Dorm Room Insights & Must Haves

August 3, 2012 | Posted By: Sarah Kuehneman | Categorized in: Back to School

Moving into the dorms can be quite the experience; gaining roommate, floor mates and sharing a public bathroom can all make for an interesting change. One way to make college dorm life the way you want it is to decorate your room in things you like, and colors that bring those boring white walls (or cinder blocks) to life! And, dont be taken back when you get there and realize that you are living in the size of what everyone on campus will reference to as a jail cell. :)

You are going to want to look up the regulations to decorating, each campus has them and they are all different. They have suggestions to what kinds of tape works best (and what wont take off the paint so you don’t have to pay extra at the end of the year) to what you can and cannot bring. You may also want to coordinate with your roommate on colors and style, so that the room can come to life better.

Some great ideas to start with:

Color: weather it be in towels, bedding, or a rug. It will bring life to those white walls in your room.
Pick fun bedding! Sometimes your comforter lasts longer than your roommate!
Towels: always have more than one set! And have them be colorful, because most of the time they will be drying in places for people to see.
Storage: it is a problem in all dorms; maximize all spaces (under the bed was my favorite all four years! Bed Risers also are helpful!)
Get items that can serve double duty! For example a cube ottoman that can open can store extra bedding for guests, but also be a place for friends to sit.
Mirrors: Are great! They help reflect light to all around the room, and for us girls it’s always nice to have an extra mirror when getting ready with friends.

College & Dorm Room Must Haves!

2-3 sets of towels
Disinfectant wipes
Cold Medicine, much better to have it on hand then to have to go out sick and find some
re-usable water bottle & coffee mug
extension cords ( outlets are never where you need them and chargers are never long enough)
Quality Backpack, with back to back classes you need snacks, drinks and possibly your computer
Flash Drive or external hard drive
Shower caddy, so much easier than taking 5 bottles in the shower with you
Fan (Check to see if the place you are living is air conditioned, if not this will be a well worth it purchase)
Always have an extra toothbrush! No one wants to use one that just dropped on the bathroom floor :)

Hope this helped! Enjoy your first year of college!

Sarah Kuehneman is a graduate from the University of Wisconsin Whitewater and past Social Media Intern at FatWallet.

Check Your Email!

Dorm Room Insights & Must Haves