As I prepared to move to college last August, I felt like I needed to buy enough stuff for a tiny house. I mean, it's kinda true--I was going to live in the same space for a whole entire school year. As it turns out, a dorm room can't fit as much stuff as a house. During my first month at school, I had to learn how to organize and manage all of my stuff; and not only the insane amount of clothing and items I brought with me, but the huge amount of freebies I had accumulated in the first few weeks. And of course, some items were more important than others. Here is a list of 25 essential college items that you may not think to bring with you.
1. Stapler
You will be surprised how much you will need this: for papers, worksheets, and random projects.
2. Cold medicine
Millions of new germs in college = you will get a cold. It is a ticking time bomb.
3. Any type of medicine, for that matter
Purchase a variety of medicines so you don't have to panic if you suddenly need Midol, Imodium, Ibuprofen, etc.
4. Storage drawers
No matter what you store in these, it looks so much more organized than other storage baskets or bins. Plus, they come in so many different shapes and sizes.
5. Extra long phone charger
You never know how far away you will be from a plug-in.
6. Power strip
Speaking of plug-ins, a high quality power strip will help you if you are lacking plug-ins in your dorm room.
7. Protective laptop case
It may be pricy, but invest in a case that will protect your laptop. Unfortunately I had to learn this one the hard way.
8. Pillow with arms
It's inevitable; you will want to study in bed. If you have a pillow with arms, it is much easier to sit up and actually focus on homework on your bed instead of falling asleep.
9. Hot glue gun
A hot glue gun can fix anything. Also, depending on what kind of walls you have in your room, you can potentially use it to hang things on your walls.
10. Bedbug kit
The kit may be a pain to put on your mattress, but buy it. You don't want to risk getting bedbugs.
11. Dish soap/scrubber brush
You will need these to wash your used coffee mugs, bowls, etc. Don't let the dishes pile up, either.
12. Cosmetic mirror
Especially for girls, this is a necessity. A small mirror like this fits perfectly at a desk where you can just sit down, do your makeup, and not have to worry about going to the bathroom to do it. I have one that lights up, as well, which is super convenient if you don't want to turn on a light and potentially wake up your roommate.
13. Memory foam topper
The college-provided mattress will not suffice. Any mattress pad will do, but a memory foam one will make your bed so much more comfortable.
14. First aid kit
If you're like me and you're super clumsy, this will come in handy more than you think.
15. Shoe rack
Purchase a shoe rack so you don't have to pile your shoes and have to search for missing shoes all the time. There are ones that can hang on the back of your closet door, which is out of the way but still easy to access.
16. Chip clips
My dorm room was pretty humid, so if I didn't put a chip clip on a bag of snacks after opening them, they would go bad in a matter of days. Chip clips are, like, five for a dollar at the dollar store.
17. Command strips and hooks
I swear these can be used for anything. Buy the velcro strips and the hooks. Buy all shapes and sizes. You will use all of them.
18. Mini tool kit
Whether it's for putting your shoe rack together or for raising your bed, having some tools around is a great idea.
19. Throw blanket
Get a blanket to go on top of your comforter that you can grab and go as you please. A throw blanket is perfect when you want something to snuggle with while watching a movie with friends or even to have a picnic on.
20. Plastic silverware
Use it once and throw it away; no need to wash. Plastic silverware is a college student's dream.
21. Three hole punch
22. Wrinkle release
Because who has time to actually iron clothes?
23. Febreeze
24. Storage ottoman
First off, you can store things in here and people won't know. Second, you can step on this and use it to get on your bed if your bed is at an awkward height.
25. Lysol wipes
Do you ever get random urges to clean and disinfect everything? Maybe it's just me. I used disinfectant wipes a lot during flu season when everyone on campus was sick and when I was in the mood to clean everything in sight.
