10 Dorm Essentials Every Freshman Needs!

Are you a rising freshman or transfer student about to move into your first or maybe second college dorm? Here are must-haves for your dorm that you won't regret buying!

1. Laundry Bag

Laundry bags will make your trips to the laundry room much more bearable. If you buy mesh hampers or bags, they are great for sorting your laundry but can be difficult to transport around your dorm, especially when you get caught up with school and put off doing your laundry. The bags are not only great for transporting, but they can be washed! This way, when you grab your clean laundry, your clothes will be in a clean bag rather than a dirty hamper.

2. Water Filter

While filling your Brita in the bathroom sink seems daunting, you will always appreciate having clean filtered water. This isn’t strictly a college dorm item; most college apartments or houses don’t have fridges with filtered water dispensers. Buying a good-quality water filter will be a good investment for your college career and even after!

3. Mattress Topper

If you feel like the dorm mattress you are provided with is too firm or soft, invest in a mattress topper! If you plan to live in the dorms longer than freshman year, researching to find a mattress topper that will help you feel comfortable is essential. Quality sleep is too important, even if you only use it for your freshman year. There are cheap options available at Target or Amazon for short-term use if you don’t want to spend too much on one, but we advise any freshman to spend the money for your dorm on what’s important.

4. Air Purifier

If you live in a dorm without air conditioning or in a major city, add an air purifier to your dorm shopping list, especially if you have airborne allergies. Many dorm buildings are older, and you don’t know what’s in the air conditioning vents or units. Even if you live in a newer building, air purifiers are great during the cold season to help prevent illnesses on campus. And there’s nothing worse than being sick during finals week!

5. Keurig or Electric Kettle

If you are a big coffee or tea drinker, finding something to make your drinks to help you save money on overpriced drinks is a must. Both are great for their purposes, but you don't need both. If you’re a big tea drinker, invest in a nice electric kettle. These can be moved around easily and don’t require a ton of desk or counter space to keep around. If you are more into coffee, a Keurig might be better. You can buy the cups or get reusable ones from Amazon; either will be cheaper than buying a coffee daily. You can easily make tea and heat up instant noodles with both appliances. However, you can cook more things like boiled eggs or pasta in an electric kettle.

6. Shower Caddy

If you have communal showers, we’d advise the mesh bags; if you have a bathroom in your suite, go with plastic. Mesh bags are great because they can be hung in the shower while you’re inside. This also means they will get wet reasonably often; the mesh bag is much easier to dry than the plastic one, even with the holes. Still clean it out regularly to avoid mold. Plastic ones are great for personal showers because you can avoid clutter in the bathroom by only bringing in what you need and taking it out when you're done. 

7. Decor

Some may argue that room decor is unnecessary, but this is your room for the entire school year. Your room should be a space you enjoy being in, not a box with white walls. This doesn’t have to be the trendy decor you will throw away at the end of the year. This should be things you like photos of friends and family, posters for your favorite movies or artists, or art that you can see yourself taking to your new home the following year. Some disposable things you could purchase are postcards, wall decals, or string lights. Ensure you put everything up carefully so you don’t accidentally rip the paint off the walls!

8. Extension Cords

You will be surprised how often you need an extension cord. The nearest plug by your bed could be across the room, or you may need to plug in more than two things at your desk. Finding a quality extension cord that will meet your personal needs for your dorm room will be significant. Invest in some basic ones and purchase one or two nice ones to keep by your bed or desk.

9. Command Hooks

Coats, towels, hoodies, keys, umbrellas, etc. Something is always thrown on the back of a chair, on your bed, on your desk, on a dresser, or even on the floor. If you can’t have over-the-door hooks, command hooks are the next best bet and won't rip off the paint if you take them off properly! Lie down a strip of painter's tape on the wall before installing them to be safe. Command hooks are also reusable! You can save the hooks and buy a new pack of strips to take to your new homes! Command hooks also help save floor space when creating storage solutions.

10. Basic Cleaning Supplies

You don’t need ten different cleaners to have a clean dorm! Get an excellent multi-purpose spray, a bathroom/bleach spray, toilet cleaner, cleaning wipes, a broom, a mop, and a vacuum. All your cleaning products should fit in a bucket under the sink. You don’t need anything bigger than a Swiffer or something similar to mop your floors, and a handheld vacuum should be all you need to maintain a clean dorm. These supplies should last you through the semester, so you shouldn’t have to spend more money on them while you’re at school.

Honorable Mentions:

Bath Mats

Extra Towels

Alarm Clock

Bluetooth Speaker

Sleeping Mask

Reusable Water Bottle

Slippers/House/Shower Shoes

Small Organizational Cart

Have a great year, Freshmen!