The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at TCU chapter.
As we ease into the new school year, we must all ask ourselves: what is my dorm room missing? This is my comprehensive list of all that I deem essential for the college dorm.
- Mattress topper: Memory foam, eggshell, gel foam, oh my! Mattress toppers, whichever kind you may choose, make all the difference in transforming your stiff dorm bed into a comfortable resting place.
- Essential oil diffuser: Let’s just say, the air vents in college dorms carry smells from one room to another … If the people across the hall are making popcorn or spicy food, you’ll know. A nice blend of eucalyptus and lemongrass is perfect for masking the many odors of the college dorm.
- Fan: The invention I owe my sanity and life to: the fan. If you attend a school in Texas, you know that a fan is absolutely necessary to deliver you through the scorching months of August and September.
- Blackout curtains: If you’re not a morning person, blackout curtains are an absolute must. If you enjoy rising with the sun, I applaud you.
- Art/prints: Art and prints work wonders when converting the cold, impersonal dorm space into a cozy nook. They add great life and color to the drab, uniform walls.
- Headboard: I spent the first few months of college without a headboard (it kept getting backordered), and when I finally got one, it dramatically changed my space for the better. Headboards make the room feel dramatically more complete.
- Rug: Rugs, like headboards, tie the space together. They provide a warm, cozy feeling to the dorm. (I wouldn’t recommend purchasing an excessively shaggy rug, though. Believe me, they get really gross really quickly.)
- Alternative lighting: Dorm lighting is harsh. Lamps and/or strip lights are the perfect remedies to the head-splittingly dark, yellow dorm light.
- Pictures of friends/family: It is definitely difficult to be away from family and friends, so I recommend printing out some of your favorite photos of/with loved ones and framing them.
- Plants: Plants, real or fake, (although I personally recommend fake, unless you are a plant fanatic) are great for infusing the bleak dorm room with life. You can get some to hang from the ceiling and/or place a few on your desk.
- Coffee maker: If you are a coffee lover like me, I strongly recommend purchasing a small coffee maker. Having a coffee maker in the dorm saved me from having to wake up really early to venture out for coffee before my morning classes.
- Microwave pasta cooker: College food is … well … not that great. Microwave pasta cookers give you another food option if you decide you need a reprieve from dining hall food, don’t have a lot of time to eat before a class, or simply don’t feel like leaving your room. These pasta cookers are extremely easy to use and produce some pretty good pasta.
- Snack cart + snacks: As I’ve mentioned, college food is not the best. I recommend keeping a cart stocked with your favorite snacks and teas.
- Shoe rack: Dorm closets are small; you need to use all the space you have in it wisely, which means expanding vertically anytime you possibly can. Shoe racks are also great for simply staying organized: they prompt you to put away your shoes tidily instead of haphazardly throwing them into your closet.
- Command hooks: Command hooks are perfect for dorm rooms: you can stick as many as you need on your wall or in your closet and use them to hang decorations, purses/tote bags, utensils, jewelry, or whatever else your heart desires.
- Full-length mirror: Although dorms generally have a small mirror in them, I always enjoy having a full-length mirror. If you get one, I recommend hanging it on your closet door, since wall space fills up quickly.
- Desktop shelves: Desktop shelves provide you with a space to display books, photos, plants, or beloved tchotchkes, allowing you to further personalize your room.
- Jewelry organizer/box: If you have a lot of jewelry, I recommend acquiring a jewelry organizer and/or a small jewelry box. I know it seems like it would be difficult to lose jewelry in such a small space, but trust me, it is even easier to lose it because dorm rooms are so tightly packed with belongings. I myself lost a few earrings just by dropping them on the floor; even after tirelessly searching, I never found them. Jewelry organizers are also exceedingly useful when traveling, as they keep jewelry safe and organized even during a bumpy car ride.
- Thin hangers: As I’ve mentioned, dorm closets are exceedingly small. One factor that makes a surprisingly significant impact on how much you are able to fit in your closet is the type of hanger you use. Bulkier plastic hangers take up a good deal of space; thin, velvety hangers, contrastingly, easily sit side by side without bumping into each other, allowing you to stuff more clothing into your tiny closet.
- Under-the-fridge storage: Dorms are small, and with two or three people living in one, they become extremely crammed within the blink of an eye. So, as I’ve stated, you need to find creative ways to maximize the tiny space you’re given, and one way of doing this lies in expanding vertically. Under-the-fridge storage provides you with several drawers for utensils, plates/bowls, extra snacks, or whatever else may need a home without forcing you to forfeit precious space.
- Tote bags: Tote bags aren’t something you need for your dorm room, but I thought I’d throw them on the list because of their usefulness. I have never used a tote bag as much as I have in college; they are the perfect size for throwing your phone, wallet, and keys in if you’re quickly grabbing food or meeting friends, and they’re equally perfect for bringing a few essentials, such as your computer, a notebook, and a pencil pouch to a class/lab if you don’t need your entire backpack.
- Seasonal decorations: Okay, seasonal decorations are not absolute musts; however, they unfailingly bring cheer to the beholder. I hung festive felt garlands above my bed for each season, and they added a playful, whimsical touch to the (how many times can I emphasize the inherent dreariness of dorm rooms?) drab space.