The Ideal List Of Dorm Room Essentials For 2020

The Ideal List Of Dorm Room Essentials For 2020

College brings with it a lot of emotions and new experiences altogether. Well, being a shopping freak, I started shopping for my time in college some weeks before and while I forgot to buy some things, there are others I struck gold when I bought them.

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I understand sometimes shopping can be a pain especially if you’re not sure about what exactly you should get. But don’t worry, I’m just about t share some of the stuff I bought for my college life ( and others I saw my friends with).

The Ultimate Dorm Room Essentials.

These are the top items that I recommend, I can’t picture my life at college without them.

1. Mattress topper.


A mattress topper is VERY IMPORTANT and ranks high among the dorm room essentials.

The fact that dorm beds have been used by every other person should be enough reason to get one. It’s one of the first things I bought when going to college and I do not regret using it at all.

I’m all about comfort so this was a huge bonus on my part considering college life is sometimes very hectic.

I used this  4″ Memory Foam Mattress Topper, Twin X-Long while in college.

Other matters pads you could consider:

2. A phone charger


Saying this is crucial is a HUGE understatement. Chargers will literally save your life in college, you just have to include them in your dorm essentials.

It’s easy to forget to carry one especially when you get mixed up in planning for college. For some reason, we always forget our chargers only to remember when your phone’s battery is almost dying (facepalm).

While a phone charger may seem like a small item on your packing list, it definitely plays an essential part in your college life. They also come in handy when you’re far away from the sockets like in libraries.

I got this cable to always reduce phone inconveniences.

However, if you use an iPhone, you can use this one.

3. Towel wrap.


Picture a scenario where you are rushing from the bathroom and your towel falls down and in the process embarrasses you (yikes). I’m pretty sure you wouldn’t like this, heck I wouldn’t. This is where a towel wrap comes in.

I bought mine to avoid such scenarios and I must say I never went for a  bath without a towel wrap.

I’d recommend this towel wrap as part of your dorm essentials.

4. A power extension cord.

Dorms normally never have enough charging spots for everyone and everything leaving you sometimes upset. Well, I did make this mistake and ended up frustrated before I bought a power extension cord.

Most people tend to forget about it when getting their dorm essentials (I included) but it is so important.

I loved this power extension cord seeing it also has spots for using a USB cable.

5. Blackout curtains.

These come in handy if light tends to disrupt your sleep. Sleep is such an important aspect of college and needs to be guarded at all costs is you’re to maintain sanity.

If this is the case for you, you can get these blackout curtains to maintain your beauty sleep.

If you’re on a budget, you could check out this blackout curtains for $16.

6. A small clip-on fan


This will actually save you when the temperatures are at 85 degrees and should definitely be part of your college essentials.

The dorm I was in did not have a fan and I had to get one. The best part of this fan is I can clip it on my bed, and saying I loved it will be a huge understatement.

Some dorms, however, have air conditioning and a fan is not necessary.

If you are in a larger dorm room, you can get this pedestal fan for less than $40.

6. A hydro flask


This is one of those items that helped me survive college seeing I drink a lot of water so bringing water with me nearly everywhere I go was a must. It also kept my water cold for hours and we all know nothing beats that thirst like some ice-cold water.

Almost every college girl has one (yeah it’s that important) and you most likely need one and should include it as part of your dorm essentials (will also come in handy in college classes and other stuff).

I liked this one coz I found it really cute, goes without saying that I carried it everywhere.

My recommendations:

If you like other water bottles, here are some you should check out:

7. A mesh shower caddy


Please DO NOT get a plastic shower caddy.

Well, although I had a mesh one, my dorm mate had a plastic shower caddy. Every time she placed it down after a shower, it was always a huge mess as water drained and formed a puddle. Mine on the other hand drained water so much better and did not create all that mess.

I used this mesh shower caddy from my sophomore year.

Although a mesh shower caddy should be in your dorm essentials, you’ll probably throw it away after school as you might no longer need it.

8. A small vacuum cleaner.


Well, I’ve always thrived in a clean space and my college dorm room would be no exception.

Although our dorm provided a vacuum cleaner (most do actually), I found that it was too heavy and I hated using it, not mentioning the fact that I felt like it left more dust than sucking it up. So, I felt it was better to invest in this cheap vacuum cleaner but bring a little sanity to my dorm room.

9. A bed shelf


This one will be SUPER useful especially when you want to take a drink while on your bed. It will save you the spills and the uncomfortability of drinking any liquid on your bed. Plus you can also place your phone on it while you sleep.

They are very popular and should be in your dorm room essentials.

You can get your dorm bed shelf at $23.

10. A blanket and/or a duvet

Having a cozy space in your dorm where you can have your time and recharge after a tough day is all you will aim for in college, at least that’s what I did and blankets made that possible. I still have my blankets up to date, one year after I left college.

Make sure you include blankets in your dorm essentials list so you can snuggle in it.

While at it, include some duvets to warm up your bed, especially if you’re not big on blankets. I had both but you can always choose one depending on your preferences, budget, and style.

I used this fleece blanket and I must say I love it!

Other recommendations:

Well, here are some of the most important dorm room essentials that every college student should have.

If you found this post helpful, you can pin it on your Dorm essentials board on Pinterest.

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