Recently I saw a post in a Parents of Incoming College Freshman group that blew my mind.

It showed a dorm room filled to the brim with stuff that students living in the dorms didn’t use once.

The college set up a donation room where students could drop off new or like-new stuff that would go to a local shelter.

I saw robotic vacuums and throw pillows with tags on them. Swiffer mops and random kitchen appliances. Curtain rods and unused cleaning products. Storage bins and vacuum sealers. It was bananas.

The take away? College students don’t need so much crap in those small living spaces.

Now, as the parents to both boys and girls, we do not want to be gender discriminatory. All we can say is that some of our daughters often like to decorate a little more than our sons–but even still, there’s just not that much room in most underclassmen dorms, so it’s best to get the essentials to start and then decide what would be nice to have.

Dorm shopping is a lot like a baby shower registry.

I remember having my twins and all the things I thought I needed. Diaper genies, special bottle cleaners, and wipe warmers.

I used zero of it. Keeping it simple when moving your kid into their dorm is the way to go, and then you can always buy additional stuff as needed.

So, we went straight to the source and asked several teen girls (and their parents) what they felt were the absolute ESSENTIALS and some of their product recommendations, and then we added some nice to have items as well.

It’s a short and sweet list with options, just the way we like it!

However, we also have a few other “essentials” you might want to think about as your getting college ready:

quick tip 1: You might want to consider getting your college student an Amazon Prime College Account. This entitles the member to many discounts specific to college students that aren’t available through a regular prime account. You can sign up here Amazon Prime College Account to help save on the essentials listed below and then your student can use it during all four years of college to help quickly order and save money on all sorts of other items they are likely to need.

quick Tip 2: Most parents don’t think about the fact that at 18, their college kid now is entitled to all the legal privacy protections that come with being an adult. This means that if they have a medical or financial emergency, you aren’t automatically entitled to information about them or to be involved in decisions about their care. Don’t be left on the sidelines when your adult child needs you the most. Be sure you put the necessary legal documents in place to avoid this. You can take care of it yourself online quickly, easily and affordably with the Mama Bear Young Adult Power of Attorney Package. Use the Code PTTCollege20 to get 20% off.

Dorm Room Bedding Must-Haves

Sleepyhead College Dorm Room Essential Gel Infused Mattress Topper Twin XL, Thick, Cooling Memory Foam Mattress Topper, Washable Cover, 2” Gel Mattress Pad, 38×80 inchesBedsure Grey Twin XL Mattress Pad – Soft Mattress Topper for College Dorm Room Essentials, Extra Long Twin Bed Cover Protector with 8-21 Inches Deep Pocket, Washable, Grey, 39×80 InchesAmazon Basics Lightweight Super Soft Easy Care Microfiber 4 Piece Bed Sheet Set with Two Pillowcases, Twin XL, Light Gray, SolidUrban Habitat Duvet Set 100% Cotton Jacquard, Tufts Accent, Shabby Chic All Season Cover for Comforter, Matching Shams, Decorative Pillows, Full/Queen (88 in x 92 in), Pink 7 PieceIntelligent Design Queen Comforter Set, Clipped Jacquard Comforter Set Chic Pompom Accent, All Seasons Lightweight & Fluffy Comforter Bed Set with 2 Shams, Lucy, Full/Queen, Blue 3 PieceKASENTEX Luxurious Velvet Quilt Set, 3-Piece Stitch Bedding with Ultra Soft Lightweight Comforter and 2 Pillow Shams, Velvet Bedspread Coverlet for All Season, Twin Size, 68×86 in, Gray GreenTASTHROW Large Flannel Fleece Throw Blanket, 50×70 Inch – Cozy Lightweight Thick Blanket – All Seasons Suitable for Women, Men and Kids (Pink)UGG Coco Luxury Plush Throw Blanket, Ultra-Soft and Cozy with Elegant Tonal Binding, Perfect for Enhancing Sofa or Bedroom Decor, Easy Care Generously Sized at 50 x 70 Inches – Ideal Gift in ShorelineCushyOasis Shredded Memory Foam Pillow for Sleeping, Cooling Bed Pillows Set of 2, Adjustable Pillows for Side, Back, Stomach Sleepers with Washable Pillowcase (Queen Size, Grey)

Quick Tip: Most college dorm room beds are not a standard size, but instead a twin XL. That is the assumption made for all the suggested items below. But be sure to check the residence life page of your college student’s particular school to confirm.

