I was so excited to live in the dorms. Not only was I finally leaving the nest, I was going to live with my friends. So naturally, I was ecstatic to shop! So here are a few things that I think you would need in the dorms.
Flip Flops: I cannot emphasize this enough. There were people in my building that showered without flip flops or some type of shoe that separated your bare feet from the bathroom stall floor. G-R-O-S-S. I understand doing that at home when the FUNK that you are washing off is your own or your family's. But like stranger's funk!? AND I doubt that the cleaning lady even cleans it that well, especially having to clean 8+ bathrooms EVERYDAY. Common people, they cost like 3 bucks! I got my shower shoes on clearance at Target for like 2 dollars but they are always super cheap at Old Navy (they were actually $1 last month, damn I shoulda started this blog last month… ) . Heck, just use your old pair of flip flops. Oh an there's always the dollar store.
Shower caddy: unless you are living in a dorm where you have your own personal bathroom in your room (damn private schools) then you'll be lugging all your shower stuff to the shower stall everyday. I use a lot of products when I shower: shampoo, conditioner, facewash, and body wash as well as having to hold my towel and my clothes (which I put in a cute fabric bag). So to make the commute easier, I bought a plastic shower caddy from the dollar store. My roommate bought hers at Ross but it ended up dying by the end of the first semester (who knows what she did to it) and mine is still alive a year later. You can also get it at Target and Walmart because they have EVERYTHING.
XL bedsheets and comforter: Usually dorm room beds are extra long twin beds so they need special bed sheets. I bought mine from Target during the back to school sale in their COLLEGE 08 line. I saw some this year in their COLLEGE 09 line too. They come in really cute colors and are super cheap in August ($10!) I also got my comforter there for around $20. I don’t see mine since it was on clearance last year but here’s a cute one for $30 and a cheaper one for $20 and normally the plain comforters are cheaper. There are also "Bed in a Bag" that are like $60 and it comes with everything including towels and laundry bag. So its up to you where you get it. You can get it at Ross, Walmart (I got another set of bed sheets there for like $10 in the clearance section), and Bed Bath and Beyond (their coupons never expire even if it says it does!)
Laundry bag: I've seen people with the laundry basket in their rooms and since the closet is kinda small, it doesn’t fit so all their dirty laundry is out there for everyone to see. Literally. LoL. I think it makes the room look messy and I personally don’t want my bra and panties hanging out so I opt out for the laundry bag. I just used the one my sister used in her college years which is a cloth laundry bag. My roommate had one of those fold up laundry basket things that are circular which come in cute colors and designs at Target and Walmart (I love these stores can you tell?) but hers died at the end of the year. During welcome week we also got free mesh laundry bags which I didn’t use but my roommate's ripped in like 2 months so avoid those.
Lamp: Personally, I don’t think that the main light is bright enough, especially because I lived in a triple and my roommates had the desk that was under the bunk bed so we defiantly each had our own lamp. It also comes in handy when one of you are sleeping and the rest are still studying. I actually had two lamps. One that was on my desk which I got from home and a clamp on lamp that I attached to my bunk bed. I got mine from Ikea, even though it was cheap, I personally don’t like it because it takes a long time to get brighter and its surface area is pretty small. I suggest just getting the more expensive ones because you can use it at the desk or your bunk bed. I cant find one online, but I remember seeing one at Bed Bath and Beyond for $20ish (remember to use your coupon!)
Microwave/refrigerator: although it isn't a necessity, I personally couldn’t have lived without them. A lot of the time people on my floor actually came by and used ours so it really does come in handy when it comes to drinks and leftovers (oh and the late night ice cream cravings). I had a microwave at home and my roommate had a fridge already so we didn’t have to buy it but I saw a fridge at Costco for $35 and at Target for around $40-50. And microwaves are normally around $30-40. If your college is far from your home and you don’t want to ship it over, then you can also rent it from the school (although its cheaper to buy it). P.s. your school is probably going to give you some BS about how you cant bring your own micro/fridge because they need to be environmentally friendly equipment. Ignore them. No one even cared.
Pad lock for bathroom locker: most schools provide empty lockers in the bathroom for your convenience and some people buy locks to protect their stuff. I just used the gym locker I used in high school but after the first semester, I stopped locking it at all. (who the hell is going to steal toothpaste?) You can get pad locks anywhere from Target to ACE, OSH, Home Depot, hell even the dollar store.
Door hook: although not necessity, it came in handy when drying our towels after a shower and hanging our robes. I had mine for years so I just took it from my old room but they have it at Kmart, Target, Walmart, etc.
Internet wire for LAN internet (is that what its called? ) that is at least 25 feet: ok so my dad had one at home that was like 75 feet and obviously that was tooooooo long. After that my dad found one at home that was 25 feet and I switched it and it was JUST enough. My desk was all the way on the other side of the room and I had to line the cable around the bunk beds so the 25ft rule is good. You can get this anywhere they sell computer stuff like Best Buys, Frys, and of course Target.
Multiple plug adapter with good length cord: I don’t know what these are called (sorry!) but you definitely need it because the outlets in the room are weird (especially in my room) there were four outlets on 2 walls but they were really spaced out across the wall. And eight outlets is not enough for three girls with printers, laptop chargers, phone chargers, lamps, hair curlers, strengtheners, blow dryers… you get the point.
Bulletin board/white board: can come in handy when it comes to your to do lists. Some even come as white board calendars which is nice. Or for a more chic look (we are CHIC PEA after all) try a French memo board. My roommate got hers at Ross for less than $10. They come in all sorts of colors and designs. Like this, or this, or this. Or you can make your own!
I hope this gives you a start on your dorm room shopping! Look out for those deals in August! I'm excited for you already!
A side note on school supplies like pencils, high lighters etc… look out for rebate items at Staples, Office Max, Office Depot… etc. I got highlighters, pencils, and folders for free after rebates. A lot of this stuff is given for free on campus during welcome week and events throughout the year, too!
Happy Chic Shopping!
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