In 2022, The Wall Street Journal reported families paying professional designers up to $10,000 for dorm detailing, but most parents opt out of this expense. To make your dorm room a comfortable, functional, and stylish space, start with a realistic budget and make a list of what you’ll need. On average, housing in college dorms in the U.S. costs around $10,000 a year, heavily dependent on the city where the school is located.
To decorate on a budget, consider accessorizing your dorm room as a simple pair of jeans and the items in your room as apparel. Separate needs from wants by figuring out what you need. For example, adding a fridge and a rug to your dorm room would cost 2,400, while adding about seven new random clothing items (pants and kitchenware) would cost $300 studded headboards and $100 coffee table books.
Students are spending an average of $907.22 turning their dorm rooms into luxury suites, according to a new report by the National Retail Federation. A college student explains her choice to spend $600 on dorm room decor, despite getting hate after going TikTok-viral.
A professional college housing designer can help students on a budget for $7,000 to $8,000, though the costs can grow much higher. Students are spending an average of $907.22 turning their dorm rooms into luxury suites, depending on the amount students (or parents) spend. To accomplish this, her parents gave her a budget of $500 to spend on dorm furnishings, and she shared that TikTok and Pinterest have been major sources of inspiration.
📹 Dormify: Tips for Decorating Dorm Rooms, Saving Money & Space (Must Watch)
A recent survey revealed that 36% of parents felt pressured to overspend on back-to-school shopping and social media is a big …
How much clothes to pack for dorm?
When packing for college, it’s essential to consider your wardrobe and the versatility of your outfits. It’s recommended to bring 2-3 weeks’ worth of clothes, with enough underwear for three weeks and multiple pairs of shoes for different uses. Keep your wardrobe basic, with a few basic pieces for various outfits. If you need a new piece, don’t worry, everyone buys more clothes once they go to college.
Additionally, consider your routine during the school year, such as working during the semester or being part of a fraternity or sorority. If you’ll be attending job interviews or Greek Life, consider bringing classier outfits for job or interview situations. Remember, everyone buys more clothes once they go to college.
How should I set up my dorm room?
Dorm rooms can be transformed into cozy retreats with the right design and storage. To achieve this, consider adding big storage bins, pullout drawers, a hamper, shoe rack, organizational materials for desks, small trash cans, TV wall mounts, and bed risers. These features can help turn a bland dorm room into a cozy retreat, allowing students to create a comfortable and organized space. Malik Walker, a psychology major at Hampton University, emphasizes the importance of creativity in creating a cozy and inviting dorm room.
How to decorate a college room cheap?
To create a cozy and personalized dorm room on a budget, consider using inexpensive rugs, scarves instead of curtains, and giving furniture dual purposes. Washi tape can be a cost-effective solution, and adding nature can add a touch of nature. College dorm rooms can be drab, but with the right tips and budget, you can create a beautiful, personalized, and warm space. School regulations may also make creative decorating impossible, but with the right tips, you can create a warm and inviting space.
How to budget for dorm shopping?
To save money on dorm room essentials, follow these tips:
- Find out what is included and allowed in the room and board, and what you need to supply.
- Check what students are allowed to have in their rooms, such as small appliances like toaster ovens and coffee makers. Some dorms allow these items, while others forbid them.
- Create a budget and action plan to stay focused and look for the best deals.
- Reach out to your student’s future roommate to find out what they plan to bring and coordinate your shopping to avoid repetition on items they will share.
- Don’t overbuy, as it can lead to unnecessary expenses.
- Look for all-in-one deals and compare prices to find the best deal.
- Compare prices and price match to find the best deal for your student’s dorm room needs.
How much should you spend on dorm decor?
The NRF study indicates that the mean expenditure for dormitory furnishings is $192. 40, with the majority of items provided by the educational institution. In the event that a student is residing in a dormitory with another individual, it is advisable to consult with their roommate prior to making purchases, in order to prevent the acquisition of identical items and to guarantee that each individual brings their own furnishings. This will assist in the avoidance of superfluous expenditure and guarantee a comfortable sojourn.
Should I decorate my college dorm?