Without a doubt, a good mattress topper is the number one thing parents of college students recommend. The Sleep Foundation rates the Sleepyhead Gel Mattress Topper Twin XL as the best college dorm mattress topper for cooling and comfort, but it’s not cheap. There are other alternatives listed below.

Next, a waterproof mattress cover. College students will spend a lot of time eating and drinking on their dorm beds, so a good waterproof cover is essential. Additionally, some of the college mattresses are old, so you may want to protect your child from any allergens or dustmites that can be stuck inside. The cover will protect the more expensive mattress topper which can be reused. The Bedsure Twin XL Mattress cover is priced right and is the suggested match to the Sleepyhead Gel Mattress topper.

Multiple Sets of Inexpensive Sheets – OK, real talk. Most of the parents we talked to said their daughters (maybe) only washed their sheets once unless they lived close to home which their loving mothers often encouraged them to bring them to the Mom laundromat. So, having a back up set of sheets means they “might” change their sheets in the four months of Fall semester. One of the highest rated XL twin sheet sets is from Amazon Basics they are perfect for dorm rooms and you can’t beat the price. If you do have a college kid that is more apt to use a washing machine and might want a slightly more high end set, you might try these sheets from Mellani are also highly rated and recommended.

A Good Blanket – Depending on what climate your kid is heading to for college, it may impact the weight of blanked you want to purchase. However, keep in mind that some dorm rooms (especially on higher floors) tend to be like ovens year round no matter what the temp is outside and then even in really warm climates, some dorms are kept at frigid temps to discourage mold growth. So, an idea might be to get a few lighter weight ones that can be layered. This Twin XL Microfleece Plush lightweight blanket that comes in many colors is a definite winner and checks all the boxes. If you really think you’ll want something heavier, then these Supersoft Sherpa blankets are so cozy. And if you want to really go fancy, we LOVE these extra soft faux fur blankets for a fun look.

A good set of pillows is also a must. These Bedsure pillows are very highly rated and affordable, but there are many options depending on what kind of sleeper your child is.

Bedding is very personal for most girls we know and there are so many options! You can go with an all-in-one bed-in-a-bag or mix and match depending on her tastes or if she wants to coordinate with her roommate. There are also all-in-one matching sets like the one below that includes towels, sheets, and comforters.

 Comfort Spaces 17 Piece Bed in A Bag Comforter Set Include Sheets with 2 Side Pockets – All Season Cozy Bedding and Bedroom Organizer, College Dorm Room Essentials, Queen, Henry, Teal

Nice to haves that some parents recommended, or if your child wants to class up their dorm room a bit include a headboard and some cute throw pillows (although several college students said those mostly ended up in the corner or on the floor.)

