13 College Dorm Basics You May Have Forgotten

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When you’re going into college, sometimes there are things that you just happen to miss. It can be overwhelming the moving in and you are thinking about your bed sheets, your cool lights, the clothes you need and the general excitement of leaving home to start life.

But there are some really good basics that you want to remember to purchase that will come in handy more times than you would know. Some of these may seem obvious when you read them, but you’d be surprised what you forget when the craziness of moving in happens.

General

• Disinfecting Wipes – perfect for day 1 move in, cleaning up after yourself, or tidying up in the bathroom
• Duster – I’ve recommended Swiffer as refilling it super easy. You may not have the time always for a deep clean, but run this thing over surfaces and you may just stop sneezing!
  • Don’t forget some refills too!
• Plunger and Toilet Brush – no, most college bathrooms do not come with this.
• Under Cabinet Storage – I would wait until you move in to get this so you know the size, but it will help keep the under sink area so much more organized!
• Extension Cord – You never know where the plugs are, so this is a life saver.
• Shower Caddy – Sadly a lot of dorms use shared showers, so having one of these to keep your items organized is great!

Food & Drink

• Mini Fridge – If you have roomates, you usually only need one of these between two people, but it’s great to have. Keep milk in the room to have breakfast there, keep fruit fresh or have leftovers last longer! I didn’t think I’d use one but oh boy did I ever!
• Brita Water Filter – Every dorm room should have this or something like it. The water isn’t great and this will help! Also you can chill it and it’ll be a lot nicer than warm water.
• Food Storage – Sometimes you have takeout and want to keep it, sometimes take food to go from the cafeteria.

Miscellaneous

• First Aid Kit – You/your kid is likely to get a boo-boo. Instead of going to the nurses office, have them prepaid for the basic injuries.
• Closet Organizer – When you are limited on space, these are great to hang up as much as you can.
• Laundry Bag – If you are not lucky enough to have laundry on your floor, having a bag is super useful!
• Umbrella – You’d be shocked at how many people who forgot one of these. Not for the dorm per se, but depending how big campus is, those walks in the rain will be long.