College is a time of independence and personal style, and a well-decorated dorm room can significantly change the college experience. By identifying your decor style, you can transform the cold and uninviting walls into your own oasis, which you may share with a stranger. Common items needed for a dorm room include bedding, trash cans, printers, desk lamps, pillows, and rugs. However, there are more ways to make your dorm feel like home.
Your dorm room can often be the first introduction to you as a person when meeting new people on campus. Hanging art on the walls can be an instant conversation starter, and having a favorite TV show, movie, or humorous poster can help new people find commonalities and engage in new friendships. By incorporating these elements, you can create a comfortable and welcoming environment for your dorm room.
What is a realistic budget for interior design?
The cost of a home renovation or furnishings depends on the overall value of the home. A general rule of thumb is to allocate 7-10% of the home’s value for interior design expenses, with a focus on “Mid-Range” products. For “Designer” level finishes, budget around 25% of the home’s overall value. For example, for a $2 million home, a budget of $500, 000+ would be appropriate for decorating and designing the entire house at the “Designer” level.
However, it’s important to note that these prices do not include home renovation expenses, such as construction. Clients often add features or upgrade finishes as the design process progresses, increasing the scope and cost of the budget. To avoid unexpected overages or disappointed expectations, clients should add about 20 to their initial budget estimate. This will leave wiggle room for upgrades and allow for more accurate financial expectations.
Interior designers are professionals who can save homeowners money by providing a professional touch to their home design projects. For example, if a client budgets $500, 000 and adds 20, they’ll end up with an estimated budget of $600K, leaving plenty of room for any changes or upgrades.
How much does it cost to decorate a college dorm?
In excess of 200 dormitory clients this year required the services of 25 seasonal employees, charging a total of $10, 000 per room ($5, 000 per student) for comprehensive assistance. Ms. Montgomery and her team were required to arrive on the designated move-in day and begin the process of assembling the rooms from scratch.
How can I decorate my room without spending too much money?
This article offers 16 creative ways to upgrade your bedroom without spending money. It discusses various ways to transform your bedroom into a stylish and comfortable oasis. One of the most cost-effective ways to do this is by rearranging your furniture. Experiment with different layouts, considering the flow and functionality of the room. For example, you could place your bed on a different wall or change its angle to create a more inviting atmosphere.
Additionally, focus on lighting, adding a statement wall, rearranging artwork, using textiles, incorporating nature, and decluttering and organizing. By following these tips, you can create a fresh and exciting makeover without breaking the bank.
How can I decorate my dorm?
The use of wall shelves and bookshelves is an effective method for saving space while storing essential items such as books, notebooks, aromatherapy essentials, or portable speakers. As an alternative, adhesive wall hooks can be employed to optimize the use of dormitory space and enhance the aesthetic appeal of the room by suspending lighting fixtures, window treatments, or decorative items from the ceiling.
📹 the ultimate dorm packing guide // what to bring & what to leave at home
Here is a long long list of things you need and things you definitely don’t need for college. if you’re a freshman moving out to …
I’m so old that I once authored a blog post advising people to not bring their entire CD and DVD collections, to leave the encyclopedia and other heavy research books at home and use the library’s instead, and to always have a big stash of quarters for laundry and xeroxing. I then included pictures of my Spice Girls and Josie and the Pussycats posters decorating my dorm room.
As a soon-to-be junior (who had most of a year of in-person classes): bring 2-3 sets of more professional clothing! Professors love it when you show up to class well-dressed, and even just dressing nicely 1-2 times a week can lead to some pretty great references or letters of recommendation down the road (because, if nothing else, you were noted for being the “put together” one in your class). A couple of sets of cute “going out clothes” also opens up possibilities! Typical themes for parties are similar to dress up weeks in high school – tie dye, flannel, white/black out, Hawaiian, and “outer space” themes are all pretty common.
Hi friends, As a former college RA I highly suggest reading over the banned items list for your school. At my school string lights were banned and a major problem from the fire department. This means that any time string lights were reported by the staff it would be confiscated and the school would get a strict letter (and possibly a fine) from the fire marshal and fire department. As another note, make use of your RA! The RAs are there for more than roommate issues. For example, freshman year I asked my RA if I could borrow a can opener.