Dorm Room Appliances

Zyerch Mini Refrigerator with Freezer 3.6 Cu. Ft., Small Dorm Fridge with Freezer, Adjustable Thermostat Compact Fridge with Freezer for Apartment, Dorm, Kitchen, Office, SilverFeelfunn Mini Fridge with Freezer – 1.7 Cu.Ft Single Door Mini Refrigerator with Adjustable Thermostat, Energy Saving, Low Noise, Small Fridge for Bedroom, Office, Dorm, Classroom, Apartment – BlackEmeril Lagasse Everyday 360 Stainless Steel Air Fryer, 360° Quick Cook Technology, XL capacity, 9-in-1, 12 Pre-Set Cooking Functions including Bake, Rotisserie, Broil, Pizza, Slow Cook, ToasterTOSHIBA ML4-EM12PA(BS) Countertop Microwave Oven with Stylish Design As Kitchen Essentials, Smart Sensor, 13 Auto Menus&Mute Function, 1.2 Cu Ft with 12.4IRIS USA WOOZOO Fan with Remote, Oscillating Desk Fan, Globe Fan, 10 Speed, 89ft Max Air Distance, Low Noise DC Motor, 8h Timer, 120° Adjustable Tilt, WhiteIRIS USA, Woozoo SC15T, Remote Controlled Compact Globe Oscillating Circulating Fan, White, 1 PackHoneywell HT-900 TurboForce Air Circulator Fan Black – 2 Pack (2) (2)LEVOIT Air Purifier for Home Bedroom, Smart WiFi Alexa Control, Covers up to 916 ft², 3-in-1 Filter with HEPA Sleep Mode for Allergies, Pollutants, Smoke, Dust, 27dB Quiet, Core 200S-P, WhiteLasko Portable Electric 42nutribullet Ultra Personal Blender NB50500, 32 oz, GrayKeurig K-Mini Coffee Maker, Certified Refurbished, Oasis (Renewed)0.5L Small Portable Electric Kettles for Boiling Water, Stainless Steel Travel Kettle, Fast Boil Teapot, Boil-Dry Protection & Auto Shut-Off, Perfect For Traveling Cooking, Coffee, Tea, Eggs(Green)

This is where you can go down the slippery slope. You can rent some of these things but this is what most people said they liked to have in their dorm room.

Quick tip: Make sure to coordinate this with your roommate so you don’t show up with two of everything in move-in day.

Small Refrigerator – College kids are hungry all the time, and often those three hours when everything is closed. Throw in the need for fuel for those late-night study sessions, and a good fridge is a necessity. Be sure you understand the square footage of the dorm room and space available before purchasing a mini-fridge. This highly-rated Compact Dorm Fridge is a pretty safe bet for most dorms; however, if you’re extra tight on space, you might also want to consider this Ultra Compact Dorm Room Fridge.

Microwave – A microwave is a great option for those times your student may not want to leave their room because of bad weather, they are ill, or just don’t have the time. This small countertop Toshiba Microwave is a best seller and perfectly sized for a dorm room. This air fryer is another option, but check with your school’s policy. Some schools (and apartments) allow them, while other do not.

A Fan – Dorms are known for bad air circulation and many colleges in cooler climates don’t have A/C. Additionally, it appears universal that dorm rooms on higher floors tend to be warm year round. This is why a fan has become a must have for most college dorm room. By far the hands down most suggested is the Woozoo 5 Speed Globe Fan. However, they are so popular, they are regularly out of stock and hard to find. So, a few back up options include this slightly more expensive Woozoo model or this much more economical Honeywell Turbo fan. If a tower fan is preferred as it can be a little better space wise and to cool the whole room consider the Lasko Oscillating Tower Fan.

 Lasko Portable Electric 42

Depending on where your child is going to school, an air purifier can be a must-have. Due to the circulation issues mentioned above and the general construction of many dorms, mold can be a pretty significant issue. The schools won’t divulge this information but join any parent group for any college and you’ll hear about it. (P.S. it’s not just the dorms, but many college apartment buildings too). Then there is also the fact that you’re putting a whole bunch of young people in small spaces who aren’t sleeping or eating all that well and therefore are perpetually sick, which means germs spread like wildfire in dorms. Staying healthy is a challenge, but an air filter can certainly help. This Levoit Hepa Air Purifie is fairly compact and effective making it a top choice for dorm rooms, but these pricier Dyson purifiers seemed to be the ones students and parents felt worked best.

Handheld Vacuum– I know you want to believe that your kid will clean their room regularly, but we all know that probably won’t happen, but, we can help them in the instance there are some serious spills. It can also get pretty icky constantly stepping on food crumbs and dirt and debris that gets brought in on over the course of the year. An easy to use and effective handheld vacuum did seem to be something that got some use and could be worth sending. Plus, it doesn’t take up much room and can be thrown in the closet.

