Prepping for college doesn’t mean you have to opt for disposable junk destined to end the semester in plastic shards. And as Ilana Drake, a recent graduate of Vanderbilt University who lived on campus for four years, advises, it is better to move in with fewer items. “A lot of people get inspiration from social media or have a Pinterest board [of college dorm decor], but you don’t need everything,” she says. “People tend to overpack for college.”
Whether you or someone you know is university-bound, I’ve curated a list of the most helpful (and sometimes overlooked) essentials that are high-quality enough to bring back every academic year, whatever your budget.
These suggestions are rooted in experience. I have served as a longtime mentor for young people who are about college-going age, so I asked more than a dozen current students, recent graduates and their relatives to recommend their favorite dorm picks.
Read on for our choices by category, as well as what you don’t need. But first: the top three items that kept coming up over and over again.
All prices current at the time of publication.
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Top three college dorm essentials
Nothing Ear (a) wireless earbuds
$89.00 at Amazon
$89.00 at Nothing
Carlos Lerma, a Columbia College student, swears by noise-cancelling headphones. “Dorm walls are thiiiiiiin, and things can get chaotic fast if your roommate has friends over, plays video games late into the night, or if music is blasting from down the hall,” writes Carlos. “I go to a film school, and there was a short film being shot in my building … at 3am. Having headphones on standby was clutch. Total lifesaver.” The Guardian reviewed these Nothing earbuds and reports they “offer great sound and noise cancelling for an even more competitive price”.
Sleepyhead gel memory foam topper with CoolTech classic cover
$249.00 at Amazon
$299.00 at SleepyHead
“Dorm beds are so comfortable,” said no one ever. Across the board, students sang the praises of a mattress topper, and Sleepyhead is a popular, college-student-founded brand committed to the climate-friendly production of gel mattress toppers. “Oftentimes the mattresses that are provided in the dorms are hard, so a topper just gives you an extra cushion for comfort”, says Olivia Shen, a student at the University of California, Santa Barbara.
Baggu small cosmetic case (for building a first-aid kit)
$38.00 at Baggu
Illness spreads like wildfire at a college dorm building – so nearly every source has suggested bringing a first-aid kit. For building your own, I suggest a Baggu cosmetic case and filling it with what you need. A Baggu can be easily repurposed and is made of recycled plastic. “When your child is away and gets sick for the first time, you’ll know the call – it starts with a panicked ‘Mommmmyyy’. I’ve been there,” says Nita Talwar, a mom of two recent college graduates. “We stocked our kits with NyQuil, Emergen-C, headache and allergy meds, Band-Aids, and Uppy electrolyte drink mix.”
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Bedding and bedside accessories
Cotton sheets from Boll & Branch or The Company Store
$638 at Boll & Branch
$75.20 at The Company Store
For when not pulling an all-nighter, a good set of bedsheets will be appreciated. Deborah J Cohan, a professor at the University of South Carolina Beaufort and the author of The Complete U, a college success guide, has these Boll & Branch sheets – and recommends the twin XL bundle for incoming students. (It comes with a comforter, sham, flat sheet, fitted sheet and a pillowcase. All are made of 100% organic cotton.) While pricey, “these sheets are like a warm hug that will lull you into your best sleep,” she says. If you’re looking to spend less than $100, the twin XL organic cotton percale sheet set from The Company Store is a solid bet, and it comes with a flat sheet, fitted sheet and pillowcase.
Modern Innovations bedside shelf
$17.99 at Amazon
$26.99 at Walmart
Dorm beds – especially if it’s lofted or in a shared space – are not exactly set up for nightstands. Maggie Morris, a West Kentucky University student, has found a cheeky solution: “This bedside tray is like a loyal sidekick that holds your phone, water bottle and midnight snacks, and it doesn’t judge your 2am scrolling habits! It clips right to your dorm bed like it was born to be there. It makes my life so much more organized and easier while living in a dorm!”
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Desk
Pottery Barn Teen dry-erase calendar
$129 at PB Teen
Time management: it’s a challenge for many of us, and not least college students on their own for the first time. “Years ago, the mother of a Smith first-year hired me to be her daughter’s time management coach because she had missed multiple assignments,” says Dominique Padurano, a college counselor and adjunct professor at State University of New York. Padurano’s solution for the student? A dry-erase board as “a daily visual reminder of when things were due, so you don’t slip into the digital morass of your phone calendar”.
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Technology
Belkin 12-outlet surge protector
$27.99 at Best Buy
$27.99 at Amazon
“We got my sister a portable charger and a plug extender because dorm outlets are never where you need them,” says Joanna Gołacka, who moved her sibling into a Boston school recently. This model has 12 outlets and an 8ft (2.4-meter) cord. Surge protectors are an extra level of protector for your electronics and may be required by the college.
JBL Clip 5 portable waterproof bluetooth speaker
$49.99 at Walmart
$59.95 at JBL
Despite its compact size, this portable speaker from JBL is powerful. This particular style is made from 90% recycled polycarbonate and is certified waterproof and dustproof, perfect for blasting tunes in the shower or to take with you outdoors. “Music is such a good way to bring people together, and having a speaker I could carry anywhere was a total gamechanger,” says Ella Cason, a student at Northeastern University. “From getting ready for a night out with my roommate to laying out on the quad with friends, it allows me to connect with the people around me. It’s one of my favorite freshman-year purchases.”
