshmen!
Just a quick note before I start the list:
This list is super long and thorough! To make it as organized as possible, I divided everything up into categories and included both previous articles as well as the product links.
All of the dorm room essentials on this list correspond with my All-In-One Dorm Room Packing List. This list is literally everything you need to move into a dorm!
Dorm bedding essentials
This article goes over all of the products listed in this section in a lot of detail.
Bed bug protector
You are definitely not going to want to forget about this. The last thing you want to have to deal with as a college freshman is bed bugs.
Non-slip rug pad
It seems kinda weird to put on your bed, but trust me on this one! Check out this article to learn why you NEED this on your dorm bed: 8 Dorm Bedding Essentials You Need For College!
Mattress topper
Those dorm beds are, unfortunately, the most uncomfortable mattresses on the planet. Invest in a quality mattress topper so you’ll actually be able to sleep well at night.
Mattress pad
For that final layer of protection, and to hold everything together, a mattress pad is super important for dorm room beds. I know it seems like you’ve got twenty things on your bed, but everything is super helpful in making the bed as comfortable as possible!
Body pillow
For your dorm room, I would choose between either a body pillow or a husband pillow. Both aren’t going to fit on your bed, so pick whichever you prefer!
If you go with a body pillow, remember that most of the time, you’ll have to buy the pillow and a cover separately.
Husband pillow
A husband pillow is a great option for something super comfy on your dorm bed. This is perfect if you plan to watch TV or read a lot in your bed.
Headboard
This is the headboard I got for my freshman and sophomore dorm room.
This thing made life so much easier when I wanted to lean up on my bed and relax. I would definitely recommend investing in a headboard for your dorm.
These are also super durable and will last you throughout your days in the dorms.
bedly
I recently found this product and cannot believe how anyone in the dorms lived without it!
Bedly straps are specifically tailored for college dorm beds in order to prevent the mattress pad from constantly slipping around. This is a must-have product for college students!
The Bedly strap wraps around your mattress topper and stops your mattress topper, sheets, and you from sliding out of your bed. The clips at the end of the straps allow you to attach them to your sheets so that the sheets don’t move at night.
This product is such an easy solution to such an annoying problem with dorm room beds. Plus, it is super affordable!
Sleepyhead’s Copper Topper
Sleepyhead’s Copper Topper stands as an indispensable dorm room essentials. This product is meticulously crafted with your comfort, hygiene, and convenience at its forefront, redefining the sleep experience for college students.
General dorm room essentials
- 17 Borderline Genius Dorm Room Storage Ideas To Save Space
- 8 Dorm Room Necessities You Forgot To Buy
Here are some extra resources if you want to shop even further!
Night table/cart
This not only looks super cute but is extremely functional! The cart is slim enough to fit in most dorm rooms and has a lot of storage space for all your essentials.
Lamp
This lamp and charger combo is super useful when you don’t have a lot of outlet space. In a tight dorm room, the last thing you want to clutter it up with is extra wires, so this simplifies that for you!
You can use this either on a night table or on the desk.
Woozoo fan
This fan has taken the college community by storm! If you are looking to buy this for your dorm room, make sure you order it early because it was out of stock for a while last year.
Shoe ottoman
There’s nothing better than multi-functional pieces in a dorm room. With such little space, this shoe ottoman is perfect. It’ll hold all of your shoes without looking cluttered, plus it serves as additional seating in your room.
Bed risers
Depending on your school, you may or may not need bed risers. Some beds have different levels you can move to raise them, and some don’t. I would suggest buying a pack in case and then returning them if you don’t need to use them.
Command strips
These are essential if you want to hang anything on the walls. Because you can’t use nails or damage the walls in any way in a dorm room, command strips are perfect.
Make sure to be prepared with different sizes and styles for whatever you may need. Better to have extra than not have what you need!
Whiteboard
A simple whiteboard is perfect to hang on the front of your dorm room door for people to write messages to you and your roommate!
Step stool
Especially for move-in day, a step stool is super helpful when hanging all your decorations on the walls. During the year, it is also good to have if you have a high shelf in your closet.
Tool kit
You might only use this on move-in day, but it is super important nonetheless. This tool kit, in particular, is super compact, so it won’t take up too much space, but it comes with literally everything you are going to need while in the dorms.
Buy it once freshman year and you’ll have it for your entire college experience. I have definitely needed to use a thing or two from here throughout my freshman year.
File folder
For all of your important/official documents, use a file folder to keep them all organized. Medical documents, financial aid papers, and more can all go in here so you always know where it is.
College bathroom & cosmetic essentials
Once you have all your makeup and cosmetics, here are my best tips to organize them!
Shower caddy
This is absolutely essential if you have a communal bathroom in college. This one specifically is perfect because it is compact but still holds everything you need to bring back and forth to the bathroom.
Towel set
Buying a matching towel set freshman year will definitely last you a few years in college.
I bought these towels for college and absolutely LOVE them!
