While some of us will not have the option of being on campus this next fall semester, some campuses are going to be open. I know my University is giving us the option of remote learning or being on campus. They plan on placing people in fewer dorm rooms and keeping classes small so that there will be enough space between people in classrooms.
For those of you who have the opportunity to go back on campus, there are some essential dorm room items that you should bring along. Some of them are for decor in your dorm room, but others will serve a purpose that you will thank yourself later for buying. Here are fifteen dorm room items you can find on Amazon that are essential for you this next fall in college.
I know the dorm rooms have locks on their doors, however, you always want to make sure your more private things are inaccessible to anyone but yourself. This dorm room item is essential, especially if you don’t really know your roommate. Not that you shouldn’t trust them, but wouldn’t you rather be safe than sorry?
This dorm room safe is small and can also be a cool feature to your room. Unless you want to hide it in your closet, which I understand. But, if you plan on visiting home or leaving for a weekend, you can keep your stuff in here so they are extra safe.
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These lamps are literally the best thing. Plus, you won’t have to worry about having to find that outlet to plug your phone charger in. That was the worst when I lived in a dorm. Mine was right behind my bed frame and I went through many chargers because they had to all go over the bed, which shortened the cords.
This lamp will be a nice piece of decor for your room but also serves as the very important charging port for your phones and other devices. You just need to make sure you have a nightstand to put it on. But those are easy to find as well.
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This dorm room item is essential even if you didn’t live in a dorm room. Even if you don’t have carpet, having a vacuum is wonderful if and when you have any messes that are too much of a hassle to pick up.
I had carpet in my dorm room, and having two girls in one room, you get a lot of hair strands everywhere. Having a vacuum was a serious blessing as it wasn’t a hairy mess all of the time. Trust me, you’ll really need one of these.
Another dorm room item that is a must is a foam topper. When I got to my dorm room, my mattress looked like one of those gym mats that we used in elementary school. It wasn’t horrible, but I definitely dreamed of getting one of these. I just never got around to it.
So, don’t wait like me. Get one now so that you can sleep like a baby. I was always tired going to classes, and it was partly because of that bed. This gel swirl memory foam topper is the perfect size for your XL twin and is so comfy!
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This dorm room item is seriously so nice, especially if you don’t have bunk beds. With this floating nightstand, you will not have to deal with going out and actually buying a nightstand and hauling it all the way to your room. You can buy different colors, and they are pretty sturdy so you don’t have to worry about it falling off and spilling everything.
I remember I had a lot of meals while in bed, I know kind of gross, but this nightstand would have been a wonderful little table for me to set food on so I didn’t have to put it in my lap.
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You will have some empty walls to deal with, and if you were like me who doesn’t have a ton of posters to put up, your walls are going to be pretty bare. So, get one of these awesome floating wall shelves. Buy some plants to put on them or a couple of picture frames of you and your friends. It will definitely add to your dorm room decor.
Just make sure you check into your university or college rules about what goes on the walls. I used push pins in my wall to make sure I wasn’t making big holes.
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There are going to be days that you will not want to or do not have time to go to your dining room and eat the school’s meals. This dorm room item is super handy when it comes to fixing a quick meal. You can cook up some yummy cans of soup, Top-Ramen, rice, or pasta. It will make your life so much easier!
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Out of all of the dorm room items, a comfy chair is close to the top of the list. One issue I always found in college was visiting my friend’s dorm and not having anywhere to sit. We had to sit on the floor. If you are close with your roommate, have both of you chip in on the chair so you can share it, or just be the courteous friend and buy it for everyone to sit on.
There are many variations of bean bag chairs. They all come in different colors and sizes. The one off of Amazon is actually a blow-up chair, but you can find some bean bag chairs on there as well that are quite nice.
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A rug is such a nice dorm room item that you won’t know you want until you don’t have one. You’ll definitely want this dorm room item if you don’t have carpet in your dorm room. A shag rug is also ten times comfier and if you have any friends that spend the night, a rug won’t be the worst place for them to sleep.
If you do get a rug, you’ll absolutely want to buy a vacuum since that material can draw more dirt. The two are kind of a package deal really.
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Having mood lighting in your dorm room is actually really nice. Especially at night when you and your roommate are trying to wind down from a busy day in classes. It is nice to just turn them on and watch a little Netflix of just play on your phone.
This dorm room item isn’t really essential, but it is super nice to have, and they also give your room a really cool aesthetic that will get many comments from friends. Your room will definitely be the party room!
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This dorm room item is so nice to have. I had mornings when I was trying to get ready for the day, but my roommate was still sleeping. I didn’t want to wake her up by turning on the lights, so this was a huge help. The light isn’t too intense and it also is great lighting for when you are doing your makeup. I know when I am in dimmer light, doing my makeup is a train wreck.
This dorm room item comes in different colors and is very nice to have. the outer mirrors do close so you can tuck it away nice and neat and not have to worry about it sticking out like a sore thumb if that is something that worries you.
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Along with a chair, a nice ottoman is always a great dorm room item to have. It can also work as a seat if you have multiple people in your room. This round pouf ottoman has a great pattern that will go nicely with your decor. Make sure to find one on Amazon that matches your color scheme, you have many options.
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If you are living in a dorm hall that has separate bathrooms than the dorm rooms, you definitely want one of these so that hauling your stuff to the bathroom is a lot easier. There are three compartments on this dorm room item and it can also hang from a bar so that you don’t have to hold it while in the bathroom. It is also very easy to store in your room.
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It isn’t something you normally think about when getting your things together for college, but there will be good and bad smells in your dorm room from time to time. This dorm room item is so nice because they are environmentally friendly and are also kind of cute. You can buy them in a bundle and set a couple out in different areas around your dorm room. If you are looking for something a little more robust, some humidifiers will use essential oils that might work a bit better than these purifying bags.
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I had to put my shoes in drawers because there was no room on my closet floor (I had my suitcase in there). This shoe carousel can hang inside of your closet and fits fifteen pairs of shoes. You can also store more clothes or other items within the middle of the carousel. It is a great storage item to have during your semester this next fall.
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