Do you have a special teen in your life headed to college and you want to find the best dorm essentials for guys? If you do, then you need these tested and approved supplies to set up a functional dorm room!
Are you trying to figure out what in the world to buy for that tiny college room? Building a home away from home in a tiny dorm can be a daunting task. And, if you have a son anything like mine, you will be doing the majority of the purchasing and packing. No pressure.
At the end of freshman year, I took the time to evaluate everything my son had in his room to decide what worked and what didn’t. I compiled a list of must-have dorm essentials for guys in hopes I could help others navigate the dreaded dorm shopping.
This post is all about dorm essentials for guys.
Best Dorm Essentials For Guys
Before I go into my list of must-haves, I wanted to share a few tips to help you find the best products for YOUR space.
- Tip #1: Find a YouTube video tour of the exact dorm you are moving into. You won’t believe how many people make these videos and how valuable they are for your planning. I was able to find one for my son’s exact dorm room and it was a game changer. You will learn how many drawers you have, the closet setup and space, and even an inside view of the desk drawers and medicine cabinet. It’s way better than guessing!
- Tip#2: Find out if you’re allowed to loft the bed and if so, how high. This may not seem to be a big deal, but how you design your dorm room is dependent on how high you loft the bed. If you decide to loft the bed all the way, you’ll have space to work with underneath. In our case, we lofted to the highest level and added a seating area underneath. But, hold on, before you go planning, you need to find out all the rules. Not all universities permit their students to loft!
- Tip#3: Don’t just follow what everyone thinks you need. There is a ton of advice out there- mine included. But, the truth is, you have to take into consideration what’s important to YOUR COLLEGE KID. For example, so many people suggest a rug and vacuum… um… not for my son. We went with a bare floor and he was happier without the hassle.
Ok… on with the list…
Mini Fridge
This little fridge was used daily. From protein shakes to ice cream treats, this little thing was worth its weight in gold. My son can’t live without it. It’s possible to share this with a roommate, so that might be something to discuss. And, I have heard that some dorms actually provide mini-fridges, so definitely research before you spend money on this. Fridge prices vary and can range from as low as $85 to as high as $300.
CLICK HERE for a similar fridge ($184 on Amazon.com)
Cozy Chair and A Shelf
Dorm rooms tend to lack comfort, so why not add a cozy chair and a shelf to create the perfect spot to relax? The chair in the photo was amazing while it lasted, but broke the last week of school. The shelf is still going strong!
CLICK HERE for chair and ottoman link. ($99.99 on Amazon.com)
CLICK HERE for a similar shelf link. ($23.99 on Amazon.com)
Luggage
If you’re driving your teen to college, don’t forget to pack up a suitcase or two. They will likely need at least one suitcase and a carry-on for trips home or a weekend away. We opted for a large and small suitcase and a small duffel and everything was used. (Please be sure you know you will have room to store them!)
CLICK HERE for a link to the suitcase set. ($179.99 on Amazon.com)
CLICK HERE for a link to the duffle bag. ($110 on Amazon.com)
Large Moving Bags
If you haven’t seen these amazing bags before, just know that they will be your best investment ever for moving in and out of college. Not only are they the biggest, strongest bags ever made, but they also fold down to almost nothing. We opted for a set of 6 and used all of them.
CLICK HERE for a link to the best bags. ($32.99 for 6 – Amazon.com)
Foldable Crates
From books to snacks, these little crates will hold just about anything. They are strong enough to hold 50 pounds, are stackable, and can collapse down to nothing when you don’t need them. If you’re looking for the most versatile storage crate, you just found it!
CLICK HERE for a link to these crates. ($49.99 for 3 on Amazon.com)
Laundry Supplies
As boring as it is, laundry will be a part of life for your college kid. And there is a lot to figure out: where are the machines located, are they coin-operated, how far will you have to carry your laundry, how often will you wash? Every school is different and finding out before move-in day is recommended. We went with pods for laundry and it was definitely the best option for us.
CLICK HERE for a link to the collapsable basket $29.74 -Amazon.com
CLICK HERE for Tide Pods ($25.88 on Amazon.com)
Skinny Hangers
Anyone who knows me knows I love matching wooden hangers. But, when it comes to a tiny dorm room closet, skinny is the only way to go. So, before you just grab the clothes and hangers and stuff them into a duffle, consider if the hangers you own will actually work in a mini closet.
CLICK HERE for a link for hangers. ($29.99 for 50 on Amazon.com)
Netted Shower Tote
Dorm living often means toting shower supplies to a shared bathroom of some sort. What’s worse than a communal bathroom? Wet, dripping, or worse, moldy bathroom supplies soaking your dorm room floor. Netted shower totes aren’t glamorous, but they are necessary. We opted for a fully netted one with a long handle that we could easily hang up. It was perfect!
CLICK HERE for shower tote ($6.99 on Amazon.com)
Microfiber Towels
Gone are the days of huge thick bath sheets. College calls for quick-drying, thinner towels. If you have a college athlete or gym-goer, it’s even more important to have a stack of hard-working towels. After a ton of research, we went with 30 by 60 micro-fiber towels and they got the job done.
CLICK HERE for towels. ($49.99 for 6 on Amazon.com)
Shower Slides
Dorm bathrooms are gross and the shower floors are the worst part. If your college kid wants to keep their feet clean and clear from things we don’t want to talk about, then they need a shower slide. Trust me, it’s a must-have purchase.
