15 Dorm Essentials You’ll Want to Pack Sooner Rather Than Later

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Are you or someone you know headed to college soon? 

Besides nailing down your dorm room’s aesthetic, you’re probably getting ready for this next chapter by picking up sheets, pillows, a coffee maker, storage containers and other necessities. But, there’s probably a few things that aren’t on your priority list that you’ll definitely want to have as you settle in your new home away from home.

To avoid a handful of trips to the store during move-in weekend, we rounded up dorm must-haves like shower shoes, dehumidifiers, portable laundry bags, extension cords & more things that you might forget to pack. Take it from us, making your mom drive across town several times to the nearest department store is a real vibe killer.

For the dorm essentials you didn’t know you needed, scroll below!

Dalykate Backpack Laundry BagOne of the most inconvenient aspects of living in a college dorm is the laundry situation — chances are you’ll probably have to travel down some floors, trek across the building, or even walk to another building to get your laundry in the washer. Save yourself the hassle of lugging a traditional laundry basket across campus with this convenient laundry bag, which you can carry like a backpack while also storing your detergent & more.

Ticonn Extra Large Moving Bags – Pack of 6In a word, move-in day can be described as chaos. If you’re lucky, you might be able to score a moving cart. But, if you really want to minimize the number of trips you have to make to and from your car (amid the hoards of parents & other students), you’ll want to have these durable moving bags with 29,100+ five-star Amazon reviews on hand.

Command Large Utility HooksNails and push pins can be a no-no at certain colleges. Avoid the fines with these easy-to-use utility hooks to hang artwork, hats and jackets.

Honeywell HYF260 Quiet Set Whole Room Tower FanNot all college students have the luxury of air conditioning. So, come prepared with a quiet yet powerful tower fan that will keep the room from feeling like a sauna.

Corelle Vitrelle 28-oz Soup/Cereal Bowls – Set of 6Take it from a former RA: please, don’t be that person that causes the fire alarms to go off in your building because you didn’t use microwave-safe dishes when making a snack. Safe yourself the awkward situation by picking up this set of six bowls — they’re chip-resistant, stain-resistant, microwave-safe, and dishwasher-safe.

BeeGreen Reusable Grocery Bags – Pack of 6Grocery trips can be a bit of a larger chore when you’re in college, especially if you don’t have a car to help transport your bags of snacks & ingredients. These specific reusable grocery bags were a lifesaver for me back in college — I loved that I could fold them down into squares small enough for my pockets, and then simply unfold them to carry my groceries back on the bus with me. I had some pretty heavy hauls at times, and not once did they snap.

Shevalues Shower ShoesOne bathroom essential you definitely wouldn’t think to get is shower shoes! Since you’re likely to be sharing showers with tons of people, it is best to protect your feet from bacterial and fungal infections.

Atmu Mesh Shower CaddySpeaking of which, shower caddy is also a must-have for dorm living. There’s nothing worse than having to haul your shampoo, conditioner, body wash and other shower must-haves across your floor to the bathroom. This organizer will help you tote everything with ease.

NY Threads Womens Fleece Hooded BathrobeSave yourself the trouble of shuffling from the dorm bathroom to your room wrapped in a breezy towel (or uncomfortably changing in the shower stall) by wearing this fleece bathrobe. It has 33,400+ five-star reviews on Amazon, with multiple shoppers noting how comfy, warm, and plush it is; plus, the front pockets are great for carrying your phone, dorm room keys & other small essentials.

Genevieve Mid-century Modern Wide Boucle Swivel Accent Arm ChairAs someone who lived in a dorm for all four years of college, one of the shopping regrets I have is not investing in a cute & comfy room chair. Hear me out: Your chair will be where you’ll be spending most of your time in your room (hello, endless late-night study sessions). The chairs that come with the room are usually uncomfortable and definitely have been sat on by more strangers’ butts than you can count. Plus, they’re not stylish like this accent arm chair — it’s available in seven colors that will totally upgrade your room’s aesthetic and is designed to cradle your back with plenty of spacious seating area.

DampRid Hanging Moisture Absorber – Pack of 3When you first walk into your dorm room, you’ll probably notice how stale the air is — it makes sense, considering the windows have probably been closed for months and the buildings can be quite old. Rather than busting out air freshener that will just temporarily cover up the musty smell, eliminate the odors with these shopper-loved moisture absorbing packs.

General Medi 2-in-1 First Aid Kit (215 Pieces) + Mini First Aid Kit (43 Pieces)Now that your mom won’t be close by with her trusty first aid kit, you’ll definitely want to get your own. This set comes with a 215-piece hospital grade kit and an additional 43-piece mini kit, so you can always stay prepared whether you’re chilling in your room or traveling to your next class.

Simple Houseware Adjustable Closet Hanging RodDorms are pretty tiny by default, and you certainly won’t have the same amount of room to hang up your wardrobe (especially if you have roommates). Maximize your precious closet  space with this genius wired vertical rod that hangs down and can be adjusted in one-inch increments.

Whitmor Hanging Shoe ShelvesOn a similar note, you’ll want to have this hanging shoe shelf on your packing list if you don’t want to deal with a messy pile of shoes stacked up by your room’s door. You can store up to eight pairs of shoes while saving floor space, or even use it to store small items like folded clothes, makeup, socks, underwear & more.

Mifaso 10-ft Long Flat Plug Extension CordWhen it comes to dorm rooms, the outlets are 1.) few, 2.) placed in inconvenient corners of the room, or 3.) all of the above. As such, we recommend picking up this 10-feet power strip that have three USB ports and six outlets to help you keep your devices charged. Plus, it comes with an on/off switch to help save energy and protect against overheating.

Speaking of dorms & college, these top-rated small appliances from Amazon make great graduation gifts for the class of 2024!

-Originally published on Wednesday, Aug. 11, 2021 at 5:00 a.m. PST.