If you have a child leaving for college, you know what this month means. Dorm shopping! With Annie being our fourth child going to college, I think I have the shopping list down. Of all my kids, her dorm room is the smallest. (I have a love seat on our list and I don’t think she actually has room for it!) Annie is going with bright neutrals to make the space feel bigger, and we’ll make sure that everything has its place so that it feels roomy, too.
Let’s do this!
THE LIST
Bedding:
Sheets (most college dorm beds are twin XL…this was news to me!)
Body pillow (My daughter Grace had this because her bed was right up against a cement wall and this gave her a little cushion)
Headboard (this is more decorative than functional)
Bath:
Shower shoes (flip flops or slides)
Toiletries (including hand soap and dish soap for room sink if there is one)
First aid: Bandaids, cold medicine, pain reliever, vitamins
Room:
Custom light with Annie’s name
9-drawer dresser (will double as a nightstand as it will be tall enough for Annie’s lofted bed)
Trunk for all the stuff that doesn’t fit anywhere else
Love seat or futon (Facebook Marketplace is also great for this)
TV (Facebook Marketplace is great for this, too)
Tide pods (kids seem to like this over the big jug of detergent) and Color Grabbers (in case those reds get washed with those whites–my friend Jen told me about these)
Fan (even if the dorm has air conditioning, this seems to come in handy)
Closet/wardrobe:
Shoe rack or over-the-door shoe bag
Desk:
School supplies
Extras:
Place setting (or plastic and paper ones that they can just throw away work great, too)
Snacks
Cleaning items (paper towels, disinfectant, Swiffer sweeper)
A good winter coat if they’re going somewhere cold
Boots
Umbrella
Pro Tips:
–If you are driving, we bring all of the clothes already on hangers and then we could just hang them right up when we get into the room.
–Last year, I asked Eddie if he could give me his “must-have” ideas for school and they were pretty funny. These might be helpful, too.
–And one more little story I put together last August after I moved Grace in for her senior year.
As always, just holler if you have any questions. Good luck!
xo,
Disclosure: If you make a purchase through one of my links, I will make a small commission–almost as if I were your personal shopper. I appreciate your support!