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Room and decor
BN-Link dimmable floor lamp
$32.99 at Walmart
Dorm room lighting can be vibeless, so Tracy Roy, a mother of a Roanoke College student, recommends a dimmable floor lamp – with a small base to fit in tight spaces. “It makes the room so much homier since the overhead is usually terrible. My son was so upset when his plug broke and he was without it for a couple weeks,” she says.
Woozoo five-speed fan
$49.99 at Costco
$64.95 at Amazon
What no one tells you about dorm life is how difficult it is to thermoregulate, which is why Woozoo has become a cult favorite product. It’s sleek, compact, has multi-oscillation and speed options, and can generate airflow up to 82ft. “Be sure you get the five-speed model for maximum air circulation and cooling,” says Lara Becker, a mom of two college students and founder of The Dorm Guide. “Fun fact: moms who try out the fan to see what all of the hype is about tend to pick up one up for themselves – it’s just as useful for midlife temperature swings as it is for hot dorm rooms.”
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Cleaning and organization
Pottery Barn Teen recycled laundry backpack
$49.50 at Pottery Barn
While there are many laundry hampers and bags to choose from, Doreen Nunez, a mom of a student heading to Denison University this fall, recommends one with backpack straps since it’s “easier than juggling a bulky basket”, she says, especially if getting to the laundry room is a hike. This one also happens to be made from 100% recycled polyester from water bottles. As for detergents, these Blueland tablets are plastic-free, easier to lug than liquid jugs, and less messy.
The Container Store three-tier rolling cart
$39.99 at The Container Store
A rolling cart is a quiet MVP when it comes to organization, and it’s never too late to acquire one. “I only got it as a senior, but it was a great way to access my reading materials next to my bed before I went to sleep,” says Drake, the recent Vanderbilt graduate. Of course, the sky is the limit – you can also store snacks, toiletries, utensils and more.
3M Command large utility hooks and adhesive strips
$8.88 at Target
$8.88 at Walmart
It has to be said: bare walls are depressing. That’s where Command adhesive products come in. These sticky strips can hang posters and framed art, and the hooks can handle jackets and coats (up to 5lb) – all without damaging the walls. When it’s time to remove them, all you do is pull the strip tab downward until it peels itself off. “Command strips are absolutely essential for my college-bound son. We can send him to school with bits of home to hang on his walls without risking a security deposit,” says Nunez, the mom of the future Denison student. (For the small stuff, Scotch wall-safe tape will do the trick.)
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Bath and shower
Okabashi Maui women’s flip-flop sandals
$29.99 at Okabashi, multiple styles
“College showers can get messy so you’ll want to keep your feet and personal items clean with sandals and a caddy,” says Luca Persistent, a Middlebury College graduate and education consultant. While any waterproof sandal will work as shower shoes, I particularly love Okabashi for its commitment to zero-waste manufacturing at its Georgia factory. You can even send back worn-out Okabashi shoes to be recycled and then receive 15% off your next pair.
Pottery Barn Teen recycled shower caddy
$29 at Pottery Barn
The options for great caddies are limited – metals get rusty, bamboo can get moldy, and plastic ones … are yet more plastic in the world. This alternative from Pottery Barn is made from recycled water bottles. The material is quick-dry and if anything’s looking funky, a quick rinse in cold water will do the trick.
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Tools
15-piece tool set
$15.99 at Ikea
“I fought with my mom on a tool set for a while because I never thought I’d need them, but she was right,” admits Kyle McCartney, an Arizona State University graduate. “Not only did I use these tools a ton, but everyone on my floor did too, especially after realizing the furniture they bought had to be put together.”
Kitchen and food
Glasslock oven-safe food containers
$20.50 at Walmart
College schedules can be wildly unpredictable, which is why reusable glass food containers are a must for busy students. “These changed the meal prep game for me. I always had a fresh meal in the fridge, which took one thing off my plate on days when I was stressed about exams or projects, or just didn’t want to cook,” says Gabrielle Finora, a 2024 Cornell University graduate who is now a health and wellness coach. “I would opt for glass lids instead of a natural fiber like bamboo or cork to protect against mold growth.”
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Q&A
What do you not need?
Avoid fire hazards (butane stoves, candles, incenses, halogen lights, etc). Space heaters may be banned for this reason – check with the college. Also confirm if any cooking appliances are allowed. They might be superfluous anyway if there is a communal kitchen, or if the college provides mini fridges and microwaves.
What if you’re traveling by plane?
Cody Kirkpatrick, a student affairs professional at a New York-based college, recommends packing everything you can in suitcases and shipping one or two boxes filled with the rest of your essentials. “Then once you get there, see how much space you actually have. Buy additional items locally, online or send a list to your parents of items to ship you from home,” he says. “I see out-of-state students ship their entire bedroom in boxes and once they move in, they realize they only have space for 10% of what they shipped.”
Are there other ways to get these kinds of items?
Some residence halls now offer sustainable initiatives – but it varies from school to school. “There might be a donation drive at the end of the previous academic year where these sustainability offices collect reusable dorm items that students are getting rid of like lamps, rugs, kitchenware, cleaning products, etc,” Kirkpatrick says. “Just remember to pay it forward when it’s time for you to move out.”
And don’t forget: you can split the costs and responsibilities.
If the room is a double, triple or quad, have a discussion with the roommates so you can divide and conquer the communal items.
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Jinnie Lee is a New York-based culture and shopping writer who specializes in fashion, lifestyle and home. She has made product recommendations at New York Magazine, Refinery29 and many others.
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