21 Affordable Dorm Supplies That Every College Freshman NEEDS
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This post is all about the best dorm essentials for college.
Hey guys, I know you’re all shopping and looking for a dorm supplies and you just need some advice knowing exactly what you need. Let’s face it, shopping for college is super stressful. It can feel like you’re overwhelmed and no one has the answers.
Trust me, I went through all of that and I know just how stressful it is making a whole list and trying to figure out everything you need. A lot of times we end up forgetting stuff too and that makes it a huge hassle to go and get stuff afterwards (and by then it’s usually sold out).
That’s why I made this post to go through 21 of the most affordable dorm supplies that every college freshman needs to make it easy for you to see exactly what you’ll need at a price anyone can afford. I hope you find all of these helpful and more!
This post shows you dorm room supplies you need.
BEST DORM ROOM ESSENTIALS LIST
1. Hanger Set
Yes, hangers are something you absolutely need when moving into a dorm with college. It’s something that no one thinks about but as soon as you unpack your clothes, you realize… oh, wait, It’s so necessary.
And trust me, you’ll probably be buying tons of new clothes to fill up your wardrobe throughout the semester as well. Having a hanger set will make sure you’re able to fit everything in your closet. Also, hanger sets are really cheap. They have them in all different colors for whatever your theme is.
2. Shower Caddy
Unless you plan to be bringing your hair supplies, and make up, and soap, and shampoo, and whatever else you bring to the bathroom with you by HAND every single time, you def need to invest in a little shower caddy. These are basically just little baskets that hold all your stuff in the bathroom and keep it dry. I carry mine not only when I go in for showers but also just to bring when I get ready in the mornings. The sink is usually wet and/or dirty and it’s nice to keep all my stuff clean and organized in the caddy.
3. Shower Shoes
This one may not be obvious at first, but that first night when you’re going into the shared bathroom and there’s hair (and who knows what else) all over the floor, you will WISH you had these handy. Even though it’s common sense, it seems like people in college purposely forget to flush the toilet or clean after themselves. I can’t tell you how many times I walked into the stall to see… Bottom line, it can be so gross in those public bathrooms. Because of this, shower shoes are some of the items that sell out the fastest. It can be hard to find shower shoes that are not only cute but last a long time. I made the job easy for you.
4. Laundry Bag w/ Straps
Omg, if you’re already in college, you know the struggle. There will be so many times when all your laundry gets dirty and you need to wash clothes. If you’re like me, you’ll always wait to the last possible minute and by then your laundry basket is super heavy.
Also depending on your dorm, the laundry room where you wash your clothes could be several floors down and take several minutes to get to. And that’s not even taking into account the (strong) possibility that once you get there, all the washing machines are full anyway.
Carrying all that weight up and down stairs through several hallways just for nothing is WAY too much work. You def will need a laundry bag with straps so you can basically just carry it like a backpack. It’s so much easier this way, trust me.
5. Desk Fan
Okay, I don’t know what kind of dorm you have. Maybe you happen to have a super lit one with high quality air-conditioning and a thermostat. But if you’re like me, you’ll be stuck in some old building built before you were born with maybe only some heaters for when it gets cold.
But depending on where you are, it gets hot! Especially in the summer. Even in the fall and winter though, with all that heat trapped inside, you will be baking. It is so unbearable trying to focus on anything when all you wanna do is jump in a freezer. Personally, this was something I had to get within the first week sophomore year. I was literally dying from the heat.
6. Glass Water Bottle
This one might not be as obvious, especially if you have a vending machine. But do you know how expensive it is to keep buying water bottle after water bottle? It’s a LOT. And you will want water all the time, whether you’re walking a mile to class or just chilling in your dorm room. Water is clutch.
Also we all know plastic is not good for the environment. It makes sense to get a refillable water bottle that we can easily keep filling up with the FREE water fountains all over campus instead of wasting what little money we have. And I say glass specifically because when wrapped in the casing, it’s super durable and easy to clean.
