College Life
50 Dorm Room Must Haves for College Students in 2023
Having a hard time choosing items for your dorm room? We got you. Here are the best 50 dorm must-haves.
Last Updated on February 20, 2023 by Cher
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When moving into a new dorm room, it is your opportunity to decorate it to fit your personal style! There are so many dorms must haves out there to choose from and it can look a bit daunting. But I put together a few items that I added to my dorm room, which I think you will like as well.
I love adding many fluffy pillows, fun decorations, and even useful organization tools to my spice up my dorm room and you will too!
So these are 50 dorm must-haves for students that you need to include in your room.
This list even includes some new pandemic-related dorm essentials that you may not have thought about.
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Must Haves For Your Bed
1. All Seasons Comforter Set
There are a few things that stand out in a dorm room, one of which is your bed. Because your bed is a huge focal point in your dorm room, the way you style it controls the look of the entire room.
This semester, you have many styles to choose from in terms of the design and color of your comforter.
The current popular styles of comforters are minimalistic with a simple color scheme that matches the rest of the dorm room and an optional layer of a fun design or pattern.
Choosing the best-fitting colors and design will help your comforter pop out of the rest of its surroundings but also blend in well with the room’s color scheme.
A comfy texture of your dorm comforter is a dorm must-have. Having a soft and cozy comforter will create a relaxing place for you to spend your free time on Netflix or Hulu.
There are hundreds of comforter designs available to you, so get out and choose the perfect one for your dorm room.
2. Comfy Sheets
The important part of making sure you are comfortable when trying to fall asleep is the type of sheets you have wrapped around you. Everyone has a different preference for what sort of fabric they prefer when it comes to their dorm room sheets.
The choices may seem endless with sateen, flannel, percale and so many more, but picking the right fabric could turn a pair of sheets into a dorm must-have.
There are also many patterns and color palettes you can choose from. Picking the right color palette to match the rest of your dorm room aesthetic can bring everything together, even if you don’t feel up to making your bed every day.
3. Faux Fur Throw Pillow Case
Pillows will make your dorm room feel like home whether you choose accent pillows, body pillows or floor pillows.
Your dorm room is where you hang out in your free time or when using Zoom during class. Pillows can spice up a dorm room’s aesthetic and tone down its atmosphere.
Your bed is the first place pillows are a must-have item. These pillows can be plushy, standard-sized pillows to get your best sleep on.
Adding accent pillows to put on during the day will clean up your bed game and make your dorm room put together. Using mini accent pillows on a spare chair can also add an extra level of comfort to your dorm room.
Body pillows, backrest pillows and floor pillows make it easy to study wherever you are in your room without having to sit at your desk all the time.
I love to use these huge pillows to prop myself up against my dorm room wall and watch Netflix at night or read until I fall asleep. At least the pillows keep my head from nodding off!
4. Soft Blankets and Throws
Dorms and residential halls can get cold with chilly temperatures creeping in from outside. Have a few extra blankets to wrap yourself in on a cold day.
In 2021, it is all about faux fur! Soft, textured blankets make you feel as though you are snuggling up with your pet that you had to leave at home.
Calming, weighted blankets are also a comforting option. Their weight helps you relax and unwind after a long day of studying or online classes. These have become a popular must-have in college dorm rooms.
I really want one of these because I have heard it helps calm you when you get anxious about homework or friend drama. I tend to get caught up in a lot of that, so this would be very helpful for me. I’m sure it can calm you down as well!
5. Upholstered Headboard
Is your bed taken over by the lovely, puffy comforter and pillows? To balance all the comfy energy on your dorm room bed, a unique headboard could do the trick.
It can make you feel even more at home if you use a similar design to your headboard you had to leave behind.
Headboards can be of any style, texture, color and shape. It can also be designed to match the color scheme or mood of your room. As your Twin XL college dorm bed may seem unexciting, adding a headboard can make it look like the bed of your dreams.
My headboard is wooden and matches the style I have picked for my storage units, desk, and chair in my dorm room. Having a headboard does a great job of tying everything together.
6. Waterproof Mattress Protector
Nothing could be worse than discovering bedbugs have taken over your mattress in your dorm room.
The risk of a bedbug takeover can be eliminated with a mattress protector. Make sure you buy the right size for your dorm bed!
I know this may not seem that important, but trust me, you will thank yourself when the end of the year rolls around and you can just take off your mattress protector and your mattress is just like new again!
