College Dorm Essentials Checklist

Shower essentials

• Towels. You’ll need a towel, so it’s good to have two or three. Be sure to hang it up after each use or it won’t dry, and it’ll start to smell. Get bath, face, and hand towels, so you don’t have to share towels and germs.
• Shower caddy. It’s not uncommon for college dorms to have communal restrooms with shower stalls. Because of this, you’ll need to carry your shampoo, soap, and whatever else you need for the shower to and from your room. A shower caddy makes it easy to carry things without feeling like your arms are overloaded.
• Shower sandals. Buy a pair of cheap flip-flops to wear in the shower. Shared showers are a great place to share highly contagious diseases like athlete’s foot, ringworm, and others.

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Bedding

• Mattress pad. A mattress pad serves a couple of purposes in a college dorm. Not only is it likely that you’ll be sleeping on a cheap mattress, but there have also been a lot of people sleeping on that cheap mattress over the years. Your pad can make your mattress a little more comfortable while adding another layer between you and the other people who have slept on that bed.
• Bed linens. You’re going to have to supply your own bed linens. Bring a fitted sheet, top sheet, and a blanket or comforter that you like. Bring a backup set, as well. College dorms aren’t always the warmest places during the winter, so make sure you have extra blankets and throws to stay warm while you sleep.
• Pillows. It doesn’t matter if you sleep with one, two, or three pillows; make sure you have what you like. Again, you’ll probably be sharing your room with another person, so don’t go crazy with pillows. Plus, those twin beds don’t give you a lot of extra space.

Laundry basics

• Hangers. It’s normal for dorm rooms to have some kind of wardrobe. Whether it’s a closet or a cabinet, you’ll have a place to put your clothes. Bring some hangers to put your clothes on because you probably won’t have enough space in the drawers to fold everything.
• Laundry hamper. Throwing your clothes in a pile on the floor works when you’re living at home, but it’s inappropriate when you have a roommate. Keep your dirty clothes in a laundry hamper, so your room doesn’t get messy. It will also make it much easier for you to carry everything to the laundry room.
• Laundry detergent. Start the semester with laundry detergent, so you’re not running to the store on a day when you don’t have any clothes to wear.

Electronics

• Laptop or tablet. Laptops have become commonplace on college campuses. From taking notes to writing papers to doing projects, your laptop will get plenty of use while you’re in school. If you prefer to use a tablet, (this is understandable because they can be much lighter to carry in a backpack) it’s a good idea to have an external keyboard so you can type faster than if you’re using a touchscreen. Either way, buy a case to protect your device while it’s in your bag.
• Headphones. Whether you choose to listen to music while you do homework or have to watch videos for class, it’s courteous to have headphones, so you’re not disturbing other people around you.

School supplies

• Book bag. Get a book bag that you like. It doesn’t matter if it’s an over-the-shoulder messenger bag or a backpack; find something comfortable that fits your laptop, a few books, and a notebook.
• Index cards and sticky notes. From creating flashcards to tracking deadlines, index cards and sticky notes will be your friend in college. Buy a pack of each to have on hand, so you have them when you need them.
• Notebooks. You can’t always use a computer to take notes. Have a notebook or two available to use at all times.

Desk items

• Desk lamp. Some dorm rooms will have a desk with an overhead lamp. While this can be helpful, it might also be too bright. A small desk lamp can be helpful when you’re pulling an all-nighter writing a paper but don’t want to light up your room like the 4th of July.
• Fan or space heater. Dorm rooms don’t always have perfect temperature regulation. A fan can help during warm months while a space heater is often ideal for winter months.
• Small trash can. You’re going to make trash, so you need somewhere to put it. Get a small trash can to put next to your desk for everything from first drafts of papers to midnight snack wrappers.

Miscellaneous items There are any number of college dorm essentials you might want to have with you. If you don’t have a car, bring your bike, skateboard, or scooter to get around campus. Bring your yoga mat, guitar, or video game console, so you have things to do during your free time. Keep in mind, once again, that you’re likely to be sharing space with another person so you’ll have to stay organized. If something seems like it’s going to take up too much space, it’s probably not appropriate. Another tip: if you have a roommate, it might be a good idea to create an roommate organizer that tracks things like chores, your budget for groceries, etc.

Now you have a basic college dorm checklist! By the way, don’t forget to take advantage of great deals on productivity software for students, featuring all the popular apps you need to stay organized and make the grade.