College shopping is super important for incoming college freshmen because it’s important to be prepared! For freshmen, you will be shopping for a lot of stuff because you’re moving somewhere new for the first time. That can be stressful, exhausting, and really expensive. And that doesn’t even include how much money you’re paying to live on campus either! I took to the internet to find all the Amazon dorm essentials I loved and purchased my freshman year to share them with you! These products are super affordable that I couldn’t survive my freshman year without. And I included a free printable packing list at the end of the post!
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Bedding
The mattresses in college dorms are back-breaking, and I promise I’m not being dramatic. I have a really bad back, so maybe I’m biased, but I knew I wouldn’t survive at school if I couldn’t sleep well — especially with 8 A.M.’s. classes every day. This is the best mattress topper, it feels like a cloud, and I’m not joking! I found about this mattress topper through another college blogger and am so happy I bought it. I slept so well every night, most likely because it is legit 4 inches thick! It definitely seems like it’s on the pricier side, but most mattress toppers are over $100. Bed Bath and Beyond’s sell for over $200! But if this is too expensive, I added a more affordable option!
Every mattress needs a mattress protector! I highly recommend this one because it’s hypoallergenic and super affordable (and on sale right now).
Out of all the dorm essentials on this list that you’ll need for your room, actual bedding is pretty important! You will need sheets, pillowcases, a comforter, and some throw blankets. If you don’t feel like going to a store and individually buying each of those items, because it can get really expensive, this is a great option! This is a bedding bundle with a comforter, a pillow, pillowcases, a fitted sheet, flat sheets, and a throw blanket! I love this option because it’s really affordable and convenient.
I personally didn’t buy bed risers because my dorm bed was already pretty high and I could hardly reach it. However, if you’re looking for more storage space under your bed, which most college students are, I highly recommend these bed risers. They’re adjustable and affordable, and they’ll give you more space underneath your bed because space is very rare in a dorm.
As I said before, space in a dorm is very rare, so items like this bedside caddy are extremely helpful. One half of the caddy goes underneath the mattress and the front hangs outside them
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Bathroom/Shower
If you’re going to be using communal bathrooms, a shower caddy is a must so you can carry all over your toiletries across the hall. I like this one a lot because it’s mesh, that way you can fit more items in it, and it also has a ton of pockets to hold everything. Its also super light, which is helpful when you’re trying to carry clothes as well to the bathroom.
When using communal showers, shower shoes are a staple on every college dorm essentials list. You really don’t want to be catching anything gross, you have no idea who uses those showers. These ones are comfortable and a cute color!
Laundry
Doing laundry at college sucks, I’m not going to sugar coat it. However, laundry must be done, so you’re going to need a laundry basket. This is an awesome basket because it’s collapsible so you can store it easily!
Dryer sheets for your clothes are on every students’ dorm essentials list, however, those are super bad for the environment. I highly recommend these eco-friendly options! They’re dryer balls that are organic, and they’re reusable, so you don’t have to keep wasting money on buying dryer sheets!
You’ll need detergent, of course! This is another environmentally-conscious option that I love, instead of Tide Pods. These are natural as well, so they’re good for you and the earth.
Closet
I swear by Command Hooks for college students, because they help maximize so much space. I covered the inside of my closet with Command Hooks to hold my hats, bags, sweatshirts, and more. If you have a lot of clothes, I recommend getting a few packs because it’s always good to have extras on hand.
I didn’t know these hanging shelves existed until I went to college shopping with my stepmom last summer. She insisted on me getting these, so I gave in and got them, and I loved them! I hung them in my dorm closet and was able to fit so many more clothes. I also prefer to fold certain clothes, so this was super handy. And now that I’ve moved back home for the summer, I moved this into my closet at home!
Hangers are a huge essential for college that you will definitely need. These ones are great because they’re the non-slip ones, so your clothes don’t constantly slide off the hangers.
This is totally optional, but I really recommend a travel steamer if you plan on attending a lot of interviews and networking. When you attend those types of events, you want to make sure your clothes aren’t wrinkly so you look professional. Or maybe you just hate wrinkly clothes! This is a great alternative when not having access to an iron, and is super affordable.