7. Quilted Fitted Mattress Pad
Dorm rooms don’t usually come with as nice of a mattress as you may have at home. An uncomfortable mattress can be a hit or miss with all the time you want to spend in bed watching Netflix and getting good-quality sleep.
Therefore, a mattress pad for your dorm bed can make all the difference in your sleep schedule.
My mattress was uncomfortable before I got a mattress pad. Now I find I can sleep better and fall asleep more quickly than before! This item is definitely worth the price!
Must Haves For Organization
8. Underbed Storage Bag
Trying to fit a whole year’s worth of school supplies, clothing, and snacks into your dorm room can leave it looking like a tornado just blew through.
Though room organization is a huge struggle for many college students, storage units can solve this problem by decluttering a room.
Storage trunks can be used as both a storage spot and a display table. Storage bins are useful for optimizing minimal storage space under your dorm room bed and other hard-to-get-to places.
I use the space under my bed to keep my snacks and extra books from previous semesters.
9. Multi-layer Hangers
It is quite common for dorm rooms to have very limited closet space.
Plastic hangers found in any back-to-school section of the store are often bulky and take up way too much space in your dorm closet.
Multi-layer hangers save a lot of space in your dorm closet and help declutter the area, creating more room for other storage.
10. Velvet Hangers
These allow you to fit more clothes in your dorm closet than thicker plastic hangers.
They also stop your shirts and sweaters from sliding off one side after the other, creating piles of clothing on the floor with just one accidental nudge.
This means no more clean clothing covered in dust!
11. Organizers Hang on Doors
Organization tools such as caddies or hooks can save space in your college dorm room when it may seem like you have none. These caddies can hold shoes in your closet or extra books that don’t fit on your desk.
Caddies can also hang on Command hooks and therefore have more versatility than you may realize. Wall hooks can be stuck to any surface to add the ability to hang decorations on windows, organization caddies on doors or photos on walls.
I love to hang up fun lights using Command hooks and my caddie saves me a lot of space and clutter!
12. Adjustable Drawer Dividers
When you need to find that favorite pen or pencil in your dorm room desk drawer, it can be challenging to sift through all the other items rolling around in your desk.
A drawer divider can keep each of those specific items organized and prevent them from rolling around each time you open and close the drawer. You will never have to waste time rummaging around in your desk again!
These drawer dividers have also saved me a lot of ot time during virtual classes. I don’t need to rummage around in my desk drawers to find things.
13. Desk Organizer
Nothing is worse than having a messy office and a messy desk.
With this desk organizer, your coworker’s messy desk will disappear. This organizer comes in two colors, has five vertical compartments, a drawer, and a horizontal compartment.
It’s the perfect gift for a coworker who works in an office!
Must Have Toiletries
14. Personalized Embroidered Towels
Embroidered bath and hand towels are popular items this semester as students do what they can to keep track of their towels.
Having your name or monogram embroidered onto your towel set is a cheap way of preventing other students living in your dorm from confusing your generic towel with theirs.
This small way of personalizing your towels will save you from having to replace them after the awkward swap takes place in your dorm’s communal bathroom.
My towel set has lasted me a long time and has also definitely saved me from the confusion I may be confronted with, in the event that another student accidentally reached for mine instead of theirs.
15. Portable Storage Organizer
Dorm halls usually have shared bathrooms at the end of each hallway and therefore require you to carry all your belongings with you to and from the showers.
Shower caddies and tote bags are your answer when it comes to carrying all your essential toiletries to and from your dorm room.
Don’t forget those flip-flops as you walk down the halls because they can protect you from the dirt and grime collecting on the dorm floors.
I have so many different kinds of soap, shampoo, scrubs, lotions, and so much more, that I can’t possibly carry all those items to the bathroom in one go.
I highly recommend you invest in this waterproof shower caddie!
16. A Warm Bathrobe
While walking to and from the bathroom down that long hallway in your dorm, it can be a nuisance to have to hold your towel around you with one hand and all your other belongings with the other.
A bathrobe can fix your lack of an extra arm by allowing you to free up your hand that you would usually use to hold up your towel. It also takes away the risk of losing your grip on your towel before you can get back to your dorm room!
I cannot say I have been one of those embraces students that have lost hold of their towel in the hallway, but I can say I have come dangerously close.
I appreciate the protection my robe provides from my soaking wet hair as well.