DON’T – aspirational items – aspirational clothing – dishware – kitchen appliances – textbooks (before you get there) – entire desktop monitor – printer?? – all of ur hobbies – massive detergent thing – non-hanging decorations DO – filter pitcher – kettle – laptop – laptop stand – tide pods – easy to carry hamper – compact vacuum – broom or sweeper – reusable shopping bag – mattress topper – picnic blanket – wax melter
Don’t bring all the hobbies that you don’t have time for, but do bring the ones that you do all the time and make you happy! You’re going to be at college for the majority of the year, so if you make space for what you really want, it will be worth it! I didn’t bring my sewing machine during my first semester and rarely visited home, so eventually I got so desperate to work on a sewing project that I made a skirt by hand over the course of two days. My wrists have still not recovered from 18 hours of hand sewing in that short of a time period. Granted that was also at the end of a ten day isolated quarantine and it is unlikely that such a thing would happen to anyone else, but moral of the story, if you have hobbies that are important to you and your happiness, bring the materials you need to do them lol
Weird things that you also might wanna look into: – Command hooks (maybe not aesthetically pleasing but hanging towels, coats, etc. is great) – Some sort of odor remover bag thing. In my first dorm experience, random roommate worked really well EXCEPT for the musty odor issues we had. If I knew that odor trapping bags and things like that existed, it would have been a life saver. ALSO- OPEN YOUR WINDOWS ONCE IN A WHILE. Honestly fantastic for my sensitive, autistic nose haha. – If no one ever told you *shower shoes*, here is me telling you Accessibility & Scheduling tips: -If you are a light sleeper and are not used to a roommate or a loud dorm, earplugs (and healthy earplug habits) will really help save your life. -If your bed is lofted and the ladder up hurts your feet, look into a small stool or other thing that might keep you from injuring yourself all the way up. My first roommate had a small square stool that both had storage space and sat right by the end of her bed for easy climbing. -People will likely play their own music in the showers. If this bothers you or gets too loud, you may be able to either talk to the RA about his/her ideas to solve the problem for you, or you can start taking showers when people usually aren’t. It depends on your dormmates, but different shower times yield different results -Talk to your RA if you have any problems -PLAN AHEAD. If you can, talk to your roommate BEFORE the school year starts about what side of the room they want, sleep schedules, pet peeves, etc.
Nice article. Tide pods are unnecessarily expensive imo. You could always just bring the lid with the amount you need so you don’t have to lug the whole thing… At the end of the year, when there’s lots of “free stuff” lying around, laundry detergent (half used, even full bottles), cleaning tools and mattress toppers were common. In seriousness I would decant from the costco-sized items and refill when I went home for breaks. Meal plans were too large for me (cafeteria was unhealthy for me, and I had classes through lunchtime), that I still graduated with money left over on my account while on the smallest meal plan. Sometimes reslife will have cleaning supplies that you can borrow, if they don’t.. ask if they can provide this service. They also sometimes have pots/pans, which is helpful for late night ramen. If you’re not getting kicked out of home/needing to bring all of your life belongings with you, this is an opportunity to Marie Kondo with a safety net (which kind of defeats the purpose, but if you have anxiety over it then it could help). It’s an opportunity to “live like a minimalist” or “live in one suitcase” besides you are there to study, do you really have time to deal with so many material items? I don’t think it is necessary to put too much effort into buying all the latest and coolest decors and whatnot (sure have some decor if it brings you joy) but it is an opportunity to live for a bit while “starting from scratch” free from attachments to things you own with a safety net and .
Even a lot of the “must have” items mentioned, I would say wait and see! For example, I sleep fine without a mattress topper, and that is one less huge item to store. Also, you’re probably going to just be drinking out of water bottles when you’re not in the dining hall, so if you have those water bottle fountains with filters, you don’t necessarily need a britta. I would also say a must have is some containers/baskets to help you organize your stuff in, so you don’t have to have a giant mishmash of things crammed on your shelves
It’s so interesting to see what dormlife is like in the US. I’m studying multilingual communication in Cologne, Germany and I live in a student dorm too. But here, the dorms are spread all over the city, you dont live on campus. And the campus of the university normally is spread all over the city as well. The language campus is located in another part of the city than the science campus for example. And student dorms are usually run by the student union and not by the uni itself.
