This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Ohio U chapter.

Moving to a new place can be stressful enough with a new roommate, and being miles away from home. During my freshman year, I found out there were a lot of things no one told me I would be needing and I found myself ordering these 7 items throughout the year.

Here are a few things that helped me transition to a new home and made my first year more organized:

1. Utility cart

Dorm storage space is limited and having a place to store snacks, school supplies, or items you use everyday can be a huge help. My freshman dorm had built in cabinets, but having something next to my bed to keep things I was frequently using was a big help, increased my productivity, and helped with my organization.2. A small vacuum

Dorm rooms can get extremely messy because of the small living space. A handheld vacuum saved me last year since I was able to clean up messes before friends and family came to visit.

3. A whiteboard

Last year I bought two small whiteboards, and I attached one to the outside of my door to write encouraging messages to the girls on my floor, which also helped me connect with them. I used the second board inside my room to write important tasks that I needed to complete.

4. String lights

While the primary use of these lights is to create a cute aesthetic in a room, using string lights and other lamps helped make my room more cozy and relaxing. Instead of studying under harsh dorm lighting, I was able to focus better with the soft lighting.

5. A bluetooth speaker

A portable speaker allowed my roommate and I to bond over shared music taste and study together, while not distracting each other with talking. However, It’s not the best idea to use this item during your dorms quiet hours.

6. Microwave safe dishes

Even though I had a meal plan my freshman year, I found myself making food in my dorm room frequently. Whether it was a sandwich, a cup of mac and cheese, or the stereotypical bowl of ramen noodles that every college student is assumed to live off of, having a set of dishes that could be used in the microwave allowed me to make food quickly between classes or if I was spending a night in to study.

7. Cable clips

Trying to find your phone charger in the middle of the night while your roommate is sleeping is a challenge. I attached these clips to my desk to make sure I could always find my computer and phone charger. These allowed me to not have to frequently search around on the floor to where my chargers fell.

Freshman year is an exciting time filled with new friends and adventures. Hopefully these 7 things give you ideas, improve your productivity, and help make your year great!

Links to the items shown above:

Utility Cart: https://bit.ly/2wiuF1w

Small Vacuum: https://amzn.to/2MMbVmu

Whiteboard: https://amzn.to/2wLBitw

String Lights: https://amzn.to/2oGVJnS

Bluetooth Speaker: https://amzn.to/2wHp320

Microwave Safe Dishes: https://bit.ly/2vzsRAY

Cable Clips: https://amzn.to/2PGdcsd