Categories: College Life

15 Things To Buy For Your Dorm You Will Use Until You Graduate

When it comes to living in a dorm room, there are plenty of things you will need to buy. It goes without saying that college is expensive. Not only do you have tuition, meal plans, and housing payments to consider, but also the furniture, utilities, and supplies you will need for your dorm room. After all, it is the place you will call home for the next four years. To help you narrow down the essentials from the fun items on your list, here are 15 things to buy for your dorm room that I promise you will use until you graduate.

1. Standing Floor Lamp

One of the primary essential things to buy for your dorm room is a standing floor lamp. These are easy to come by and inexpensive to purchase. That is if you are going for simplicity. If you are one who looks for style and every piece of furniture has to fit and look a certain way, then you may be looking at a couple hundred dollars just for a standing lamp. Keep that in mind!

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2. Rolling Utility Cart

Rolling utility carts are seen in almost every dorm room. Not to say that is the reason they are one of the essentials things to buy for your dorm room. Still, they do serve their purpose well, in terms of creating an organized space. Whether it be in the bathroom, common room, bedroom, or even in your closet.

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3. Standing Shelf

When you need more storage and trust me, you will, one of the best things to buy is a standing shelf. Not only does it take little space up from your already-too-small dorm room, but it helps with keeping things organized and safe from being cluttered with something else. I bought and used one to store my towels above the toilet in my dorm room’s bathroom. My roommates and I all shared it and used it to store our towels, rags, and other necessities.

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4. Desk

A desk! Need I say anything more? What is a college student to do if there is no desk in their dorm room? Study in the louder-than-a-party-on-a-Friday-night library? Haha. No. Unfortunately, some colleges and universities do not supply their on-campus dorm rooms and students with desks. So, you may have to go out and buy your own. It may be a little pricey, but I guarantee if you pick a sturdy and decent desk, you are bound to use it until you graduate.

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5. Desk Lamp

What use is a desk without a desk lamp? Especially on those late-night study sessions, when you try and cram everything in for the next morning exam. You need good lighting to study in. Not to mention, it will help keep you focused. If a desk is on the list of essential things to buy for your dorm room, you should know a desk lamp and chair will be on there too.

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6. Desk Chair

As I said before, if a desk is on the list of essential things to buy for your dorm room, you should know the desk chair will be on there too. I mean, what else are you suppose to sit and lounge in while you attempt to memorize everything you have learned the semester, within one night?

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7. Closet Organizer

This may not seem essential, but for those first-time college students who packed way too much for their first year of, I know I did, one of the things you are going to want to buy is a closet organizer. Trust me! Whether you think you will use it or not, I promise that you will. Also, if you are sharing a room with one or two roommates, they will love you for this.

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8. Cube Storage

Another one of the best things to buy for your dorm room, in terms of storage, is a cube storage unit. Four-cube. Six-cube or an 8-cube shelf unit will do. As long as it serves its purpose, I say purchase a cube unit with as many as 12-cubes. Just be sure you use all of the space it provides.

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9. Couch

Most dorm rooms have a common room. A room where all roommates could hang out, relax, and get to know one another. If you have the benefit of having one of these rooms in your dorm room, I suggest purchasing a couch or two. Talk about it with your roommates. I promise whether you purchased it, or everyone split it, you or one of your roommates will use it until either of you graduate.

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10. T.V. Stand

Now, whether you pitched in for the T.V., or one of your roommates just decided they would buy it, you will need a stand for the T.V. to rest on. It could be an extravagant entertainment center with shelving or a simple rectangular table. Whatever the case may be. Regardless, you will need a T.V. stand, and whoever purchases it or pitches in, they will use it until they graduate. Maybe even after. If I had not thrown mine away before I graduated, I know I would still be using it.

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See Also

11. Throw Pillows

Since you made the effort of buying a couch, why not purchase a few throw pillows? I mean, just because it is a dorm room does not mean it has to look or feel like it. The throw pillows could be for your bed, too. Not just for the couch in the common room. It could be essential to your happiness of living on campus. I think we are falling into the ‘want’ side of the essentials things to buy for your dorm room.

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12. Towels

Towels! What else were you thinking of drying your body off with for the next four years? I mean, I know I said I was beginning to fall into the ‘want’ side of the list of things to buy for your dorm room, but these are essential. If you do not think you will use these until you graduate, or die, then I do not want to know what is going through your head.

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13. Vacuum

Most dorm rooms do not have tiled flooring. Instead, it is the carpet. Now, I much prefer carpet flooring than tile for a dorm room. One of the reasons is because they are easier to clean with a vacuum than a mop or a Swiffer. That being said, one of the essential things to buy for your dorm room is a vacuum. Believe me, you will use it until you graduate or until it breaks.

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14. Wall Art

I know! I am back on the ‘want’ side of things to buy for your dorm room. I am fairly sure I have gone through all of the essential essentials. So, why not, right? One thing you should consider buying that you may use until you graduate, it is all up to you, is wall art. Whether it is actual art, paintings, pictures, letters, postcards, or anything else you can think of decorating your dorm room in. Like I said earlier, it is this place you will be calling home for the next four years.

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15. String Lights

Lastly, one of the most essential things to buy for your dorm room that I promise you will use until you graduate is string lights. I do not know if it is the lighting they provide, the atmosphere, or just how they look in the room, but string lights are just the thing you need to complete your room. I bought some string lights, and I still use them in my room, today. My roommates and I even pitched in to buy enough string lights for our entire common room. Again, I do not know what it is about them that makes them essential, but they are.

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What things did you buy for your dorm room? Did you use all of them until you graduated, or do you think you will? Let us know in the comments below!

Feature Image Source: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/421297740146132409/
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Makeila Hofer

"Writing, to me, is simply thinking through my fingers."

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