Leaving the “nest” for the first time can be both a fun and nerve-wracking experience. It’s tough, but no worries. We’re here to help!

“Dorming” is a unique and exciting part of college life, and as you prepare to pack for your big move, don’t forget these below essentials.

1. Comfortable Beds

Making a comfortable bed when moving into your dorm space is essential. A nice bed makes your room feel like you are at home. Besides, cozy pillows, blankets, and sheets will also elevate your space. Remember, dorm beds will mostly be a Twin XL size. You will find dozens of retailers that sell this unique size.

In addition to Amazon, we are big fans of Pottery Barn Teen. We think their selection of dorm furnishings is worth a look for their range of styles, high-quality, commitment to sustainable manufacturing, and content of price points. You can get your new beds online at a Pottery Barn, West Elm, or Williams Sonoma. Still, you can also visit stores like Target or Bed, Bath & Beyond and touch and feel different types of sheeting fabric before buying new ones.

Extra: While shopping for sheets, you might want to choose the comforter, duvet, or blanket. These can be regular twins or even more significant to use on a future Queen size bed.

Shopping is too expensive? Students can also use SwapNow to exchange their rarely used items for a comforter, duvet, or blanket. One-click, done!

2. Towels

You can bring bath towels, hand towels, and washcloths from home or buy a new set. We think getting them in a unique color or monogrammed will help keep up separate in a shared bath and laundry room. Students will want two sets of towels, and these quick-drying ones from Pottery Barn Teen are available in 13 pretty colors.

3. Pillows

This is another item that you can bring from home. However, if you’re buying a new one, this #1-rated pillow (Good Housekeeping) from COOP Home Goods will not get flat or lumpy and will get rave reviews.

Extras: Consider a washable, hypoallergenic pillow protector to keep pillows clean and protect against bedbugs, dust mites, and allergens. Also, another good option is a second bed pillow or backrest pillow that students can use to lean against when studying in bed.

4. Laundry hamper, bag, or basket

A Laundry basket or hamper is needed to carry a mountain of dirty clothes to the laundry room.

There are several things we need to consider. For example, how many clothes must we carry? How far to the laundry? Are the machines on the same floor or even in another building? Choose the one that fits different situations.

5. Storage solutions

Shop for under-bed storage containers for bedding, extra socks and underwear, and toiletries. Before buying, find out as much as possible about the room to maximize its precious space. Some schools provide dimensions for the furniture and how high the bed is lofted. Take a tape measure when you shop.

Extras: Buy Command Hooks for the wall to hang wet towels, necklaces, baseball caps, a lanyard with their keys, a sweatshirt, almost anything. Over the door, hooks are also handy.

6. Backpack

Having a great backpack is always a boost for new semesters. Some of our favorite brands are Lululemon, Herschel, and Fjallraven, all of which are available in many styles and colors.

It’s worth looking for water-resistant backpacks with padded sleeves for laptops since smart devices are one of the most needed items for students nowadays.

Looking for an exterior pocket for a water bottle to stay hydrated. For water bottles, Hydro Flask bottles are our favorites. They are available in numerous sizes and designs, all with a lifetime warranty. They are made of stainless steel and keep cold drinks and hot drinks hot for hours.

Note:

Students may use different methods for reading, taking notes, and completing school assignments at college than they did in high school. Don’t buy a semester’s supply of bulky printer paper, sticky notes, notebooks, binders, pens, pencils, index cards, highlighters, scissors, folders, etc., if your student plans to use more digital resources. 

For instance, they may prefer taking notes on their laptop, using a Kindle to read and highlight text, or trying a Rocket Notebook. Furthermore, dorms have printing facilities, so students don’t need printers and paper.

Cooking in the dorm

Students can use a microwave or coffee maker in their dorm. They might need a few things like a mug, bowl, utensils, dish soap, and paper towels.

Saving money on dorm room essentials

Many retailers have free shipping and other special savings for college students, so read the fine print and take advantage of every offer. Your student may have to provide their .edu email address to be eligible, which seems like a fair ask to unlock the savings.

• Target Circle members can unlock savings when shopping.
• Bed, Bath & Beyond College Savings Pass lets kids save 20% on all their purchases through 9/30/22, plus free shipping for orders over $39.
• Amazon Prime Student — receive a six-month trial that includes FREE Two-Day Shipping on eligible purchases. 

More importantly, to save money on shopping, students can exchange items at SwapNow. They can swap spare items such as pack back, clothes, books, home appliances, electronic devices, etc., but at no cost (that’s right!). 

In particular, every swap action is focused on students’ needs. All exchange activities are unrelated to profits, such as money, coins, credits, etc.

Besides, SwapNow wants to bring the most convenience, simplicity, and superiority in exchanging items by building a system of advanced algorithms to help the swappers have the best experience while using the application. From there, users can find the necessary items as quickly as possible.