“You aren’t going to change into an entirely different person….” This is something I wish someone would have told me when I first graduated high school(forever ago) and was on my way to college. Eventually I did change into an entirely different person but it didn’t happen in my first semester of college.
Great article and for liquid detergent, I’ve been doing this for years, you could keep the large bottle in your room and have a small bottle to take to the laundryroom and just refill when necessary; I have a small one-pint travel size Tide bottle I found at Target that I keep refilling. As for Tide Pods and other similar products, I don’t use because they will eventually clog the drains over time because they don’t fully dissolve and in some places they’re prohibited. I have also seen some people put the pods, either liquid or dry, in the detergent tray instead of directly on the clothes in the wash and it causes a mess because again, they don’t fully dissolve.
I have some advice about the Brita! I suggest that you get the dispenser version rather than the pitcher. Personally, I would have to fill it up twice or so a day since I shared it with 2 other girls. It all depends on if you’re sharing it or it’s just for yourself, but the dispenser was better in my opinion!!
It should also be noted that I don’t think studyquill has a roommate, but most of you will! So, we were able to divide amongst ourselves what we should get. I had three roommates because I lived in a suite, so one person brought the microwave, I brought the mini-fridge, one of them brought dinnerware, one from the coffee machine/Keurig, etc. So CHECK WITH YOUR ROOMMATES, and bring only what you think you’ll DEFINITELY need. I’ll be honest, I DID get use out of the mini-fridge, dinnerware, and microwave. I became a baked potato connoisseur my freshman year of college, because there were lots of times when I was either too lazy to go out to the cafeteria, or the weather was bad, or it was too late at night. And we would use the dinnerware, promptly clean it after we were done with it, and it never became a big issue. I didn’t spend that much time washing dishes, especially since I was only eating in my dorm maybe 2-3 times a week. But the mini-fridge ended up being super useful for all of us there, because we could keep cold drinks, yoghurts, baked potato items like sour cream and cheese, other kinds of snacks or quick-meals, even ice cream. I believe we also kept milk/creamer in there for the coffee (I don’t drink coffee, so I got no use out of the Keurig.) I will second the printer. Unless your major requires you to be constantly writing and printing, you won’t need it. I was an elementary education major with a minor in history, so I did write a lot of papers my freshman year, but I didn’t have an issue with printing, and our printers were ONLY available in the library, which was like a 20 minute walk from my dorm.
Have not started college yet…but I went to a boarding school and I agree with most of these suggestions. I’d also recommend bringing a large bottle or jug (1.5 litres or more) to just leave in your room so that you always have water readily available to you and won’t need to make as many trips to the water cooler. It might be a bit difficult to carry if you need to walk far to get water but doing this really helped me stay hydrated. I’d also recommend bringing a couple small airtight containers if you like to snack on cut fruits but might not want to cut them when you’re about to start studying or relaxing.
This is so interesting from a non-American perspective. The dorm I’m moving into in London is basically en suite apartments with shared kitchen and living space. So we aren’t allowed to bring kettles or anything like that for our rooms as it isn’t covered by the insurance and there’s one in the kitchen anyway. There’s 4-8 rooms per apartment “block” that share the same kitchen and living space. Also our printers aren’t free and everything is digital hand in so we don’t need to print any work to hand in. Also your rooms are MASSIVE but I guess apartments in USA usually are much much bigger and more expensive than other countries
As someone who goes to a school that is located in a colder city than my home town, I would recommend bringing only comfortable clothing. I found that I didn’t wear any of the dresses or skirts I packed. I mainly stuck to jeans, sweats, or shorts. I think it can depend on what you’re most comfortable in but I didn’t wear a dress once my entire first year of college. I hope this helps, best of luck packing!
Printers I say depends on your major a lot. If you need to print all your worksheets for class along with printing off notes, finished assignments, etc it does come in handy. You can get a cannon printer for $30, they are small, ink is $25 and I only had to replace it 2 times all year. Print things in greyscale when possible and it helps save ink as well
Buying laundry detergent in bulk is worth it! Its cheaper in the long run, and the pods don’t fully dissolve, leaving a film on your clothes and degrading the machines. I kept a mini water bottle (a plastic one i had used) and just poured my detergent into it before taking my laundry down. I used the pods freshman year and then never again afterwards.