7. Husband Pillow
If you plan to spend any time on your bed when you’re not asleep, this item is essential. Seriously, normal pillows are hard to prop up and you don’t wanna be propping your sleeping pillow against a dirty wall anyway.
Husband pillows are great because not only are they durable but they have this fuzzy soft texture as well that is just so.. satisfying. It’s definitely great if you’re doing homework or scrolling through social media to just sit on your bed and lean back against the husband and just chill. So underrated.
8. Paper bowls, Plastic cups, and Plastic Silverware
Don’t know if you’ve already gotten this, but if you haven’t, add this to the list right now. This is something that will always come in handy whether you’re making oatmeal in the morning or eating takeout in your dorm at night. Also you may be a midnight snacker like me, in which case plastic throwaway bowls are your best friend.
And what if you have friends over or just buy some juice or milk from the campus store. It’s not like you’d pour that into your dedicated refillable water bottle that I told you to get. No, you’ll want some easy plastic cups. And plastic silverware is so key when you get take out or eat leftovers in your dorm. Just trust me on this.
9. Portable Vacuum Cleaner
I never even thought about getting this freshman year but holy frick was it needed. You don’t realize just how dirty the dorm carpet can get. Whether its your own hair collecting, debris from your dirty shoes, or food that falls to the floor after you’ve been eating. (Yeah, gross). It gets so dirty and you def will want to clean it every once in a while.
Some dorms may have a communal vacuum that you can borrow, but in my experience, this is not the move. Plus who wants to wait to share one that other people will be using. Its so much more convenient to be able to vacuum and clean your room anytime you want, super easy and fast.
10. Bean Bag Chair
How many times do you just wanna sit on the floor but it’s bare carpet? Ew, and think about how dirty the college dorm is. Bean bag chairs are great because they’re so comfy and let you sit on the floor and relax!
I’m sure you’ve seen these all over instagram. Everyone loves them. They totally dress up your room and make it look fun. You may already have a standard desk chair, but who doesn’t want a bean bag? Plus, they’re so comfortable that people will always wanna come hang in your room. No reason not to get this.
11. Portable Printer
This could be something you might not have thought of, but you’ll be glad you got it. There will be lots of times when you need to print something out for class. Maybe a last minute assignment, handouts from class you missed, or a simple essay. Having a convenient printer is vital.
And yes, many campuses have public printers in the library but if you’ve spent any time in college, a lot of times you know these are busy and can break down. Thats the last thing you want when you need to quickly print something out that’s due for class. And you don’t have to spend a bunch of money on this either. There are plenty of ones that are affordable like the ones I list below.
12. Throw Blanket
You might’ve already gotten this from Bed Bath & Beyond but in case you didn’t, you might wanna add it to the list. Throw blankets are great because not only do they dress up your bed but they’re sooo nice to snuggle up in as well. And if you did what I said and got the fans, cold air + warm blanket = YES.
Seriously, it’s a great investment. And once you get one, you can bring it back and forth with you, year after year. You’ll probably hold onto it afterwards too as like a souvenir from college and when your kids ask you where you got your blanket, you can tell them from college. No but seriously lol throw blankets are a great accessory and decoration.
13. House Shoes
This is actually kind of an underrated item. You may be used to walking around everywhere in socks but once you try on some comfortable house shoes, you won’t wanna go back. These are soft, furry comfortable shoes specifically designed to be worn indoors. Which is perfect for if you’re going back and forth between your friend’s dorm or chilling in the dorm lounge area or going down the hallway etc.
I could say a ton more but I think it’s obvious. You need to get these. They come in all different styles, but I think a neutral pair that will go with any outfit you have on is the best way to go.
14. Tissue Boxes
Now seriously, this is a must. Maybe you have allergies, maybe you don’t. But tissue is so underrated until you don’t have it. Omg I always notice first thing when I no longer have any and you don’t realize how fast you go through them. That’s why I started buying them in bulk. The 6 packs are great because you can stack them neatly against your wall and place 2 at a time at 2 convenient places in your dorm (maybe one on your desk and one on your dresser).
