Dorm Room Essentials!
In just a few short weeks, we will be moving Milo & Elsa into their dorm rooms - and we just moved Hadley last year, so I thought it might be helpful to share some of the items that (I think) are dorm room essentials! I’m big on finding things that are non-toxic, making their dorm room a healthy place for them to be. Dorm rooms can be gross to begin with, so making sure their air is healthy and the items they’re sleeping on, washing their clothes with, etc. are chemical free will help! As a mom, it gives me a small peace of mind knowing I’m doing what I can to help them stay healthy.
So, a list for you & links to what we’ve bought - I hope it’s helpful!
Let’s start with basic bed needs: sheets, comforter, pillows, mattress pad - the works. Dorm beds are NOT comfortable, and they’re also (usually) a size twin XL (make sure to check your school website - most dorms are shown and sizes given of beds, rooms, etc.). So, your basic twin sheet set will not fit on these mattresses.
We love these cotton sheets - splurge and get the cotton, instead of microfiber or polyester. They will be so much more comfortable with cotton sheets, promise!
As far as a comforter goes, you’ll want to make sure it’s something they can throw in the wash if they need to, while they’re at school. We grabbed this one, and it has a lot of color/design options. It’s held up really well and has been in the wash numerous times.
A good mattress pad will be a splurge - I highly recommend you skip the memory foam options, as memory foam can off-gas and it can be pretty bad for your health. Here is the mattress pad we got, but a less expensive option is here. I’ve not used the second one, but it has pretty good reviews!
As far as pillows go, grab the ones your kid loves and sleeps best on! Make sure they have at least 2 pillows.
Up next, bathroom essentials: Towels, shower shoes, shower caddies and more!
All pretty self explanatory! Wal-mart and Target both usually have great towel options, but if you want to opt for an all organic brand and spend a little more, these are great.
We love these shower shoes and this shower caddy as well (make sure your shower caddy has a few holes in the bottom so water can drain through). And another tip, grab a dish drying mat to set your shower caddy on back in your dorm room, after you’ve used it!
You’ll want hooks to hang your towels on - if your room doesn’t have any, these over the door ones are great. If you’re using a communal bathroom don’t forget the robe or towel wrap for the hallway!
Some great non-toxic bathroom items (shampoo, soap, etc) can be found here! (Use code SHAREYL for 10% off too!)
Up next, storage ideas: the name of the game in a dorm room is STORAGE!
This 3 tier rolling cart really comes in handy. Stash snacks, bathroom items, school supplies, etc.
These drawer organizers come in handy for your desk - store makeup, jewelry, school supplies and any other small miscellaneous items that need a home.
Keep extra sheets, towels, out of season clothing, etc. stored in these under the bed bins.
If your desk doesn’t already have upper shelving, this hutch is super helpful to store books, picture frames and more.
Shoe racks are so helpful - and this one can expand to fit your space.
These space saving hanger hooks are so helpful if your kid has way too many clothes (😬) and needs to create more space in their closet.
Laundry essentials: ditch the toxins!
Now is a great time to ditch the absolute TOXIC dryer sheets and replace with wool dryer balls. Dryer sheets have been proven to cause all sorts of issues (here’s a great blog post) and we do not want to bombard our kids with toxins like this.
Our favorite laundry soap - this is non-toxic and a small amount goes a long way! (Use code SHAREYL for 10% off too!)
And finally - your kids will need a laundry hamper. This one is awesome, because it’s tall, skinny and you can take the inside mesh bag out when it’s time to do laundry.
“Ways to help keep the air healthy” essentials:
For the most part, dorm rooms are gross 😬 I wish it was different, but it just isn’t. You’re usually dealing with old buildings, old vents, windows that can’t open, etc. The air is not great. An air purifier is an absolute MUST! We love AirDoctors and have bought the AirDoctor 2000 for our kids dorm rooms (wait for a sale!) If that is over your budget, there are quite a few good ones on Amazon as well. This one has excellent reviews!
Grab a snake plant for their dorm room. These plants are so easy to keep alive (they require very little care) but they’re so good for the air. They can remove toxic pollutants and clean the air around the clock. Stop by a local nursery or store and grab one before you leave your kids!
Diffuser + oils - DITCH plug-ins and any artificial fragrances for your kids. It is doing so much harm to their health! Instead, opt for a diffuser and essential oils. So easy, smells yummy and healthy! My favorite disco ball diffuser - would look so cute in a dorm! If you want to hit the easy button, grab this starter kit that has 4 oils and a diffuser - these oils smell very similar to candles, they’re perfect if you just want to help a space smell better! (Use code SHAREYL for 10% off too!)
Now for some miscellaneous items that we love:
If you’re driving your kids to their dorm, these moving bags are essential! You can hold so much in them, and they fold up really small when not in use.
These command hooks are necessary if you plan to hang anything on dorm room walls - you can’t use nails, or anything that would ruin the paint or walls.
While not necessary, it is fun to add a little decor to the dorm room! We love these poster packs from Amazon - there are so many to choose from and they add happiness to your dorm room!
A vacuum is super important - we have grabbed the kids small dust busters and those do the job well.
LAMPS! Get a few lamps for your dorm room. The big overhead light is usually a fluorescent and lamps help the room feel cozy and like home. This is a great one, with a charging station on it. This mushroom lamp would be adorable in a dorm room. And for girls, how cute is this flower lamp for your desk?!
Let’s talk about fridges - I do realize a lot of people have fridges in their dorm rooms, but I’m in the camp that thinks a fridge isn’t necessary in your first year dorm room - especially since most dorms have a common kitchen area with a fridge, microwave, etc. - and most kids are on a full time meal plan, making a fridge an unnecessary expense. Just my two cents, they can get by without a fridge if your budget is tight!
Not a dorm room necessity, but the Birdy Alarm is something I recommend (especially for all the girls). It’s a stylish alarm you can attach to your keychain and if you’re ever threatened or feel unsafe, you can turn the alarm on. You might consider pepper spray too. If your girls are walking around campus, I highly recommend one or both of those.
Non-toxic everything! I put together dorm room essentials in this Young Living cart - things like laundry soap, diffuser, hand soap, etc. if you want to hit the easy button and grab it all at once! Make sure to use code SHAREYL for 10% off!
Okay, I’m sure there are things that I’m missing! But for the most part, the essentials list does not need to be super long and super expensive. And honestly, after doing a girls dorm room, a boys dorm room seems like a breeze! What is something that was so helpful in your dorm room - or your kiddo’s dorm room? Share with us!