I personally suggest bringing reusable utensils & plates or bowls especially if your dorm room is far from the dinning hall during COVID. Just 1-2 of each that is microwaveable because forces you to wash it if you are hungry. I also like bringing a small cutting board/knife if you like cut fruit. For textbooks, see if you school has a Facebook page where students sell old textbook/used things. Much cheaper than Amazon/the bookstore. If a page does not exist, set one up. Another page you might want to set up is a page where students can find rides when returning home for breaks :).
As a Brit who drinks an abhorrent amount of tea, a electronic kettle is an absolute necessity for every single household. To the point where when she said “bring a kettle” I was confused because the student accommodation over here literally INCLUDES them. Like the way they provide stoves and fridges, they provide kettles 🤷🏻♀️
I’m a big fan of Brita filters but I actually didn’t need one at my college because they have filtered water spouts for bottles and regular water fountains. So I would suggest reading if your dorm has water already or literally just hold off on buying one until you get there if you don’t have one yet
This is a year late but a printer is useful depending on your major, most do not need to bring it but even so in my major of architecture we still have to go to custom print shops due to the size but we also had to print alot of the lecture references as well. I say double check and purchase if you need it later in the semester instead.
I think the biggest thing for me that a lot of people forgot was command hooks. Those were essential. I used them to hang up my keys, my backpack, my towels, and in freshman year my shower caddy. I also recommend bringing at least one mug that is microwave safe. Most dorms have a microwave so if you need hot water just fill up the mug and pop it in the microwave. Also the printer thing, it really depends on your college. My college’s printers ALWAYS broke around finals and I’d be running around campus trying to find a printer that works. If you can bring a small printer, I recommend it.
i will say in the uk. clothing is a complex thing, we start in september and it can be burning sun or nearly freezing so you sort of have to pack for both weather types. i found having the cool summer clothes wasn’t too much of a issue as they are normally not very bulky and many of the can be made warmer with a jacket
I love how your cinematography’s changed. It shows how you’ve evolved as a Youtuber and just a storyteller. I like it! Hot tip: Get a normal long broom/sweeper and use a (I think it’s by Method?) squirt and mop floor cleaner so you can actually sanitize the floor and clean up any cheeto dust (def not from experience…) at he same time.
i’d switch the first tip, you save a lot more money over time having dishes and if you only have 1 or 2 dishes it takes like 5 minutes to wash them rq. i’ve never found myself needing a brita filter nor water bottles, but this is for me personally. my dorm hall has a water fountain with the water bottle filler part, and you could use that for other things than just a water bottle too. doesn’t taste the best but you get your hydration
i’m having such a hard time figuring out what to bring to college, my dorm is gonna be 20 minutes from my parent’s house and i’d like to keep filming my art vids :,) i don’t know how filming art content in my dorm will be though so i guess i just gotta wait it outttt but i’m so stressed about that lol i have SO many art supplies
I’m planning attending out of state college/university once I’m old enough and those colleges are very difficult for car rides and I need to take airplane for transportation. So for those who are also planning attending out of state colleges or universities, do a lot of research and try to get a picture for your dorm (if you can’t visit in-person before or drive from home to campus) before bringing items to dorm.
definitely bring dishes, even with compostable ones, it fills up your trash so quickly and if you wash the dishes every day or every other day it takes like 5 minutes to get them clean. ALSO, bring little nicknack trays! and cute mugs and stuff because you can just shove into them/onto them and not have everything in a jumble on the surfaces
I do want to suggest something regarding the clothing! If you aren’t going to a college in an area with the same or similar climate as where you currently live, do a little research. It’s likely that you won’t be used to the climate there and might need a few extra pieces of clothing to match your comfort zone. For example, if you live somewhere hot but will attend college somewhere cold, you might need some more warm clothing than what you have! Specifically, layers, so that you can take some off if the classrooms are warm
I’ll be the notetaking person :’) don’t bring: 1. aspirational items 2. dishware 3. kitchen appliances 4. don’t buy textbooks before class 5. desktop computer 6. printer 7. all of your hobbies 8. big bottle of detergent 9. trash bags* 10. aspirational clothing 11. decorative knickknacks do bring: 1. filter pitcher 2. kettle 3. laptop 4. laptop stand 5. easy to carry hamper 6. compact vacuum 7. broom or sweeper 8. reusable totes 9. mattress topper 10. picnic blanket 11. wax melter
I will say that sometimes it’s okay to wait until you get there before you buy/bring some stuff! Specifically about the vacuum and printer, my dorm building had vacuums we could borrow, and that is what I did and it worked out great for me and my roommate. I also found out through an upperclassmen after I moved on campus that my major had free printing in the building next to where I lived! I’m a junior and even when I lived in an apartment I didn’t bring a printer. Not saying I’m an expert though, because I still had more stuff than I really needed every year.