And like I was saying, when you have allergies, this will become your savior. The spring time is the worst for me with all that pollen. Kleenex boxes are absolutely essential. And don’t make the mistake of thinking you can get by with some rough paper towels or standard napkins. Those will scratch up your nose the more you use them. Tissues are soft and made for use on your face. You will absolutely not regret this.
15. Mini Fridge
I’m assuming you already got this covered, but in case you didn’t, a mini fridge is a must-get item. No, it’s not just for storing ice. You will undoubtedly have leftovers from take out that you wanna keep fresh, fruit, juice bottles, maybe even milk cartons. All of that needs to be refrigerated. And you would not wanna trust using a public refrigerator in the kitchen area to keep all your food safe. People will steal like you wouldn’t believe.
Having your own personal mini fridge that can fit easily in your dorm (maybe even right next to your desk) is the way to go. Just remember to unplug it before you go home for the holidays. These are super affordable too cause everyone needs them.
16. Desk Lamp
Maybe your desk already comes with one built in, but in case it doesn’t, you’ll want to get a cool desk lamp. These are useful for when you’re late at night studying and you don’t wanna turn on the big light but still need to focus on your work. Also they make for a great reading lamp as well if you’re just chilling on your bed.
One of the coolest things about modern ones too is that they often have bendable “necks” so you can literally reposition it to any position you want. This is so convenient if you want to use it for multiple purposes. Anyway, this is a great item to have if you plan on spending any time in your dorm at night.
17. Standing Fan or Window Fan
I know I kinda touched on this already. But seriously I can’t stress enough how hot it gets in old dorm rooms. Having air conditioning is so under appreciated. You don’t even have to have this blasting all the time. You can get standing fans that with a button that will twist and turn and different speeds to make it feel exactly how you want in your room.
I already mentioned desk fans, but I feel like you’ll probably need both. At least I did. Having them on together will literally make you feel so at peace. And if you’re like me, the best way to sleep is when your room is cold. Trust me, this will do the trick.
Anyway, window fans are great because they circulate the air from outside so your stuffy dorm is always fresh. Standing fans are great because they’re much better at circulating the air within your whole room (because they spin). I recommend either.
18. Surge Protector / Power strip
Again, this is probably not something you would’ve thought of on your own or realized would be useful. But if you have any sort of electronics that you keep in your dorm room, you will need to get this. A lot of times these days, dorm staff require students to have them. If you don’t have one, your electronics plugged into the wall have the potential to start fires.
Surge protectors balance the electricity so you can keep all your stuff plugged in at once and not overwhelm the system. It also makes it super easy to turn everything off when you leave for vacation by just pressing the switch. Again this might even be a requirement for your dorm so make sure you get this.
19. Clorox Wipes
This is something you will def want to get right when you move in. The desks and bed frame and dressers etc will all be dirty. And especially in this age of corona, you’ll want to make sure everything is disinfected and clean. I don’t even feel comfortable touching anything until it’s been “cloroxed” lol.
No but seriously this will come in handy. And not just for when you first move in. You’ll also want this around in case you spill sticky drinks all over your desk or get dirt on your dresser. So def keep this at the top of your closet for when mess (undoubtedly) happens.
20. Ziploc Bags
I hate even putting this on here cause it’s so mundane but honestly it’s often overlooked. Sometimes you may want to pour yourself out some crackers to snack on or take some food with you to class. You’ll need something to carry that in that’s light and can easily be thrown away. Ziploc bags to the rescue!
But really, these always sit on my dorm floor and up in my closet because you don’t realize how useful they are until you need one. You can even bring these with you to the dining hall and sneak you out some leftovers for later..
21. Ironing Board
Yeah, this is also probably something you may not have thought of. But if you’re planning to do interviews for internships, jobs, or even just formal presentations in class, you will want an ironing board. I don’t even need to spell it out for you. You know what an iron does. You don’t wanna be showing up to these professional things with wrinkled clothes.
And don’t worry, they don’t have to be bulky and take up a bunch of space. These days, they have foldable portable ones that can fit easily in your closet out of sight. You may not use this much but you will love to have it when it’s there.
