Main image courtesy of Dormify on Pinterest.

Whether you are independent and like the idea of living alone at school (or living with a roomie), or you are a nervous wreck about being by yourself, living on campus can be an exciting time. But just because it is exciting doesn’t mean that everything is always smooth sailing, especially when it comes to college move-in day and, let’s face it, all the days following. 

When you move to college you are basically moving your entire life into a singular room for the school year. Even if you live close to campus, if you’re in a dorm you are staying away from family and are finally on your own. It doesn’t matter if you are a college pro or a total freshman, there are certain college essentials that everyone should be aware of and should have come move-in day. 

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Luckily for you, we’ve gathered 5 of these college must haves for you to check off your list before you move into your dorm room. With these tips, your transition from home to living at school full-time can be as seamless as possible so that you can enjoy everything your school has to offer this year. 

1. A Bulletin Board to Keep Yourself Organized 

Keep your studies and extracurricular activities on track with a bulletin board

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With so many new classes and events that always seem to be happening at college, keeping them all organized can make your head hurt. From class deadlines and tests, to sports meetings and games, there are lots of things at college that you’ll need to remember. Whether you’re good at keeping organized or you are looking for a new way to stay on top of things, a bulletin board is a good start. 

Bulletin boards can come in different styles, so you can pick one that has all of the aspects you need. You can find traditional bulletin boards to pin reminders, class schedules, and flyers to, or you can opt for a chalkboard or dry-erase board style that you can change weekly or monthly to fit your needs. Hang your bulletin board over your desk or someplace where you will see it, and you’ll be sure to keep up with all of your extracurriculars this year.

Dormify has plenty of bulletin boards for you to check out that are sure to get (and keep) you organized.  

2. Shower Caddies Make That Trip to the Bathroom a Little Easier

If you’re sharing a bathroom, a shower caddy might just be your best friend 

Going along with the topic of organization, shower caddies are another essential we recommend bringing to school. If you are lucky (or unlucky in this case) to share a communal bathroom in your dorm, then using a shower caddy to store and carry your bathroom items is essential. Not only will it give you a place to keep all of your toiletries, but it will also come in handy so you don’t have to make multiple trips to the bathroom or have your hands full with all of your personal care items.

If you’re really lucky and you have your own bathroom to yourself or you and your roommate share one in your dorm, then a shower caddy is still a good idea. But, instead of a traditional shower caddy you might opt for one that hangs over your shower head or stands in the corner of your shower to hold your shampoos and other shower items. 

Check out these handy shower caddies on Dormify and have all of your toiletries in one, organized space. 

3. A Fun Mirror That Can Serve Many Purposes 

A good mirror in your dorm room is an essential you can’t forget

Chances are the mirror that comes with your dorm room (if you’re lucky enough to get one) probably won’t be the best. Let’s face it; hundreds of people have lived in the dorm before you so the furniture you receive on move-in day might not be in tip top condition. But having a mirror, and a good one at that, is essential for many reasons. From being able to check your outfit on the way out the door, to having a space where you can do your hair and makeup, a mirror is a necessity. 

On a less rational side, mirrors come in all shapes, sizes, colors, and designs so if you already have a functional mirror to meet your needs, you can snag a retro mirror to spice up your room. Just like how wall art can change the look of your room, a fun mirror can make your room feel unique and really tie your look together. 

Check out some of the cool mirrors Dormify has on their site!

4. A Nice Laundry Bag or Basket for All Your Essentials 

Laundry can be a drag, make it a little more bearable with a good laundry bag or basket

Doing your laundry in the dorm is one of the less-than-glamorous aspects of college life, but that doesn’t mean it has to be a complete drag. You can make your trip to the laundry room and your entire laundry experience a little better with the right laundry basket and essentials. Deciding between using a laundry basket or bag depends a lot on your personal taste and your room size.

If you have a smaller dorm, then a laundry bag might take up less space. Or, if your laundry can’t be hidden under your bed or in your closet you might opt for a laundry basket that is as fashionable as it is functional. Whatever you decide, the bottom line is that you will need something to carry your laundry to the washers so pick one you like but one that will also be useful.

Dormify has plenty of laundry bags and baskets to choose from to fit your needs. 

5. Bed Risers Can Give You Even More Space 

For extra storage, give using bed risers a try

When you live in a dorm room, every bit of space is valuable real estate. Bed risers can help give you more storage space by doing exactly what you’d think they do: raising your bed. Raising your bed can allow you to store more things underneath it to save space for other things throughout your room. It can prevent your room from looking or feeling cluttered, and can give you more room to work with. 

Once you raise your bed you can invest in some aesthetically pleasing storage boxes to keep it looking organized, or invest in a long dorm bed skirt to cover the underneath of your bed. A dorm skirt is longer than your normal bed skirt and can hide everything under your bed so your room looks more chic and less like you just shoved everything under your bed. 

Use any of these helpful bed risers from Dormify to help you organize your space. 

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If you’re about to embark on your college adventure, then keep these 5 dorm room essentials in mind as you start your back to school shopping this year. College living can come with so many benefits but with the ups also comes the downs. Be prepared for anything this school year with these must haves we are loving right now.

Let us know in the comments if this blog helped you, or if there’s any other must haves you think any college student should have so we can add it to our list! Then head to Dormify and search all of their dorm room essentials to find the things you need and will love for this school year.