Dorm Essentials: Do You Have Them All?

The checklist seems to be endless. When you’re moving your new college student into the dorms for the first time, it seems like the trips to Target never end. It can be difficult to determine what is needed and what is wanted for the new dorm. Usually, the school will provide a list of what the dorm provides and what you need to personally provide. Check out this list of a few dorm essentials that your new college student is happy and comfortable in his or her first year in the dorms.

Bedding

It’s almost a guaranteed fact that your child’s school does not provide any kind of bedding aside from a mattress. You’ll want to make sure your college student has plenty of college dorm bedding so he or she is clean and comfortable. Make sure in addition to a comforter that you leave your son or daughter with many different sheet sets so he or she will change them more often. And don’t forget that you need to bring pillows! Find some collegiate sheets so your college student can rep his or her school even during sleep.

Shower Stuff

Most dorms don’t have individual bathrooms for each dorm room, so make sure your college student has everything he or she needs to be comfortable in a shared bathroom. A shower caddy is a good investment so all toiletries can be easily caddied back and forth to the bathroom. Make sure you provide your college student with lots of towels, because like sheets, they probably won’t be washed as often as you may hope. Another good investment for the shower is a pair of heavy duty flip flops to walk back and forth to the shower in, and even to wear during the shower if there’s any concern with cleanliness.

Lockable Trunk

As much as you’d like to think security is top notch in your child’s new dorm, it probably isn’t as good as you may think. Provide your son or daughter with some sort of lockable trunk or locker to lock valuables in when he or she isn’t in the dorm. Even the most trustworthy roommate might forget to lock the door sometime, and dorms can be a hotbed for theft. If the dorm is too small for a locker or trunk, getting a laptop lock that fits around a desk can be a good alternative to lock the laptop down and make sure it doesn’t get stolen.

Other Smaller Things

Don’t forget the smaller things! Make sure that you provide your son or daughter with the dorm room essentials like an alarm clock, clothes hangers, lamps, television, stereo, and other smaller things are needed. Another good thing to consider is a coffee machine so your college student doesn’t have to run to Starbucks every time he or she needs a caffeine fix. A good idea: good yourself a brand new coffee maker, and pass your old one on to your college student!