DORM SHOPPING: A guide to saving your wallet now, and your sanity later

Author
Emily Okawara
​______________
University of Notre Dame Class of 2019, 2021 M.Ed.
American Studies
Education, Schooling, and Society


Dorm Room Shopping: 50 Questions to Answer First

~Grown and Flown
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​https://grownandflown.com/dorm-room-shopping-questions/?utm_medium=socialflow&utm_source=facebook&fbclid=IwAR3IqF_nORcOkLlf5lAnhBld90asP2MORowYZdLh2iwRoSDdDwWneLUL1fs
​There's nothing like the excitement and satisfaction of scanning items with the Bed Bath and Beyond "Pack and Hold" handheld gun. But while Pack and Hold (where you choose items at home and  pick them up at a BB&B by your school) is great in theory, don't fall into the trap. I found that Target had most everything I needed, in cuter styles and at a fraction of the cost.  Going crazy with the Pack and Hold scanner is just one dorm shopping don't... like don't use the department store checklists. Don't try to buy everything at once and don't get hung up over an exact color scheme. Don't go dorm shopping with friends. Don't overestimate the amount of space you have. Don't underestimate the amount of hangers you will need. Don't make your mom try to carry everything at the store (see left!).
​So, here's my list of things to bring and not to bring-- Keep in mind I am a girl living in extreme winter climates without my own bathroom. Other than that, I hope this list is pretty extensive!
3 Best Buys:

  1. My Beloved Macbook Pro 13” Retina Screen… It is awesome and holds my whole life together. You definitely need a laptop... choose wisely.
  2. My parka… I would have died without it. Like literal death. ​​
  3. My Amazon Prime Membership... If you don't have a car or parents or a target on campus, this is a must. Free shipping, so it's just like going to the store without ever leaving your dorm room! I also used it to send gifts to my friends on birthdays, and it's a great way for your parents to do the care package thing without the hassle! :) 

Dusting off a Little Shop of Horrors sign in my trusty parka on my way to do a show
Room Things:
GET/BRING IT:
#1) Mattress Toppers (this is a necessity-- I have memory foam, egg crate foam, and a mattress pad. I love my bed.)
  • Extra blankets  (for sitting on the quad and snuggling on the futon. I brought my heated blanket, which is a luxury, but was amazing to come back to after trekking through the snow)
  • MORE hangers! (Mom made two extra trips after realizing and realizing AGAIN that I needed more)
  • Surge protectors and extension cords
  • Pictures/Wall decoration (Naked walls are ugly)
  • Hanging full length mirror
  • Water filter
  • Air freshener (I have the wallflower from Bath and Body Works- a seasonal smell changes the whole room!)
  • 2 reusable plastic cups (great for both refreshing glasses of water and catching cockroaches in your 1936 dorm!)
  • Box fan for the window
  • OTTOMAN! (Storage AND seating? You can’t go wrong.)
  • Lap Desk (These are great if you have a comfy futon or chair, or even if you want to eat lunch on the couch without making a mess. You can take it to study on the floor, in a lounge, or really anywhere! A staple to my study routine!)
  • Paper towels (We ran out in the last days of school and I thought the world would end. Papertowelmageddon.)
  • Bedside storage (esp. If you are in a top bunk or a loft! Mine hung off the side of my loft and held my journal, book, phone, water, etc. so as to not have to make the climb down the loft at 3am)
  • Command strips/hooks
  • Lights (Okay… you don’t NEED these, but they sure are nice and give a great vibe for a movie night)
  • Electric water kettle (This is a personal preference, I love tea and used mine a lot)
  • All of the regular bed things, which and how many is personal preference! Good pillows are a must.
  • Laundry basket (I like the standing ones so I can just throw in my dirty clothes and easy to carry down to the laundry room)
  • A futon (space allowing)
  • A small refrigerator
  • Plastic drawers

DON'T GET/BRING IT:
  • Extra purses
  • Desk lamp (I guess this depends, mine had a built in light)
  • Small desk fan 
  • Bed bug protector (depends on your school and dorm/mattresses, but I saved $60)
  • Trash can (check to see if they are provided by the room. We had trash and recycle provided.)

