Packing for College: Dorm Edition

I've now been living in my dorm for a week now. Classes don't start until Monday, so I've had a pretty good chance to get settled in. My roommate and I couldn't be more alike and we get along SO well. I thought I'd take some time to share what I bought for my dorm room. I hope this helps anyone else getting ready for college!



BED
Duvet Cover & Insert or Comforter I kind of fell in love with PBTeen's Peyton duvet cover in navy. I knew I didn't want something that featured white too prominently because it would get dirty, I wanted something preppy and graphic without being obnoxious, and something that was machine washable. This one has been wonderful, and its so soft. I also got a year round warmth down alternative insert from Bed Bath and Beyond, which has been lovely and comfortable. I decided against getting pillow shams because with my bed lofted, making the bed is almost impossible.

Mattress Pad Dorm mattresses are notoriously uncomfortable, so having a good mattress pad can make or break your chance at a good night's sleep. I have a bad back, and had a Tempurpedic topper at home, so I went with the Therapedic Mattress Topper from B B & B. It's 3 inches thick and provides plenty of padding. Some reviewers have complained about the smell, as the pad comes in a plastic bag and retains that smell for a while, but topped with freshly laundered sheets and left in an open air room, I've found that the smell isn't noticeable. My bed is literally so comfortable that I turned down a night at a hotel with my parents because I preferred my dorm bed.

Pillow You need a pillow. Pick a good one. I chose the Indulgence by Isotonic pillow from B B & B and I LOVE it. I like fluffy pillows that still provide good support and don't completely deflate under your head. This one's also a synthetic fill, so it won't irritate your allergies.

Sheet Sets I recommend having two sets of sheets for each temperature. My current sheets, a jersey modal blend are silky soft, lightweight and perfect for summer, early fall, and spring. The second set allows you to change sheets more frequently without worrying about spending your entire life at college in the laundry room. In the colder months, I'll have fleece sheets, perfect for the absolutely frigid Indiana winters.

Blanket So you might not need a blanket right off the bat. It's been pretty warm here, but unless you have complete control over your room's thermostat (like I do!!!), your building might be a whole lot colder than you'd like. In my case, I like to sleep with my room pretty cold. First night here, I slept terribly because I felt like I was full on melting in my bed under blanket, duvet, and sheets. My roommate, meanwhile, was apparently shivering on her side of the room under just a sheet set and her bath robe. Next night, the blanket was on her bed. Perfect compromise! My blanket is down alternative from o.co, and I'm suer I'll be thankful for it in the wintertime!

BATH
Caddy Maybe you think you can just carry all of your soaps, shampoos, shaving creams, tooth paste etc. etc. into the bathroom with you by hand. If that's the case, you're probably wrong. I got the day/night interlocking caddy from Bed Bath and Beyond and it's great. I put my face cloth, face wash, toothpaste, toothbrush, and floss in the removable section, for the mornings, and the larger section holds my shower necessities. I'd definitely recommend it.

Towels If you plan on showering in college, which I really sincerely hope you do, you'll need towels. Nice, fluffy, quick dry, easy to wash, distinctly yours towels. You don't want to have someone mistake your towel for theirs and then find yourself towel-less after a shower. I got these from Bed Bath and Beyond, and so far, so good. Plus, the color is super cute.




Towel Drying Rack Some dorm rooms have built in towel drying racks, mine was on the back of my closet door, but I decided to use that rack to hang my scarves, so if you find yourself without a place to hang damp towels, you'll want to get a hanging drying rack or a really strong command hook to hang it from. I used one of the bars that convert a single bar closet to a double bar closet, simply because I'd already purchased one and didn't wind up needing it in my closet. It's now hanging under my bed, which is lofted.

Shower Shoes Regardless of how clean your showers appear to be, don't forget, you're sharing that shower with relative strangers. Goodness knows what bacteria might call those stalls home. I'd recommend shower shoes that are not made of foam, like the typical $2 Old Navy flip flops. Those absorb water like a sponge and get squelchy, moldy and gross. I bought this pair from Crocs on sale, and they've been awesome.

Bath Robe For lounging around your dorm, running down your hall, or wrapping yourself up after a shower in the winter, a bathrobe is a must. Mine's super long and fluffy, but I can't remember where it came from.

FURNITURE/APPLIANCES
Ladder/Step Stool If your bed is lofted, check to see how you are expected to get onto your bed. I'm 5'7" and my bed is lofted above my head. There was no way onto it except for climbing onto a chair, then onto my desk, which houses a good deal of technology and fragile trinkets from home, which wasn't ideal, so I got a three step stool/ladder for myself and my roommate. It's made getting into bed safer, making our beds is easier, and they fold flat when we have company.