A few things the students we spoke with said were nice to have include:

Single Serving Coffee Maker – This was a big yes for a lot of the girls we talked to who wanted a little coffee jolt before an early class. This Mr. Coffee Iced and Hot Coffee Maker was highly recommended as well as this small Keurig.

 Mr. Coffee Iced Coffee Maker, Single Serve Hot and Cold Coffee Maker with 22 ounce Reusable Tumbler, Filter and Wholesalehome Cloth

Air Fryer – It just so happens that I work with college kids and so I asked some of them the other day about the one thing they could not live without in their dorm rooms. And to my surprise, boys and girls alike were 100% hands down most enthusiastic about air fryers. Apparently the air fryer is to Gen Z what the mircrowave to Millenials. This Emeril Lagasse Power Air Fryer was the one they all suggested.

Filtered Water Pitcher – Several college students told us that sometimes their dorm rooms were so dry and they didn’t want to keep leaving their rooms to fill up their water bottles, so a good filtered water pitcher, like this Brita Slim 5 Cup was good to have handy and a few people mentioned they stored this ZeroWater 20 Cup Ready-Pour on top of their refrigerator.

General Dorm Room Essentials

AFROG 5th Gen Multifunctional LED Desk Lamp with 10W Fast Wireless Charger, USB Charging Port,1800Lux Super Bright,5 Lighting Mode,7 Brightness, Touch Control, Auto Timer, 15W Office Table LampSurge Protector Power Strip – 8 Widely Outlets with 4 USB Ports(1 USB C Outlet), Addtam 3-Side Outlet Extender Strip with 5Ft Extension Cord, Flat Plug, Wall Mount for Dorm Home Office, ETL ListedTravel Power Strip with USB Ports, Addtam 4 Outlets 3 USB(2 USB C) with 4FT Wrapped Flat Plug Power Strip, Short Small Extension Cord for Travel Cruise Ship Essentials, WhiteDirt Devil Scorpion Plus QuickFlip Handheld Vacuum Cleaner, Powerful Suction, Lightweight, Includes Quick Flip Crevice Tool, Corded Portable Vacuum CleanerWLIVE 1.3 Gallon / 5 Liter Bathroom Trash Can with Lid, Small Stainless Steel Garbage Can, Slim-Shaped Trash Bin with Step Pedal for Home and Office, Black.The Ultimate College Student Health Handbook: Your Guide for Everything from Hangovers to HomesicknessCare Science First Aid Kit, 110 Pieces | Professional Use for Travel, Work, School, Home, Car, Emergency, Survival, Camping, Hiking, and MoreIkea Frakta Storage Bag – Blue (5)Command Medium Utility Hooks, 20 Hooks and 24 Command Strips, Damage Free Hanging Wall Hooks with Adhesive Strips, No Tools Adhesive Hooks for Hanging, Organization and Storage, Holds up to 3 lbDuck Brand Max Strength Duct Tape, Silver, 1-Roll Pack, 1.88 Inch x 45 Yards, 240201Fiskars PowerArc Heavy-Duty Scissors, Up to 30% More Power, Length 26cm, Durable Stainless Steel Blade/Plastic Handles, 1027205, Orange/Black

These are the things that the general consensus of parents and students agreed were important.

Desk Lamp – The lighting in most dorm rooms is pretty harsh and sometimes you’ve got one roomie pulling an all nighter while the others are trying to actually sleep. A good desk lamp like this multifunctional LED desk lamp with wireless charger and five lighting modes is a solid solution with the added bonus of working as another USB charging option. Power Strip with USB ports – Computer, iphones, appliances, lamps…..you’re getting the idea. These college kids are plugging a ton of stuff in and most dorm rooms don’t come equipped with nearly enough plugs. Inclusion of the USB ports is a must and you can’t go wrong with this perfect five star rated power strip that is ideal for a college dorm room.