Must Have Decorations
17. Easy Peel and Stick Wallpaper
Though you may have all the decorations you think you could ever need to make your dorm room one of a kind, there is a huge canvas that still needs to be used to make your dorm room stand out.
A blank wall that may take up one-sixth of your room needs to be covered! Easy-to-apply wallpaper can make wall decorating a quick, easy, and mess-free process.
If you want an even softer look than the wallpaper options, you could look into hanging a tapestry or posters to bring your dorm room to life.
I actually got tired of the weird zoom backgrounds and put up my own easy-peel wallpaper behind me so when I am in online class, I already have a background! I highly recommend you try this out! It is also easy to get off if you ever want a different background.
18. LED Photo Clip String Lights
These clips are the perfect dorm gift since most people like to have reminders of their friends and family back home when they move into new dorms.
But, the small dorm space can get in the way of where to put your pictures. These string lights allow you to utilize your wall space and put your most special memories on display.
Not to mention, they also add much-needed lighting to your space. String lights were a godsend when I went to college! They made displaying my pictures easy and left an elegant feel to my room.
19. LED String Lights
LED lights can add the finishing touch to any dorm room. They add soft lighting to set a relaxing mood and create a dainty aesthetic.
Though some colleges have restrictions on electric lights, they are usually more lenient with these smaller fairy string lights as they are seen to be less of a fire hazard. Check your college’s policies on dorm lighting just in case!
Many schools have policies against string lights, but if your school lets you hang them up in your room, I highly recommend you add them to your dorm room!
20. Mini Plants
Your dorm room may have all the comfy blankets and pillows it needs to fit your style, but it is missing the beautiful feeling of life.
Mini plants can bring that feeling of life to your dorm room! They can be a great way to get you up in the morning because you have to water them (even though they are easy to maintain).
It can also be an entertaining conversation to have with your peers if you come up with fun names for the plants.
Must Have Furniture
21. Bedside Shelf or Lap Desk
When your bed is just too comfortable to get out of in the morning before class, why not have a way to do your classwork while in bed?
Having a bedside shelf to place items such as cups and mugs can allow you to stay in bed longer. And having a lap desk can make it easier for you to spend more time in bed while you keep yourself accountable by getting your classwork done.
22. Mini Fridge
It can get old when you have to walk all the way to the dorm kitchen to get your leftovers from the dorm’s communal fridge.
What if others have taken your food by accident? With a mini-fridge in your dorm room, you don’t need to worry about your food mysteriously going missing.
Save yourself from that annoying trip all the way to and from the kitchen just for that pint of ice cream.
If you plan on spending a long period of time in your dorm room, having the access to food from your mini-fridge can be a life-saver!
23. Full-length Mirror
Though there are many classes exclusively offered online at college this year, there are still opportunities for students to go out and dress up.
There is no way to check out your outfit or loungewear without a full-length mirror in your dorm room.
It is also a great way to take selfies of any new outfit or comfy look. This also had been a fun activity for my roommate and me to take friend photos in the mirror!
24. Fuzzy Area Rugs
Dorm rooms often have either hardwood or cold tile floors. This can put a damper on your comfy dorm room style.
A way to add more comfort to your dorm is by laying down a cozy rug.
The color, design, and shape of your rug can match the color scheme of your room and bring the entire design together!
25. Window Shades
The sun can be a pest in the morning when you are trying to sleep in until virtual class. None of us like being woken up early by the bright rays of the sun through our window.
Adding blackout window shades can increase your ability to sleep in and also bring your daytime movie game to the next level.
These window shades are easy to install and make all the difference when it comes to sleeping in.
26. USB port, Touch Control Table Lamp
Your dorm room may not have overhead lighting or enough lighting for reading and writing.
A desk lamp is a stylish and efficient way to light up your desk without having to move around the furniture in your dorm room.
My desk lamp makes it a lot easier to control the level of lighting in my room as well. If my roommate wants to sleep, I have the option to only have my desk lamp on.
27. Modern Standing Lamp
Often, the light already installed in dorm rooms is not in the most ideal location, and it can make it hard to create the best setup. This original light also rarely has the option to dim it or brighten it.
Getting a tall lamp and placing it in a good spot with your favorite type of light bulb can be the most ideal lighting option.
I recommend this lamp because it is practical, but also has a nice lampshade that creates a subtle glow instead of harsh light like the ceiling light that comes with the room.
