The average college student (and parents!) will spend $916.48 on dorm-room furniture, school supplies, electronics and more this year, according to the National Retail Federation’s 2014 Back-to-College Survey. That's a lot of money. So we think it’s important that your student arrives on campus with items that the old pros – current college students – say are things you can’t survive without in a Home Sweet Dorm. Here are 10 of them, in no particular order: Alarm Clock.Amy Mrotek ’16 Power Strips and Plug Adaptors. See the full list of recommended items courtesy of Residential Education and Housing.Dorm Life 101: What Parents and Students Need to Know The college shopping season is officially upon us! With that comes a long list of questions relating to dorm room shopping. Our college experts took to Twitter with answers, tips, and advice for both parents and students. If we missed anything, leave a comment on this post or send a tweet to @BedBathBeyond, and we’ll be happy to get back to you.
Q. What size sheets fit dorm room beds? The most common is a Twin Extra Long, but check out your school’s information page to be sure. Q. What are the essential items to bring & what is the most commonly forgotten item? One of the most important things is to get a mattress pad or topper to make your thin dorm bed more comfortable. In terms of the most commonly forgotten items: Command hooks, bed risers, and a door stop! Q. What’s the best way to maximize space in a small room? Take advantage of vertical space. Use an over the door valet, wall hooks and a double hang closet rod. You can also maximize space by using bed risers -they will add 3-8” of extra storage space. In addition to the closet ideas, desk organizers are a must! Save desktop space with a clip-on shelf. Multi-use items like storage ottomans are also useful- you can use them as an extra seat and to store. Lastly, keep items you use less in under bed stacking drawers or boxes so they’re organized and out of the way.
Q. I have so many clothes. How can I maximize closet space? Slimline hangers and a double hang closet rod are a must! Also make sure to fold clothes with shelf organizers and totes, and make sure to use a shoe rack. Q. How can I make my dorm room feel like home? For the comfort of home, add a memory foam topper or fiberbed. For the feel, bring your favorite pictures of family and friends, and for the style of home, add fun wall décor, decorative pillows and cozy blankets. You can also watch our “Comforts of Home” video for additional tips and advice. Q. Which products are strictly not allowed in most dorm rooms? Most schools don’t allow space heaters, candles, or halogen lamps, but check with your school for the complete list. Q. What are the best themes/color schemes/trends for dorm rooms? We love boho chic and bright fun patterns like stripes and geo prints, which can be found on our college bedding page. Q. What’s the best way to decorate my dorm on a budget?
Make sure to get the necessities (bedding/storage/bath items) first, then see what you have leftover in your budget for fun items like wall décor. Q. How can guys decorate their dorm rooms without them looking too girly? What are the essentials for male dorm room living? A few tips: Decorate your walls with posters from sports teams, bands, and movies you like. You can also get bedding in colors like navy, gray, or green. Lastly, don’t let your mother, sister, or girlfriend decorate your room! Q. How can my roommate and I coordinate so that our bedding/wall décor matches? Come up with a color scheme together and communicate over the summer about what each person is buying. Q. What’s the best way to hang wall decorations so they don’t ruin the walls? Command hooks and wall safe adhesives work best. Make sure to check with your school to find out what’s allowed. Now I am sure that all of you think that your bed is the most comfortable bed in the world, especially at 6:30 when you need to get out of it, but this fantasy will be shattered once you get to school, unless you do the following:
Imagine your dorm bed as the most uncomfortable piece of metal and plastic that you will ever lay on (or course, this isn’t true. I had friends at UCLA sleep directly on the mattress itself with only a sheet in between and they were fine. But, being fine is not as fun as being uhhhh-mazing). Think to yourself, what is my dream bed like? Is it so soft? Is it soft like a t-shirt or smooth and luxurious like a silk bath robe? Now go to Target / Bed Bath & Beyond /your linen closet and start searching for things that will make your sleeping experience the only experience you want to have. Remember, you are trying to get from hellish plastic mattress to personalized supreme slumber-inducer. For example, my friend decided she liked having a really cushy soft bed. She bought a mattress pad, two memory foam egg crates, and the nicest pair of jersey sheets that were available in “extra long twin” (this is a fallacy, by the way, you do not need to buy your sheets to fit an extra long twin if your sheets are stretchy, like jersey.
Regular twin is fine. I can’t say, however, that other, non-stretching varieties will be fine in regular twin). Another friend decided she wanted a more royal sleep during her time at UCLA and opted for a firmer bed with satin sheets. She got the firmer bed by investing in a firm egg crate (I’m not really sure where to find these but some are firmer than others). And, of course, the satin sheets are just satin sheets. These are what I am referring to when I say “non-stretching variety.” Now that you have the foundation for your bed, it is important to place heavy consideration on the types of blankets and comforters you should be bringing. I brought one super nice blanket and my thin comforter because I lived in De Neve and we had AC and heating. If you are living in a place like Dykstra or the suites, you may want to pack more layers, sort to speak, because of the wider range of temperatures you will be experiencing.I bought all three of my pillows from Target, and they were pretty inexpensive.