Fridge You know what's better than having to get up at 6am to get breakfast at the dining court? Having everything you need for a healthy, filling breakfast right in your dorm room. Keep yoghurt, soy milk, gatorade, cheese, anything super perishable in the fridge. Your wallet, and your tummy will thank you. Our mini-fridge is from the Home Depot and aside from the less than stellar freezer (normal for mini fridges, I guess no ice cream for us) it's been great, and it was pretty cheap. Check to see if your dorm has capacity limitations. For me, the fridge had to be less than 4 cubic feet.

Microwave Whether you plan on living on ramen alone or hope to make yourself multi-course meals in your room, a microwave is essential. Even if you just want to heat up water for tea or instant coffee, this thing comes in handy. Check your school/dorm's requirements for wattage before you purchase. You don't want to be the girl who blew the power on the first night of school. Our requirement was below 1000 watts. This one, from the Home Depot, has been great.

Futon We thought we wouldn't need a futon, but upon seeing how insanely high up our beds are, we

decided it was absolutely necessary. Where else will you sit and chat with new friends? On the floor? No. At your desk? No. On the futon. Plus, any overnight guests need a place to sleep. We got this faux-leather futon at Walmart for a really reasonable price. It's super comfy and looks way more expensive than it was. Plus, the faux-leather can be easily wiped down with Lysol wipes for easy cleaning. A massive, fuzzy body pillow (that I never want to stop snuggling; also from Walmart) makes this an ideal hang out spot.



Rug When the weather outside is frightful, you don't want to be setting your bare feet down on the cold tile or laminate of a dorm floor. We chose an area rug that complemented our color scheme, that was a high enough pile to be comfy and soft, but a low enough pile that it was easy to clean, and wound up with this lovely one from the Home Depot.

Safe While we want to feel secure in our new homes, we have to be realistic and smart about our security choices. Having a safe for valuables (nice jewelry, technology), important documents (warranties, passports, plane tickets), etc. is one of those rather safe than sorry things (pardon the pun). My safe is large enough to hold my laptop plus plenty of other various sundry items.

STORAGE & ORGANIZATION
If you had dreams of spacious walk in closets and plenty of space for every little knick knack, you've been deluding yourself. Whether you're used to sharing a room or having a room to yourself, living in a dorm is going to be a new experience in personal space and organization. You're compacting your entire life into one small room that you share with another person (or people). Your dorm room is your kitchen, office, bedroom, and living room (and if you're like me, sometimes a dance or yoga studio) so space is at a premium. It's important to have designated spots for everything and to minimize clutter whenever possible. Here are some helpful tips for making the most of your space!
Hanging Shoe Rack
Using canvas hanging shoe bags in your closet is a great way to save space. I have two of these in my closet, one for shoes, one for sweaters and scarves. They keep things tucked away nicely, and the open front display makes it easy to find what you're looking for.

Back of Door Baskets


Expandable Drawer Dividers
Dream Drawer organizers

Drawer Organizers

Skirt Hanger

Super Skinny Hangers

Belt Hanger

Under Futon Storage

Vanity Organizer
I'm a shameless makeup addict, and keeping my brushes and must haves on hand to speed up my morning routine is always a good idea. This acrylic cosmetic organizer from the Container Store is perfect for vanity organization. I use the large cup section to hold my face makeup brushes, the smaller cup to hold my eye brushes, the lipstick holders for my favorite lip balms, stick, and gloss, and concealer, the rounded area for my go to blush and foundation, and the large tray portion for my favorite perfumes!





Jewelry Tree

If you're like me, you have a soft spot for accessories, especially statement necklaces. To keep them organized in a pretty way, I use this jewelry tree from the Container Store. It allows me to display all of the pretty baubles and have them close at hand for those mornings when my outfit needs something extra, but I don't have time to look for it. The dish at the bottom of this jewelry tree is perfect for holding rings and pins, and the extendible top branches are great for keeping long necklaces from getting tangled. Command hooks can also be super handy for organizing your jewelry, if you have some wall space to spare.

Desk Organizers

TECH SUPPLIES
Router

External Hard Drive/Back-Up

Printer

Alarm Clock

Chargers

LoJack Software

Laptop Lock


OTHER
Command Hangers

Velcro and Regular Command Strips

Spare Batteries

LED Lights

White Board

Cork Board

Boot Drying Bucket Thingy

Mugs Cups, Bowls, Plates, Silverware