Small Trash Can With Lid – We were surprised to find out that most dorm rooms don’t provide trash cans or the ones they do are tiny and don’t have lids. Since small spaces are prone to stink up fast, a solid trash can with a lid isn’t a bad idea.

 Baffect Small Trash Can with Lid Waste Basket Bathroom Garbage Can Dorm Room Essentials for Bedroom, Office, College-2.1 Gallon (Pink)

A well-stocked First Aid Kit – You just never know what may happen, so make sure they have the basics to take care of any cuts or small injuries. We also highly suggest sending them with basic medicines such as Benadryl, Advil/Tylenol, Pepto, etc. so they have some basic remedies when they fall ill. While it might be nice to hear from them, its even better empowering them to figure a few basics of health care themselves, so tuck this handy guide in with their school supplies.

A few nice to have items include:

Space saving hangers. One pro tip has been encouraging young girls not to take all their clothes with them, but if they insist on most of their wardrobe, these hangers can help.

Extra Long phone chargers because your outlet may not be close to your bed.

Bathroom and Laundry Essentials

Cloud Slippers for Women Bathroom Shower Slippers Breathable Slides Sandals Travel Slides for Women GreenOcim XL Portable Shower Caddy for College Dorm, Large Mesh Bathroom Tote Bag for Women & Girls, Foldable Quick Dry for Camping, Gym, Pool, Travel, BlackAttmu Portable Shower Caddy College Tote Bag, Quick Dry Hanging Toiletry Bag, Large Capacity Mesh Shower Caddy Portable for College Dorm Room Essentials for Boys and Girls for Bath Camping (Black)Utopia Towels 8 Piece Luxury Towel Set, 2 Bath, 2 Hand, and 4 Wash Cloths, 600 GSM Ring Spun Cotton, Highly Absorbent Viscose Stripe Towels, Ideal for Everyday use, WhiteOZIPCO Laundry Bag with Straps – Washable Backpack for Dirty Clothes Hamper Bag, Large Portable Shoulder Straps Heavy Duty Nylon Dorm Laundry Bag – Waterproof Reusable Drawstring BagsDOKEHOM 90L Large Laundry Basket, Collapsible Laundry Bag, Freestanding Tall Clothes Hamper, Foldable Washing Bin (Black)Cotton Paradise 6 Piece Towel Set, 100% Cotton Soft Absorbent Turkish Towels for Bathroom, 2 Bath Towels 2 Hand Towels 2 Washcloths, Beige Towel SetBundle of Tide PODS, Spring Meadow Scent, 112 Count + Bounce Dryer Sheets, Outdoor Fresh, 240 CountEarth Breeze Laundry Detergent Sheets Fresh Scent – 60 Loads Eco Liquidless Soap – Travel-Friendly for Hot & Cold Cycles, Tackles Tough Stains & Odors – Gentle on Skin, 30 Ct

Shower Caddy – A slightly more portable hanging shower caddy seems to be the preferred and more modern update to the older bucket style. Not having to set this version on the floor makes it particularly appealing. The key items to include: deodorant, shampoo/conditioner, shower soap, shaving necessities, lotion/sunscreen and brush.

Towel Set – Don’t count on these surviving more than the first year, so this fairly good quality, but not so spendy set is your perfect option. You’ll definitely want at least two sets if you have a kid that probably won’t do their laundry much.

Shower Shoes – Shower shoes are a must, but don’t count on your kiddos to wear them. You might consider showing them some google images of the potential consequences of not wearing them to create a little motivation. And then make if fun, because who doesn’t want to sport funky monkey shower shoes simply for the name alone?!

Laundry Baskets/Bags – Let’s talk about how laundry is going to go down. If they actually do their laundry, they will not fold it, so buy at least two of these brilliantly designed laundry basket and bag all in ones. One to hold the clean laundry and one for the dirty laundry. A lot of students also liked this simple, easily portable laundry bag like this one with the handy compartment for detergent or these popup mesh bags. And if you have a traditionalist where the laundry room is close by, these Collapsible Plastic Laundry Baskets can also serve as temporary storage containers as well.