CLICK HERE for a link to shower slides. ($35 on Nike.com)
Cooling Blanket
Who knew there was a such thing as a cooling blanket? But, this thing actually stays cool! It has some weight to it, but it’s not hot at all. After a year of dorm use, my son said it was the perfect blanket for each season. His dorm didn’t have air conditioning and it was even pretty warm in the winter. You can’t go wrong with this one!
CLICK HERE for a link to the blanket. ( $37.99 on Amazon.com)
T-Shirt Sheets, Bedding, and Mattress Topper
One thing you have to remember about the beds in the dorms is that they are not a standard twin, they are extra-long twins. So, keep that in mind when you’re shopping or you’ll end up with bedding that doesn’t quite fit. After a ton of research, we went with:
Memory Foam MATTRESS TOPPER ($169.95 on Amazon.com)
Super Soft XL T-SHIRT SHEET SET ($32.99 on Amazon.com)
Sweatshirt Comforter ($179 on pbteen.com)
Organizers
Maybe this is a “Sara Lee” thing, but I hate the thought of just throwing things into a desk or dresser. I brought these Ikea dresser organizers from home, but quickly realized they were too tall. Luckily, I had scissors and I just chopped them down to fit. Sadly, I couldn’t find drawer measurements for the dorm anywhere online, but we made it work!
CLICK HERE for Dresser Boxes ($6.99 set of 6 – Ikea.com)
CLICK HERE for desk organizer ($13.87 set of 22 – amazon.com)
Hat Hangers
If you have a hat kid like I do, then you might want to consider hanging them on the dorm wall rather than trying to store them. When decorating a dorm, space is such a limiting factor. Hanging hats is not only a cool way to decorate a blank wall, but it also allows them to be easily seen and switched out. Oh… and hopefully the kids hang them back up when they take them off! Be sure to get dorm room safe hangers to avoid fines!
CLICK HERE for hat hangers. ($8.99 for 8 hooks on Amazon.com)
Fan(s)
No dorm room is complete without at least one fan. Even if you’re lucky enough to have air conditioning, it’s still nice to circulate some air around that tiny room. Now, I will admit, this fan was a miss. I will however recommend a better fan choice for you given the advice I received from my son. But, this one just didn’t get the job done this year.
Recommended fan:
CLICK HERE -Vornado Air Circulation Fan ($69.99-Amazon.com)
Noise Cancelling Ear Protection
If you think one teenager is loud, just imagine an entire building filled to the brim with them. Let’s face it, there is going to be a time when the dorms are loud and your kid is going to need some peace and quiet. Luckily, there are tons of noise-cancelling devices on the market today. And, your teen might already own something that will drown out some noise. It’s still nice to have options. So, think about something to sleep with and maybe a full-coverage pair to wear for long periods.
CLICK HERE for old-fashioned earplugs ($8.99 on Amazon.com)
Chargers and Power Strips
It’s time to update your chargers, cables, and power strips. If you don’t have super long cords for everything, it’s time to get some new ones. If you loft your bed, I promise a regular-length phone wire won’t be long enough. Apparently, the purple charger was a huge hit with my son. It folds up into a tiny square and charges an iPhone, apple watch, and AirPods all in one.
CLICK HERE for the purple charger. ($25.99 on Amazon.com)
CLICK HERE for the power strips with USB
Rain-Proof Hoodie
Leave it to Carhartt to design a water-resistant, warm, and cozy hoodie. If you have a guy who grabs a hoodie and not a coat, this could be a great gift idea. This heavy-weight hoodie will keep him warm and dry on his way to class.
CLICK HERE for a link to this hoodie ($59.99 on Carhartt.com)
(also comes in a zip-up style)
Meds And First Aid
As much as I don’t want to bring up the fact that you won’t be able to be there for every sniffle your college kid gets, I have to. You will want to pack up all of the medicines that your child might need – just in case. But, here’s hoping they won’t need any of it!
There are tons of other things to consider when moving your child into college. Things like finding a hair stylist, getting set up with doctors in the area, dealing with insurance cards, keeping up with school supplies, buying textbooks and even finding an emergency dentist… the list goes on and on. But, don’t worry too much. They can order things easily to be shipped to their dorm and there is always the school store. And, everything they have to do without you will make them stronger. I promise… it will be ok.
What Didn’t Work?
- The Fan… I just didn’t get the right fan and his room was HOT! When you are ready to purchase a fan you might want to read reviews and get a strong one:)
- The amount of stuff. I didn’t feel I overpacked. I tried very hard to keep things minimalistic, but I know when he returns we will pack less.
My final suggestion… A Hand Written Letter
I often write letters to my kids on special days and moving away from home is a pretty big life event. I cried while I wrote. And it wasn’t the easiest letter to write, but I’m so glad I did it. Sometimes a text message just isn’t enough. I hid the letter on his pillow so he would have it after I was gone.
A VERY Final Word…
I wrote this post with the word “guys” in the title only because it was my personal experience with my son. These dorm essentials could be for any student. I just know I will include a few different items when it’s my daughter’s turn to move into a dorm. Again, this is MY personal experience and hopefully, some parts will help you create your own cozy dorm room.
This post was all about the 27 Must-Have Dorm Essentials For Guys
college packing checklist by Sara Ragab
college packing checklist by Sara Ragab
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