Get prepared for your next semester of college with our selection of dorm room essentials and sustainable lifestyle must-haves.
Whether it’s your first semester or your last semester, packing for college can seem like a daunting task. It can be easy to put off organizing your precious items until the last minute or to overpack and forget the essentials. But how will you know what to bring and what to leave at home?
Here are our 15 dorm room essentials to improve your general dorm lifestyle and personal self-care habits.
1. Dorm Room Essential: Water Bottle
As always, staying hydrated in your day-to-day life is important and can help you fight off the freshman flu. It also keeps your energy levels up. Having your own hydro flask or stainless steel water bottle (available on Amazon**) in your room is a practical way to stay hydrated and drink more water. Just remember to learn how to keep your water bottle clean to prevent germs and bacteria from building up!
2. Mattress Topper
Dorm mattresses aren’t always known for being the most comfortable. A mattress topper like this GOLS- and Fair-For-Life-certified organic latex one on Amazon** is an added comfy must-have that helps you get better sleep.
3. A Dorm Room Essential to Keep You Connected: Extension Cord and Power Strip
An item that is often easily forgotten, an extension cord and additional power strip can be a lifesaver. Especially in a dorm room with a limited amount of space and plug sockets to use. To avoid overpacking, check before moving in that your room doesn’t already have extra power strips.
4. An Essential for Dorm Bathrooms: Shower Shoes
As anyone who has ever lived in a student dorm will confirm, a pair of shower shoes or slides is a must-have. Not only do these shoes protect your feet from getting damp, but they are also designed to have extra grip on the soles to stop you from slipping. To give your feet even more of a treat, check out our recipe guide for homemade foot soaks.
5. Throw Pillows Can Make Your Dorm Room Feel Like Home
Decorating your dorm room well without breaking the bank can be a challenge. A few throw pillows can be a fun way to make your room feel more like home and give it some added color and texture.
Look for fairly and ideally regionally manufactured throw pillows from organic natural fabrics to make sure your dorm room decorations are sustainable. Luckily, throw pillows usually have a long life, so buying at a higher price can be a good investment. Purchasing from small independent brands ensures your dorm room is equipped with unique eye-catchers. For extra comfort, check out our guide on how to clean and wash your pillows the right way.
6. Sheets and Duvet Covers
For a good night’s sleep, try investing in a duvet cover, and organic cotton sheet set as these often come with spare sheets and multiple pillowcases. Try and find a design you like by GOTS-certified brands that invest in a fair manufacturing process like Bare Home, or Makemake, both available on Amazon**. Make sure to also check what your dorm room already has before buying pillows and duvets you might not need.
7. Essential for Blocking Out the Noise in and Outside of Your Dorm Room: Earplugs
A college dorm is often a noisy place, which can make getting enough sleep or studying for a big test difficult. Here, earplugs can be an essential item when living in a dorm. Not only do they block out distracting noise but they are also comfortable enough to sleep in. To avoid excess waste, try reusable earplugs, such as these by Vibes sold on Amazon*, for some peace and quiet.
8. Speaker
When you have downtime in your dorm room, playing your favorite music is a great way to relax. Buying a portable wireless speaker to take with you saves space and makes bringing your favorite playlist to a party or hangout easier. For added practicality, try a waterproof speaker (sold on Amazon**) that you can take into the bathroom or shower with you.
Why not listen to one of our top 20 sustainability podcasts while you’re getting cleaned up?
9. Shower Caddy
If you enjoy your morning and nighttime personal care routines, this item is most certainly a dorm room essential. Investing in a shower caddy is a neat way to transport and store your shampoo, conditioner, and sugar scrubs to dorm showers. It also helps you to keep track of your shower products to avoid misplacing them.
The most sustainable choice of materials largely depends on your needs and preferences. While there are plastic-free shower racks made of metal and bamboo, or some from compostable materials, a plastic shower caddy can be a low-waste option if you are able to use it for a long time.
10. Essential for Cold Dorm Rooms in Winter: A Blanket
Although cozy, living in a dorm can sometimes be cold, especially in the winter. Bringing a comfy blanket, like this GOTS-certified one by Whisper Organics, available on Amazon** to warp up in is a good way to stay warm while giving your new room an added splash of color.
11. Long Charger Cable
When packing to move into a new room or sharing with a roommate for the first time, it can be easy to underestimate the size and layout of your new room. If your dorm has an unexpected lack of plug sockets, investing in a longer extension cord charger for your phone or laptop can be helpful, especially if you enjoy watching movies or surfing the internet in bed.
12. Small Rug
Like a throw pillow or blanket, a small or area rug is a useful item to bring with you to college. Easily transportable and a fun way to brighten up your room, adding or even making your own small rug can help make any tired and bare dorm room feel homier. The rug by Fab Habitat, for example, are Goodweave-certified and handmade by Indian artisans. They are available on Amazon**.
13. Hanging Photo Displayer
Living away from home, especially for the first time, can often get lonely. Brightening up your room with a photo displayer that hangs on the wall and pictures from home is an easy way to remedy homesickness as well as make your dorm room look a bit more interesting. You can also easily craft your own by reusing old strings or strips of fabric, together with a wooden stick and some nice-looking clothespins.
Also check out the best indoor hanging plants to add even more decoration in your dorm room while keeping the floor space free.
14. Command Strips and Hooks: Essential to Avoid Damage to Dorm Room Walls
When adding posters and pictures to your walls, it can be easy to accidentally damage the wall itself in the process. Instead of nails or tape, try using Command strips and hooks (sold on Amazon**) to hang your favorite pictures, prints, and string lights. This way, they can be easily moved around and removed without the mess when it’s time for you to move out.
15. Coffee Maker
Both a reminder of home and a helpful energy booster when studying or socializing, try making your coffee in your room with our last but not least essential dorm item. A small or portable French press (sold on Amazon**) is an eco-friendly option as no single-use paper filters or plastic capsules are needed to make the coffee—an ideal addition to any dorm room without taking up too much space or being difficult to transport.
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