18 Dorm Essentials to Pack for College
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Back-to-school shopping looks a little different for those who are preparing to head off to college. Dorm room living can call for Twin XL sheets, shower caddies, closet organizers, and stocking up on essentials like towels and school supplies. And that’s only the start.
Shared spaces underscore the importance of individualized amenities like laundry baskets and storage containers for a tidy dorm room. To help you tackle that seemingly never-ending shopping list, we pulled together the college dorm essentials worth buying.
Storage and Organization
Amazon Basics Slim Hangers, set of 50
Attempting to squeeze every item of clothing you own into a dorm-sized closet might present a few challenges. Slim hangers can help you maximize those small spaces. Certified professional organizer Mackenzie Scott of Mission 2 Organize recommends felt hangers to maximize the capacity of the closet.
Madesmart Soft-Grip Tote
Living in a dorm probably means having to share a bathroom. And according to Scott, “The best method for bathroom-sharing is to get a bath caddy, especially if your bath area is down the hall or not attached to your room.” This handy version comes with two compartments, an easy-to-grip handle, and ventilation holes that promote airflow.
Command Clear Variety Kit
Command hooks can be a useful organizational tool, and according to Sharon Lowenheim, founder of Organizing Goddess, they’re versatile and easily reusable. Just keep the hooks and grab more adhesive strips if you want to move them around. Use these for corralling cords underneath a desk, hanging towels from a door, or even as a display for bags and accessories.
Bed and Bath
A great set of sheets never goes out of style, and a good-quality set will surely be appreciated. This Brooklinen Luxe Core set impresses in our tests, earning good marks for both fit and shrinkage, which means though they do tend to get smaller during washes, they don’t deform all that much over time. True to its name, these sheets err on the softer side and are available in five color options—and yes, these even come in a Twin XL size. (Prices listed here are for queen size.)
For more options: Best Sheets
Parachute Classic Turkish Cotton Towels
The Parachute Classic Turkish Cotton Towel, sold in a pack of one, is fluffy, soft, and an editor favorite. It comes in a limited selection of muted hues, including an icy blueish white, a stony gray, and a dark charcoal gray. It has a cushiony, tightly woven loop pile, and in a recent evaluation of the best bath towels, our editors found that it felt gentle on the skin and that it seemed to dry us off well despite its silky feel.
For more options: Best Bath Towels
Alaska Bear Natural Silk Sleep Mask
When your roommate’s burning the midnight oil studying while you’re trying to catch a little shut-eye, a sleep mask can help. This silk option is an actual steal (at $13!) and an editor-approved one at that. It’s lightweight, delicate, and poised to block out light—perfect for when your sleep schedules don’t exactly align.
For more options: Best Sleep Masks
Luna Weighted Blanket
A weighted blanket can be a solid substitute when you feel like you need a hug. This version from Luna comes with a cotton cover and is available in various colors, which means you can easily customize it to suit your style and space. According to the manufacturer, you can wash it in cold water, on a gentle setting, and hang it to dry or tumble dry on low heat.
For more options: We Tested 5 Weighted Blankets
Getting a good night’s sleep is paramount in college, and a reliable pillow is just the place to start. This Coop Home Goods Premium Adjustable Loft pillow is made of shredded memory foam and earns an excellent rating in our tests for support, no matter your size and whether you sleep on your side or back.
For more options: Best Pillows
A mattress is a college dorm room staple, and you can bank on the probability that it’s not exactly new. Whether you’d like a buffer for sanitary reasons or prefer a softer foundation, a mattress topper can be of great value. A memory foam topper, like this one from Tempur-Pedic ($237 at Amazon), is perfect for those who want a bed they can sink into. For sleepers who run hot, consider an organic topper made from latex with tiny air pockets throughout—like this version from Saatva.