Tech
On my dorm essentials list freshman year, a 10ft charging cord was an absolute necessity. If you’re like me and use your phone at night and in the morning as an alarm, it needs to be near your bed. However, the beds in dorms are raised up pretty high, so your Apple provided iPhone charging cord won’t be long enough. This 10ft iPhone charger cable absolutely saved me because it allowed me to charge my own and still use it when in bed.
I had to buy a million power strips for my dorm because there were literally only two outlets in my entire room. This is insanely inconvenient when you need to plug-in lamps, phone chargers, laptop chargers, a fan, and more! I liked these power strips because they’re pretty affordable and you get two of them (trust me you’ll need a lot of them)!
You’re going to need two lamps for your dorm — one for your desk, and another for your nightstand. I love these because they don’t require outlet space since they’re battery-powered, it’s adjustable and holds your phone!
When I moved into my dorm in the fall, it was about a trillion degrees in the room because there was no A/C in my building. It was absolutely impossible to sleep in that room. So I had bought this tall, fancy-looking fan for my dorm from Target and spent $50 for it, and it was horrible! I learned that the only fan that works for dorms to actually cool the room down is box fans. This is the fan I own, it’s extremely helpful because it cools the room down so quickly by placing it in the window.
Kitchen
This is 100% optional of course, however, for coffee lovers, it’s not totally optional. I am not a coffee drinker, but my roommates were, and they were always having to leave for class super early to wait in a long line to get coffee. So if you’re a coffee addict, and need your caffeine in order to function in class, definitely get this. It will last you a long time, and if your roommates are coffee lovers, you could split the cost!
I didn’t realize how necessary microwavable plates were until I started my first semester at school. My roommates and I were constantly bringing food back from the dining hall and would want to reheat it. I am all about saving the environment, so wasteful paper plates are not an option. So I really recommend getting reusable microwavable plates like the ones I got above. You’ll be saving the environment and your money!
If you only buy one thing on this list, it needs to be a Brita Water Pitcher. When living in a dorm building, there’s most likely a water filter in the building or on campus to get water. However, it becomes a total inconvenience when you’re drinking water all day and don’t want to leave your room to get it. With a Brita Pitcher, you can get the water filtered from the sink. While also not wasting money and plastic by buying a tong of water bottles.
Whether or not you get a Brita Water Pitcher, you’re going to need a reusable water bottle. A reusable water bottle is a college student staple when you’re going from class to class you want to have water on you at all times. This bottle holds a lot of water, is environment-friendly and BPA free (and cute)!
Supplies
During high school, I partially used a planner, but during college, I used my planner every day. I know some people are against planners, but if you want to succeed in college and keep up with your course work, then a planner is essential. Spiral-bound planners are the best since they’re easier to write in. This one gives you a wide amount of space to write since it’s a weekly planner.
I have a small obsession with this pencil case – I am aware of how nerdy that statement was. This one has individual pockets in it to store sticky notes, pencils, pens, high lighters, and lead refills. I also love the pattern and color. This was one of my favorite dorm essentials because of how easy it made taking notes in class.
Sticky notes should be on your dorm essentials list if you’re serious about your college classes. It can be extremely hard to keep up in college, whether it be classwork, networking and campus events, or interviews. Sticky notes were my solution to that. I had sticky notes all over the wall above my desk, which looked slightly messy, but was a lifesaver.
If you made it to the end, thank you so much for reading! If you want to read more, I have a post on Amazon dorm decor under $25, here. I immensely appreciate your support if you took the time to read this post. You are my priority – I genuinely want to make your life easier with these posts, even if it’s just some college recommendations. I want to make sure you’re buying the best products and not spending a lot of money, college is already so expensive. I would love it if you joined the family and subscribed below. ♡
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This is such a great list of essentials! Personally I brought a travel steamer and it helped me on numerous occasions when I had to present and my dress shirt was wrinkled, so I definitely think its a good investment for anyone on the fence about it <3
I didn’t even know they existed until I started shopping for school!
Definitely wish I had mattress toper and steamer! Also, a mini keurig, great idea!
You need a mattress topper, I’m still horrified that you don’t have one!