Dorm Sweet Dorm
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If you’re a parent of a newly minted high school graduate (or soon-to-be graduate, depending on where you live), you and your college-bound student may be starting to research and plan for dorm room furnishings, striving to create a new home base where they will live, study, and socialize for most of the next year.
Dorm rooms are infamously small and equipped with just the bare essentials—a bed (usually a twin XL), a desk, a small closet, and, if you’re lucky, a dresser. It’s almost a rite of passage to learn how to live in these tiny spaces with a roommate or roommates that you may have only just met. But innovative product designers and retailers are constantly expanding the possibilities for dorm living, allowing college students to achieve both stylishness and order in their tiny spaces. As organizers we think bringing both of these elements to any space will always make you more productive and generally happier and less stressed and anxious.
To supplement what you’re probably already doing—checking your college’s dorm specs, consulting with veteran parents on your school’s Facebook page, perusing Pinterest, and checking out the best ideas on Instagram and TikTok—we’ve put together some thoughts on the sources and products you might want to consider as you design a functional and stylish space.
Target and the Container Store are among the classic, go-to retailers for dorm-room shopping, offering a variety of solutions for storage, bedding, and accessories to help transform these cell-like rooms. Every year they add options for dorm staples like shower caddies, study pillows, and rolling carts. We are big fans of using rolling carts as an extension of your probably-too-small desk space, creating zones for easy-to-access supplies, books, and files.
But along with the classics—as well as Amazon, Walmart, and Ikea, of course—there are also numerous websites focused specifically on providing dorm living solutions. For example, to level-up the standard-issue, institutional beds, Dormify (and others) offer a variety of detachable headboard options that dramatically transform beds from boring to stunning, while doing double-duty as a comfortable backrest. And for an even more comfortable night’s sleep, make sure to add a thick foam mattress topper to your shopping list—dorm mattresses are notoriously uncomfortable, and these toppers can definitely help.
When considering where you can possibly store all of your stuff, get creative and use every nook and cranny. Most dorm beds have adjustable heights, opening up the possibility for under-bed storage (Word to the wise: consider bringing a rubber mallet to “loft” your bed). A variety of storage solutions can create extra dresser space under your bed, and many come with wheels that allow you to access or pull them out as needed. Since you likely won’t have a nightstand, you can even attach a bed shelf or bed caddy to your mattress to store your electronics, books, water bottle, etc. Oh, and, P.S., if you loft your bed, unless you’re a high jumper or gymnast, don’t forget a step stool.
To add color and style, consider a small rug; pretty, removable wallpaper or vinyl decals (if permitted) for a focal wall; fun lighting (again, check your dorm rules); personalized products like a “Dorm Sweet Dorm” sign from Etsy for your door; and of course photos and meaningful accessories from home. Adding mementos and objects your student loves can foster a mindset that will set a positive tone for each day on this new adventure.
Use removable adhesive products like those made by Command to adhere art and hooks for robes, jackets, or towels to your walls or doors. There are also plenty of storage products available that hook over doors or closet rods to create extra areas to store shoes, clothing, or other items.
With just a little creativity and some clever storage and décor solutions, you can transform a drab dorm room into a beautiful, functional, and comfortable home and study space for your new college student.