THANK YOU SO SO SO MUCH!!!!! This article is super helpful, and I really appreciate the solid advice, it means a lot to hear someone help out w/ something that is THIS stressful! I’m going to university this fall, I had a couple common tips I’ve heard that I thought id share here (because they might be seen by ppl who are also transitioning from high school to university). SO… I would recommend laundry strips (soap in the form of strips of paper) instead of a bottle of detergent, and a hard plastic (almost like a basket) shower caddy if you have shared washrooms. Also laundry strips aren’t dryer sheets just to clarify lol for laundry strips, they are often cheaper, less heavy/ easier to carry, more sustainable (because they come in a recyclable cardboard box instead of a huge plastic jug) and also do the exact same thing! Ive been using them for a few years now and I love them so much. (p.s. they also make ur clothes smell really nice) and for the shower caddy, having a “basket” with all ur toiletries is nice because then its not gross if it gets wet (like a fabric one would over time). Also for storage I find it worked better than when I had a huge fabric one I had to unzip a million times for each little thing. and I’ve been told a toothbrush case is ESSENTIAL because if you’ve got a shared bathroom ur toothbrush isn’t going to sit in one spot 9like in a drawer in the bathroom) its gonna be moved around and stuff, and you don’t want germs all over ur toothbrush. I hope I explained that ok lol at the end of the day, that’s just what I plan on doing/ what I’ve been told works, and you are the only person who will know what works for you, and what works is going to be different for everyone!
I wouldn’t be able to survive without my whole desktop set, that’s mostly because its something that I do use every day and I play heavy games like Valorant, Sims, Minecraft, games that require a lot of GPU usage that would crash any normal laptop. It’s also a bigger screen and less straining for my eyes
I brought 1 bowl a fork and spoon. I just washed it the moment I was done. Thar worked best for me. As for the books, yes if you are going into stem wait. But if it’s a humanities or arts, literature, language etc. You’ll need the book. I have always needed the book except for my hard science classes i.e. astronomy.
As someone who has helped people move in to their dorms. Please don’t bring your entire room from home! And don’t buy a bunch of furniture expecting it to fit into the room. Most rooms come with basic furniture. We had one person bring so much stuff, they filled up 2 entire cars and it took 10 of us to carry everything in. And before you ask, no she was not alone. She did have a roommate. Just bring what this article says. If you need more, you can always buy it from the stores around you or bring whatever it is next semester. I’m a senior as well so I’ve figured what’s doable and what I don’t necessarily need but what i can still fit in.
I would still bring a few dishes tbh. They can be a lifesaver if you need them. Though I will admit that me and my roommate have done the “broke college thing” and reuse disposable plates by wrapping them in plastic cling wrap before putting food on them so we can reuse them💀 And if you’re allowed in your dorm, a little toaster oven is amazing to have on hand. My roommate and I have pushed our desks closer together and stacked our beds so we could make a little “food section”- we have a mini fridge with a freezer compartment, we have a basket for snack foods that we put on top of that fridge, and then we have a little metal table for our toaster oven and kettle. Because that table we have little cubbies for the few dishes, utensils, seasonings, paper towels (er…. Napkins we steal from the dining hall 💀), etc. I think one of the biggest things people struggle with, especially girls, when moving into a dorm, is trying to make a compact living area that’s also kind of aesthetic. Just remember that it’s very likely the setup you first create when you and your roommate get to your bedroom is very likely not the way it’s going to stay. Things will move around to become more efficient, but that doesn’t mean they can’t still be pretty.
