At one point in every person’s life, they move out of their parents’ nest and spread their wings. But truth be told, moving out can be scary and nerve-wracking. After all, you’re leaving the carefully crafted nest your parents built just for you. But fret not, I’m here to give you a list of the most important dorm essentials you probably forgot to include.
Obviously most dorms are furnished with a bed, so you need sheets, pillows, towels, etc.. but I’m here to offer essentials that people don’t normally think about when they move out. Speaking from experience, it’s hard to picture the long term when there’s so much going on right now. It can be hard to imagine what you may need a few weeks from now, and I’ve had plenty of moments living by myself where I go, “Oh! I guess I do need that. And this too. How have I been living like this?!”
- Water Purifier
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I would argue that having a water purifier is the most important on this list. You need to hydrate your body, and as a college student we might forget and end up buying those pack of water bottles. Spoiler: it’s expensive AND bad for the environment. So save yourself plenty of money, trouble, and help fight climate change all in one with a water purifier. Just pour your sink water into the top of the lid, let the filter work its magic, and voila. Purified, safe to drink water. I personally recommend using a pitcher since it’s faster and easier to use!
- Microwave
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Why bother running to the front desk of your dorm to ask for the key to the communal kitchen, just to end up dropping your ramen when you could just get a microwave? Believe it or not, a microwave is inexpensive. You really don’t need those $300 Whirlpool microwaves, a simple and safe $50 from Target does the trick. It’s helpful since I’m sure only a fraction of college students actually know how to cook. Need a quick meal? Just pop it in your microwave!
- Storage Units
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Trust me, you don’t have enough space. Normally dorm rooms are smaller and you probably have to share the room, so believe me when I tell you.. you’re gonna need more boxes and shelves. Luckily enough, there are adorable and simple shelves when you go shopping! I personally recommend also keeping storage under your bed if you run out of room, or keeping shelves that can be hung on the walls. Keep it cute and classy!
- Closet Organizers
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And like I said in the last entry, you don’t have enough space. Keep your closet organized and neat by having hanging shelf organizers or having a shoe rack at the floor of your closet. By keeping everything organized and allowing yourself more storage, you be your most fashionable self!
- Foldable Shopping Carts
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Oh the hassle of carrying 20lbs of groceries on each arm.. not fun. Easily prevent that from happening by having a foldable shopping cart, allowing you to carry heavy groceries without sweating. Personally, the walk from the parking lot to my dorm is already a workout, and using these have saved my life!
- Desk Lamp / Nightlight
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Most likely if you’re sharing a room with a stranger, you both have different sleep/study schedules and maybe they don’t want the gleaming room light on at 11pm. Whatever the circumstances are, a good desk lamp can be helpful for those quiet days where you stay home and study, and nightlights could help for the same reasons. If you ever need to run in and out of the room but don’t want to disturb others, a night light can help so that way you’re not constantly using your phone flashlight.
- Portable Charger
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Phone randomly dying in the middle of your lecture? Rather than letting that happen, keep a portable charger in your bookbag at all times. Whenever you need a quick charge but can’t go to an outlet, a portable charger can save your phone’s life!
- Mattress Topper
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Trust me, your springy Twin XL mattress will get on your nerves and hurt your back daily. I recommend a mattress topper so that way you can sleep comfortably and happily! Prices range vastly and it depends if you’re willing to shell out the money for a top tier topper.
- Shower Caddy
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Some dorms don’t have private bathrooms and often have communal bathrooms where you’re not allowed to leave bottles and products. A portable shower caddy is helpful and convenient, and much better than a plastic bag.
- Burner
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Sometimes the communal kitchen just isn’t it. An electric burner is much safer than a gas one, and it’s very convenient for quick meals like spam and rice. Not a chef? No worries, a simple burner can cook all the pasta you need!