Towel wrap
Buy a towel wrap for when you have to walk back and forth from your dorm room to the bathroom, or for when you are doing your hair/makeup after a shower.
Jewelry organizer
This thing is absolutely amazing. It is super compact, won’t take up a ton of space, keeps everything organized, and will literally hold all of your jewelry in one place.
This was one of my favorite purchases for keeping my stuff organized in my dorm room.
Large makeup organizer
Depending on how you are organizing your makeup, you will most likely need a makeup organizer. You can also use this to carry cosmetics back and forth from home to college.
I love Vera Bradley for any makeup/cosmetic cases. They are super durable and will last you all through college.
Medium makeup organizer
If you don’t have a crazy amount of makeup, this is a slightly smaller option for a makeup organizer.
Dryer sheets
This one box of dryer sheets will last you forever in college!
Dorm kitchen essentials
Hydroflask water bottle
You are definitely going to want a reusable water bottle for college. I love using metal water bottles so it keeps drinks cold throughout the day.
This one also has a handle which comes in handy when you aren’t carrying it in a backpack.
Tupperware set
You may want to bring a few different sizes of Tupperware to your dorm room. Depending on what you plan on eating, these may come in handy.
If you don’t plan on eating much in your room, you probably won’t need this.
Paper towels
You are, without a doubt, going to need some paper towels in your dorm room.
Dorm tech essentials
Extension cord
Do not go to college without some extension cords! You will definitely need one, maybe two, depending on your room.
Most likely, you’ll need one for your night table (clock, phone charger, fan, lamp, etc) and one for your desk (printer, lamp, etc).
Portable charger
This will definitely be necessary when you are out all day and need to charge your phone during or between classes.
This is my absolute favorite portable charger because of how small it is!
Printer
Although there are printers on campus, it is super helpful to have one in your room so you never need to go too far to print something. This printer, in particular, is very small, so it won’t take up too much space on your desk.
Depending on your school, this may or may not be necessary. For me, I had a printer in my dorm so I didn’t need a personal one. However, for others, this was way more convenient to have.
College school supplies essentials
Highlighters
Literally could not function without a pack of highlighters for my schoolwork.
Black pens
These pens will last you forever and are absolutely amazing!
Colored pens
These are the same as the black pens, just in different colors. I’ve been using these religiously for four years and will never switch to any other pens!
I use these to organize literally everything in my planner and my notes. If you are looking to get more productive with your schoolwork, these pens will help you do that.
Planner
This is my absolute favorite planner! If you want even more planner ideas, check out this article: 10 Best College Planners For Every Type of Student!
Pencil case
This pencil case is super compact and will fit in any backpack. It holds everything I need for classes and keeps it all extremely organized.
College cleaning essentials
This article goes over all of the cleaning supplies listed below really well!
Air freshener
If you have a shared bathroom with a suite or a couple of people, it is super helpful to leave a bottle of air freshener in there for whenever you or someone else needs it!
Fabric refresher
When you just don’t have time to do laundry, this stuff seriously comes in handy.
Magic eraser
You really only need this at the beginning and end of the year, but magic erasers are super helpful when you’re trying to avoid paying fees for damages in your room.
Moisture absorbers
These things will seriously save your life. They absorb all the moisture in your closet to avoid ruining your clothes.
Scented trash bags
Trust me on this one, get the scented trash bags. A dorm room is really space, which means when one thing smells, the whole room smells.
These bags are perfect for avoiding that.
Mini steamer
I don’t think I have ever in my life used an iron, and I definitely wasn’t starting when I went to college. This mini steamer is the easiest replacement and works so well.
Multipurpose spray
This stuff is great when you want to clean any surfaces in your dorm room.
Clorox wipes
If you aren’t a fan of the spray, you can also go with Clorox wipes. These are perfect for cleaning your room and bathroom if you have one.
Dustbuster
For such a small dorm room, you definitely don’t need to waste space with a massive vacuum. A small dustbuster like this is perfect to keep clean.
Drying rack
You will 100% need a drying rack as a girl at college. There are definitely things you won’t want to put in the dorm dryers (which have definitely ruined my fair share of clothes).
General dorm room bins
Flat fabric storage bin
This is perfect for the top shelf of your closet or under the bed.
Small storage baskets
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This is perfect for any small shelves you have around your room or in your closet. I also love using these if your desk comes with a hutch.
Large fabric storage bin
This is perfect for under the bed or the top shelf of a closet.
Large clear storage bin
This is perfect for under the bed or the bottom of your closet.
Medium clear storage bin
This is perfect for the top shelf of a dorm room closet. I would suggest categorizing all of your non-clothing items into these bins (medicine, kitchen, cleaning, school supplies, etc).
Underbed bins
These are one of the most important dorm room essentials you will buy for college. You are going to keep most, if not all, of your clothes in here and put them under your bed!
I’ve got a bunch of tips for under bed storage ideas in this article: 17 Genius Under Bed Dorm Storage Ideas You Need In Your Freshman Dorm
This post was all about dorm room essentials!