For more options: Best Mattress Toppers
On-the-Go
Ello Campy Vacuum Insulated Stainless Travel Mug
Impressive performance coupled with an enamel splatterware-inspired design makes for an insulated mug that’s functional and good-looking to boot. In our labs, the Ello Campy mug kept water hot for 5 hours in a temperature-retention test, earning a very good rating. It also has a top that’s exceptionally easy to clean, with few crevices. The mug has two gaskets, both of which are easy to remove and replace. The spring-loaded sipping mechanism is easy to slide open with a single hand.
For more options: Best Insulated Mugs
Herschel Novel Duffle
Whether you’re traveling from class to the gym to heading home for break, a versatile weekender will always come in handy. This reasonably priced weekender comes in a playful array of colors and patterns, and it’s water-resistant, light, and easy to carry. A separate compartment for shoes keeps your clothes clean, but other than that, this is a straightforward bag to get you from point A to point B.
For more options: Best Weekender Bags and Duffels
Hydro Flask Wide Mouth With a Straw Lid (24 oz.)
A reusable water bottle should go without saying and this one can easily travel from dorm to class to the gym. Made from stainless steel, the Hydro Flask features TempShield (double-wall vacuum insulation) and is free of phthalates and bisphenol A.
For more options: Best Water Bottle to Take to the Gym
Tech and Accessories
Insignia Ergonomic Laptop Stand
This no-frills laptop stand was a top pick in a recent evaluation because it delivers on everything one would look for in an ergonomic option. Made of lightweight aluminum, it requires no assembly or tools to adjust the height. You merely press or pull on the stand, elevating the twin arms, to reach the desired position. The Insignia can raise the laptop up to about 8 inches off the desk, which is high enough to suit most users’ needs.
For more options: Best Laptop Stands for a More Ergonomic Workspace
Sharing a dorm room means that studying in silence isn’t always a guarantee. A pair of noise-canceling headphones can save you. While the Monoprice BT-300ANC headphones don’t have the latest features—like a monitor mode or adjustable noise cancellation—they deliver where it counts: above-average sound quality and fantastic sound-blocking abilities if you cherish the quiet.
For more options: Best Noise-Canceling Headphones
The JBL Clip 4 has two important things going for it: It’s inexpensive and it’s small, making it a great choice for taking it to college. This tiny speaker fits easily into your palm and features a carabiner that can clip onto a backpack or a beach bag. JBL claims an IP67 rating, which means the speaker is both water-resistant and dustproof. Our testers found the Clip 4 to be easy to pair, and the prominent controls make it easy to turn up the volume. Trust us: A speaker will definitely come in handy.
For more options: Best Wireless Speakers
Small (but Mighty) Appliances
Rusk W8less 2000 Hair Dryer
An editor-approved hair dryer that’s travel-friendly to boot is a no-brainer for a dorm packing list. The W8less has three heat settings, two speed settings, and a cool shot. It comes with one concentrator nozzle. And it has an internal ion generator plus a ceramic and tourmaline-infused grill to fight that frizz. It also dries hair quickly: One evaluator reported that it took her under 4 minutes to dry her damp hair.
For more options: Best Hair Dryers
An air purifier might not be at the top of your college dorm essentials shopping list, but it’s still worth considering. The portable Sharper Image Purify 9 is primarily filter-based, has six speeds, and is designed for floor or tabletop use in areas up to 350 square feet (prime for a compact dorm). This model receives an excellent rating in our tests for its ability to remove dust, pollen, and smoke when operating at its highest setting. It’s also easy to use and simple to remove and replace its filters.
For more options: Best Air Purifiers
A daily Starbucks habit can add up quickly, and once midterms roll around (and that caffeine intake triples), having a personal coffee maker will be appreciated. The Nespresso Essenza Mini is compact enough to live on a dresser or standing storage unit in a dorm room. One of the top-rated single-serve machines, this coffee maker stands out with excellent scores on CR’s brew time tests and for its ability to control the brew volume for different strengths.
For more options: Best Coffee Makers