I think another thing to make your dorm room could be a defuser because you can put scented oils like peppermint or lavender and some water then plug it in turn it on and it will sorta spray it around the room it’s in. I’m on my first year of middle school and it’s almost over but like I have a diffuser and it helps a lot especially if your like having a hard time breathing put the peppermint oil in the diffuser and it should help.
So I’ve got a question for this lol I’m gonna be going into some apartment style dorms where we have a small kitchenette in our communal living room for our block of rooms and because of this they’re getting rid of the dining hall/meal plans so should I still avoid bringing dishware and kitchen stuff???
If you have sensitive skin do not switch to pods just buy a smaller bottle of liquid detergent, laundry pods are the worst thing you can do to your skin (i have reached a point where I have to use infant detergent becuase of how harsh pods were on my already sensitive skin), and a little bit of weight is way better than skin that feels like youve been set on fire anytime you wash your cloths
If you know you’ll have your own desk space (which most if not all freshman do) bring a computer if you want. Might not be able to fit your whole setup in your dorm, but the extra screen(s) and power a computer offers is worth it IMO. I play a lot of games to, so that’s just another reason on top of the pile. You’ll have plenty of spaces to work/study if you’re worried about desk space, and high end laptops are WAAAAY tooo expensive. Just bring your desktop and get a cheap laptop just for lectures and classes.
To all gamers (or fellow graphic art and new media students) who do wanna bring a desktop the biggest thing is your going to have to compensate how much space that will take up I’m brining my PC but that’s about it mainly cause I’m in a small single dorm tho so I have limited space to work with check your dorm floor plans and measurements before hand to get a idea of what you can bring. (also great article)
For the dishware thing, I personally brought a reusable microwavable container. And I ate out of that. It’s great, you can get take away with it, eat homecooked food in it, microwave stuff in it, and it’s really not that hard to wash because there is just ONE of it. Oh and a pack of reusable utensils where there is a pair of chopsticks, spoon and fork in one box. But if you are handwashing dishes, please please please invest in a pair of rubber gloves. You can get contact dermatitis from dish detergent and it’s a chronic condition where you have read, peeling, itchy hands and it’s horrible! Trust me! I got that from washing dishes throughout university without gloves. If you have access to dishwasher, us that, if not, get a pair of gloves
i’m not the usual type who comments on articles but i have to give it to you, this was the most realistic dorm essentials article i’ve seen so far, especially the “You aren’t going to change into an entirely different person in a year” and “college is too busy to change your lifestyle”; let’s be real, we all needed to hear that💀
Fun fact: I just finished off my second year of college with a 3rd gen ipad Pro (in a logtiech keyboard case) and a phone. No computer. I can honestly say I never really felt like I was at a loss without a computer except for when I wanted to play steam games;0 I loved the article though. Definitely going to come back here when I move out for a masters or internship. I stayed home for college;(
as someone who’s moved in, i can already agree with all of these points, but in NO WORLD am i NOT gonna bring a desktop with me. personally, i use it for work like editing articles and such, and i like to game when i have nothing to do or just wanna play games with my friends from my hometown who haven’t moved out to stay connected. but besides that, i agree with everything else.
Really important, as an Aussie student who moved on-campus for uni this year: check what your uni does and doesn’t supply!!! We don’t need to bring cleaning or laundry supplies because they provide those for us where I live. There’s laundry rooms and shared kitchens on each floor, so see if you can find out what your accommodation supplies but also if you can make sharing groups on your floor too for buying bulks of staples like flour, grains, sugar, etc. for essentials. Look out for spaces outside of your room where you can store things!! Our kitchens have little cupboards in them for people to claim (first come first serve) so I don’t need to store my cooking utensils or ingredients in my room. We also have communal fridges, and while a lot of us do opt to get our own minifridge, we can use the communal fridge and label our stuff. Our kitchens have communal appliances like microwaves, blenders, toasters, etc. so check what you will have before you buy anything that will take up room. Common room also has shelves and cupboards too where we can store our hobby supplies so they don’t take up space in our dorms. This may not work if you live somewhere where others don’t respect your property, but I’m lucky to live in a hall where everyone is super nice and doesn’t touch your stuff without asking. And finally, I HIGHLY recommend IKEA trolleys!! I bought 2 Räskog trolleys and they’re so handy while also being portable so I can wheel them outside to transport stuff, but it also makes it easy for when I do eventually move out to take them with me compared to a big bulky shelf.