 SAMMART 41L (10.8 gallon) Set of 2 Collapsible 3 Handled Plastic Laundry Basket-Foldable Pop Up Storage Container/Organizer-Space Saving Hamper/Basket (2, Black)

Heavy Duty Extra Large Clear Moving Bags with Backpack Straps or Ikea bags. These make moving stuff in and out so much easier. Another parenting pro tip said using nesting rolling suitcases to pack as much stuff as possible worked well. Just stick everything you can in there and then you can stack then in and take them with you.

Not Essential, But Some Dorm Room Decor (and Other Stuff) Your Girl May Love

We asked the college girls in our lives, and these are a few of the things they felt like they loved having in their dorm room.

Bed risers: Some schools have furniture that stacks, while others you may need some sturdy bed risers in order to give some additional under-the-bed storage.

Full length mirror: We get this. I mean, you want to make sure your fit is slaying for Friday night, right (I think I just literally heard my daughter roll her eyes reading this.) But seriously, a full length mirror like this one which goes over the door is great.

Washable floor rug: Definitely not essential, but the girls we talked to liked to be able to sit on the floor sometimes and not feel grossed out. They recommended a washable floor rug that someone could bring home in the instance there was some spills (and of course there are always some spills.)

 Ompaa Ultra Soft Geometric Bedroom Rugs Memory Foam Carpet, Black 3 x 5 Feet, Cozy Area Rugs for Living Room Couch Dorm Bedside Kids Girls Teens Room Nursery Decor Floor Mat

Shoe organizers: Never get between a girl and her shoes. A few of the girls we spoke with loved this under the bed shoe organizer but also this over-the-door one to store overflow shoes, snacks and extra toiletries.

Shower rod and a fabric shower curtain: One girl told me that she put up a cute shower curtain to hide the mess that was in her closet! Brilliant!

Bedside shelf: Again, definitely not essential, but the girls we talked to liked having somewhere to put there water bottle, phone, glasses, etc. that were close by, especially if your bed was elevated. A shelf of a bedside caddy was a highly popular suggestion.

Fairy lights: Yep, almost all the girls said they had fairy lights strung up somewhere in their dorm room. We love these lights that also have photo clips for all those family pictures!

Storage ottoman. Again, this is dependent upon the size of your student’s room, but some liked to have an ottoman for extra storage and seating. This one is small and also converts to a chair.

Blackout Curtains: One student told us she would have never made it through her freshman year without her blackout curtains. She was on the top floor of her dorm and the sun crashed into her room every morning. The blackout curtains allowed her to get a little extra shut eye.

What NOT To Buy

There is more that could be added to this list and you can figure out some of the items that might be a little more particular to your child. But the idea is to keep things as simple as possible. Start small and if they need more stuff, that’s why Amazon Prime was invented. Better to get items as they go then to end up with a bunch of stuff they never use. However, here are a few things better left never bought:

• A TV (that’s what their phones and your netflix password are for and it just takes up space)
• Plates, silverware or any kind of any food consumption device that requires washing (they won’t ever get washed)
• A Printer (there is rarely room for it, they will run out of paper, ink, etc – it’s a hassle and there are plenty on campus. Also, they electronically submit most of their assignments to their professor.)
• A ton of new clothes (see all the laundry comments above – keep it to the bare minimum, but extra undies maybe..)
• Luggage – there is no where to store it. Go for these instead.
• Tons of cleaning products – grab some Clorox wipes and call it good.
• An iron (LOL!!!!) or other silly small appliances (toaster, panini press, waffle maker, you get the idea)
• Overly fancy decor, candles(which are a fire hazard) or anything that will just be clutter. Most girls told us they decorated with some of their favorite photos and that was it.
  

Parenting teens and college students is hard, but these popular posts other parents found helpful might just make it a little bit easier. 

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