28. Small Trash Can
Most dorm rooms come furnished with a desk, chair, bed, and dresser but no trash bin. Therefore, many students end up with no good place to store trash in their dorm rooms.
Picking up a small trash can may avoid the chances of your trash just sitting in an old plastic bag on the floor for days.
You also won’t have to awkwardly walk down the hall to the communal trash bin every time you need to discard something.
29. Foldable Chair
Dorm rooms can feel cramped with all the extra decorations and other belongings. Therefore, anything that can be storable is a dorm room must-have.
A foldable chair can be used to accommodate a friend or family member while staying out of the way when not being used.
When the weather is nice enough to go outside, a foldable chair can be handy to take outside on the grass to hang out with friends.
30. Clip-on Light
These lights can be very helpful when you are lying in bed and need to read a book for class but don’t want to turn on your bright lamp in order to see.
Instead, you can clip this little light onto the top of your book, and it will illuminate just the right amount of the page!
This is a great alternative to having the bright light on in your room. Especially if your roommate wants to go to bed before you are done with your readings.
31. Mini Fan
Airflow is challenging when it is too cold to open the window to help circulate the air in your dorm room. A mini fan could do just the trick.
You can adjust the tile of this fan and can also be a cool and refreshing option in the next few months when the weather warms up.
Items You Will Be Thankful For
32. Portable Steamer
For those who tend to forget to fold their clothing or store clothes in bins where they get wrinkled easily, a portable steamer is a must-have for you.
They are small enough to take up minimal storage space and can save you from having to throw another load of clean yet wrinkled laundry into the wash again.
They are also very simple to use and don’t need any special liquid or any other products.
I love keeping my clothes in drawers and therefore, they end up wrinkled a lot. This portable steamer has been an amazing solution to all my wrinkled clothes and has helped keep my outfits looking fresh and professional.
33. Portable Mini Hand Vacuum
It can be easy to quickly sweep dust to the side when cleaning your dorm room. If this is the case, a mini portable hand vacuum can easily become a dorm room necessity.
It comes with a small charging cord and creates a pleasant and easy vacuuming experience.
It can also get into small crevices so that there are no more dust balls rolling around on your floor under your bed.
My room is not cleaned by the cleaning crew in charge of the rest of my dorm, so having this vacuum cleaner to just use when I spill crumbs everywhere is a life-saver.
34. Power Strip
With all the electronic items you need to keep plugged in at all times in the modern day, a power strip will save you from having to charge only a few electronics at once.
This dorm must-have makes it possible to charge all your electronic devices at the same time! This power strip has 12 outlets and is a life-saver!
35. Extra-Long Phone Charging Cord
Extra-long phone charging cords are becoming popular as students are spending so much time on their phones.
A long charger allows you to use your phone anywhere in your dorm room while it charges.
Some phone chargers don’t last very long because they get bent or fall apart, but this phone charger is well-made and lasts forever!
36. Microwave-Safe Dinnerware Set
Living in a dorm can make cooking a challenging feat, especially while social distancing.
When dinner is going to be an instant mac and cheese bowl or leftovers from the night before, it may be worthwhile to get a microwavable dinnerware set to heat up those leftovers.
It could even save you the trip to the communal dorm kitchen if you have a mini-fridge to store leftovers in your room.
My college’s dining hall is only giving out plastic and paper materials and this microwave-safe dinnerware set has helped me store food in my room.
Having a mini-fridge to keep the food in has also really helped.
37. Snacks in Bulk
Snacks can seem like lifesavers if you need to get through a late night of studying or need a quick and easy pick-me-up.
Getting individual bags of chips from the vending machine can cost more than you think by the end of the semester.
But, if you buy your favorite snacks in bulk at the beginning of the semester, then you can end up saving a ton of cash in the long run!
38. Portable Car Electric Kettle
Whether you prefer tea or coffee, both these drinks are dorm room must-haves when it comes to late-night studying sessions and early morning classes.
Keeping a water kettle in your room can open the door to a plethora of opportunities for study nights.
You can not only make a piping hot cup of tea, coffee, or hot cocoa, but you also have the option to make instant noodles or instant mac and cheese!
39. An Easy-To-Maneuver Laundry Basket or Hamper
Dorm buildings usually require students to journey all the way to one laundry room in the basement of the building. Because it can be such a long journey to take your laundry, having an efficient way to carry it can be helpful.
A laundry basket or hamper can be the best way to make your laundry easy to maneuver to and from your dorm room.