With the dishes, I’d just bring one of each thing (bowls, plates, etc) and then you have to wash it every time after use. It takes less time, saves money and keeps dirty dishes from piling up- the more dishes, the less you want to clean them! The only bad thing about this is that if you break it, you’ll have to buy a new one or deal with it. If you’re more clumsy, maybe opt for plastic or something less breakable, as long as it’s reusable! Hope this helped even tho I’ve never been to uni T-T
I honestly don’t understand the “don’t bring a desktop setup”. Desks in most dorm rooms will have more than ample space for single, dual, or even triple monitor setups. In 2022, most computing needs wont be sustained by an M1 Macbook or the like. The advantages of a full desktop computing setup far outweigh the disadvantages.
I love most of this, however, I do believe some of this is course specific. I’m a film student, without my Mac desktop I would struggle as a laptop is simply not powerful enough for some of the projects I undertake while at Uni. Obviously she’s not saying you must follow her advice so this is not hate, just a note. If you honestly fully believe it will benefit your course, bring it as she is only talking from her specific experience, as I and everyone else in this comment section is 🙂
If you have issues with physical health, executive dysfunction or just mental health in general, keep the reusable dishes on you but have a pack of disposable compostable dishes too. Disposable dishes can add up in your budget so take care of that before spending money on this. But also, if you have any issues like the ones mentioned above, college is going to drain the life out of you. And you will not want to do the dishes. I don’t hate doing dishes. For me it’s the easiest job in the world. But we have a shared bathroom in our hostel and a sink (for washing dishes etc) downstairs. I can’t tell you how dirty the dishes got while I tried to muster the courage to wash them. Some had to be even thrown away because we have a humid kinda environment and fungus would start growing while i couldn’t wash them. A few times it happened, I washed the dishes, dried them, treated them with disinfectants, washed and dried again. But a couple utensils kept getting mold so much that throwing them away seemed the better option.
As someone who lives in the apartment next to the laundry room in my building, it’s a curse. A freaking curse I tell ya. Slamming door, slamming washer lid at any time. But for anyone with problems carrying all their laundry, there are foldable carts with wheels and they’re also convenient for carrying groceries. On the food topic, if you have food allergies make sure you have safe snacks since I wouldn’t trust the dining hall to provide enough safe snacks. For me, I would need a mini fridge to keep non-dairy creamer because I drink coffee every day and buying coffee each time from a café would be too expensive over time. And have a basic emergency kit not only with bandaids but with medications you might need for something that would prevent you being able to leave your room (yes, I’m talking about the anti 💩 and anti-nausea meds) because you just never know. I’d say if you have roommates, make sure everyone is okay with any scent diffusers you plan on using because some of us get bad headaches with those things.
In the uk if ur disabled and go through a dsa assessment they offer u a printer and I accepted one even tho every article says u don’t need one, mainly because I’m an art student and will probably be printing lots of stuff for sketchbooks and research . But if you haven’t used a printer loads for your chosen subject before,,, then I’d say don’t. Also I’m gonna get one because I have severe anxiety and cfs and sometimes can’t leave my room so it really depends on your situation
I am actually a junior in high school but I go to boarding school. I have been struggling to come up with ideas to decorate the place because I have a fair amount of room and the dorms can look very bland and uninviting. So far, I have LED lights, a little wooden stick with a message on it, and one of those solar-powered glass things that makes the room look cool. Anyone got ideas?
Spoken from the person that still should not have brought 90% of what there still is. She is very very very lucky that she did not have to share a room with another person. There is not way she would be able to have or use the stuff she still has there. She would be lucky to have a small part of any storage spaces in that dorm room.
20 cents extra for a bag in LA? In Chicago it’s 7 cents and people still whine and throw tantrums over it. Yesterday at work I asked a customer if they wanted a bag, they said yes and immediately saw the charge for it. They ended up saying something along the lines of bags being a common courtesy before and now it is another expense.