I used to always have to take at least three trips to the laundry room and back to start the washing machine because I didn’t have a proper container such as this one to carry all my clothes in. Now I can do it all in one trip!
40. A Water Filter
Dorm buildings have only a few water fountains, and they can be a pain to walk to when you could just get water from the faucet.
No matter where you fill up your water bottle, using a water filter can make a huge difference in taste.
Also, if the better taste of water increases your water intake and overall hydration, then getting a water filter can be beneficial for your health.
41. Bluetooth Speaker
Music can change your mood and motivate you to get school work done.
A Bluetooth speaker is a great way to add some fun into your busy day of online classes.
Though you may not be able to have friends over to hang out, the speaker can make it seem like your friends are with you if you project their voices from your phone or computer.
42. Leak Proof Lid Water Bottle and Mug
Water bottles and mugs are a great way to not only keep your drinks warm or cold but also to help the environment!
You will also save money in the long run that would have been spent on plastic water bottles throughout the semester.
This is a double-wall vacuum insulated Stainless steel portable mug that keeps your drink wherever temperature you wish. It really is everything you could ever wish for in a mug!
School Material Must Haves
43. Cartoon Animal Sticky Notes
If you are a student who forgets to do tasks or enjoys extra levels of organization, sticky notes may be for you!
They can be used to organize your notes, label different objects, and create tabs in books so you don’t lose your place.
Sticky notes come in many different colors and cute designs that you can use to match the rest of your dorm room.
44. 20 Piece School Supplies
Notebooks, binders, pens and so much more can be considered essential items when it comes to doing your best studying during this college semester. Therefore, getting the ideal school supplies can be considered a dorm must-have.
This school supplies kit is the most basic, but effective kit I have found! It has all your essential items that you could need during school and can set you up for success right at the beginning of classes!
45. 2021 Large Desk or Wall Calendar
It is important to keep all your assignments organized and on track in order to get each done before the due date has passed.
For those students who forget about assignments easily, a desk or wall calendar can be a dorm room must-have.
I am a visual learner and have found this desk calendar to be the perfect organizer for a busy student schedule!
46. Comfortable Loungewear
Clothing can impact your level of comfort when sitting in virtual classes all day.
Keeping a set of comfortable loungewear to change into or wear all day can increase your level of comfort by a ton!
Just throw on a sweatshirt and comfy pants, and you can completely lift your overall mood!
47. Noise-canceling Headphones
Dorm buildings can be great places to get to know other students at your school, but they can also make it very challenging to focus on your studies.
This is especially true when the students in the dorm room next door play music loudly or make distracting noises. The noise-canceling headphones can give you the chance to focus no matter what is going on around you.
I tend to have a hard time concentrating when listening to catchy songs that I end up singing to instead of working on the assignment at hand.
I instead recommend listening to classical music when studying if you have a similar problem when studying.
Health And Safety Must Haves
48. Air Freshener Spray
There is nothing worse than living with a smelly roommate or dealing with a bad scent lingering in your dorm room.
Air freshener spray can solve this issue without hurting your roommate’s feelings or creating a hassle for you to get the odor out of your dorm room.
This spray can come in handy when you are planning on having a friend over for a movie night or Netflix and chill session and want your room to smell fresh and welcoming.
49. First-Aid Kit
A first-aid kit is something that you may need in scary situations. It could potentially be a lifesaver in some instances and is a good thing to have on hand.
Even if you don’t get injured very often, one of your friends could hold a record for getting hurt a lot or there could be a need for first aid that you can’t foresee.
I have found the most random times to use this kit, but it has always come in handy at some point during the semester. It comes with sanitation wipes and bandages of all shapes and sizes!
50. Washable Reusable Masks
Life on campus looks a bit different in 2021 compared to past years because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Because of the importance of always having some sort of protective equipment on your person when out and about, these are must-haves in your dorm room as well.
If you are concerned about the air quality in your dorm room because of the connecting air vents running through the building, consider picking up an air purifier and a CleanseBot to rid your dorm room of germs in the air and on surfaces.
Stock up on washable or disposable face masks and personal care products such as hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes.
It is hard to choose specific items that you need in your dorm room. Since your dorm room is a place where you spend a lot of time when at college, this comprehensive list will give you an idea of what you need!
Including these dorm room must haves can increase your productivity, boost your mood and create a positive place for you to hang out this semester. Good luck with your dorm room decorating, and good luck with your virtual courses!
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