School Supplies:
GET/BRING IT:
#1) Planner (I have a Happy Planner- get a monthly/weekly one to stay organized week by week and big picture!)
  • A good backpack
  • Cards and stamps (I love sending/receiving handwritten notes and cards!)
  • Staples/stapler (lots of research papers to staple, staple, staple!)
  • Scissors
  • Tape
  • Microsoft Office for your computer (Some professors require it and don't accept pages)
  • Plastic folders (so they won’t rip)
  • Flash drives
  • Desk storage (I have an upright magazine holder that I just throw misc. papers/letters/brochures in!)
  • Paper clips (I mostly used for resumes and headshots for auditions, but they came in handy a few other times)
  • Highlighters

DON'T GET/BRING IT:
  • Loose leaf paper
  • Binders
  • Glue sticks (Why I thought I needed these I’ll never know)
  • Index cards (Use Quizlet! Save the earth!)
  • Calculator (If you’re like me and never have to take math in college, the one on your phone will do just fine)
  • Rubberbands (maybe bring like 2)
  • Printer (the fact that I thought about trying to fit a printer in my room is just comical)

Clothes:
GET/BRING IT):
#1) Scarves and jewelry (You can use these to dress up and dress down your wardrobe, and double the outfit possibilities you have with the same clothes!)
  • Clothes for any weather (you don't need your whole wardrobe)
  • Dresses that you can wear in hot weather or pair with scarf/tights/boots in the winter (more outfits, less closet space!)
  • Pajamas (Don't need that many, mostly t-shirts and shorts will work)
  • Lots of underwear (less laundry)
  • PARKA (make an investment and get a good one. You will thank yourself when you’re walking to class in the blizzard. And get one with fur on the hood-- I didn’t understand why everyone had it on theirs, but it catches the snow when you are walking as to not get it in your face!)
  • Hats, gloves, wool socks, snow boots, rain boots (basically be prepared for anything)
  • Slippers (Great to go downstairs to print or microwave, or to just go to your friend’s room!)
  • Running shoes, flats, "going out" (comfy and nice) shoes, sandals, casual shoes (converse/keds)

DON'T GET/BRING IT:
  • Excessive business/professional clothes
  • Excessive heels/wedges
  • You get the point-- don't be excessive :) 

Shower/laundry/cleaning:
GET/BRING IT:
#1) Towel wrap (This is one of my very best purchases-- you can wear it to the shower, and then wear it back while you use a regular towel to wrap your hair up! So handy.)
  • Towels (you only need 2)
  • Hard plastic shower caddy
  • Laundry soap and dryer sheets
  • Flip flops
  • A cup or jar to keep your toothbrush/toothpaste/floss/retainer in
  • hairbrush/dryer/heat tools
  • your personal toiletries

DON'T GET IT:
  • Laundry soap pods (This might depend on the washer, but twice I took my clothes out with melted plastic from the pod)
  • Special shower shoes with holes (I never really understood why these were better? But you don’t need them. Plus, my friend at a different school stepped in puke wearing them and it went through the holes… yuck)

Misc:
GET/BRING IT:
#1) Journal (you should do it, especially in a time of so much change! Journaling gave me something routine to do when I was trying to establish stability and schedule in chaos, and forced me to sit down and reflect once in a while. It is great to be able to look back on all of the memories-- of excitement and joy and of difficulty and triumph. When I didn't know many people yet and my family was far away, the journal was a way for me to talk out my thoughts whenever I needed to. Anyway, you get it. Journaling rocks.)
  • Umbrella
  • A mini-wallet/lanyard for your ID and keys 
  • Vitamins, Advil, Zyrtec
  • Playing cards and games
  • Water bottle without a straw
  • A personal thermos (you will save $ at Starbucks and you can stick it in your pack without spilling!)
  • Ziploc bags
  • Extra pair of headphones (I don’t know how they do it so well, but they just get lost.)
  • Lint roller (I didn’t bring one, but ended up needing one a few times! They sell mini-mini ones)
  • Sticky notes (I didn’t include this in school supplies because I mostly used them to leave notes for my friends and decorating!)
  • Clorox wipes (for when you need to dodge the dorm mono, pink eye, strep, etc plague)
  • HDMI cord (I don’t have one and borrowed ALL THE TIME… I will definitely be bringing one next year)
  • Tissues
  • Personal steamer (clothes get wrinkled.)
DON'T GET/BRING IT:
  • Flashlight (I never used it)
  • Tupperware
  • Mini speaker
  • Laundry drying rack (I never needed it! If I had to hang dry, I just did it in the laundry room)
  • Alarm Clock (I just used my phone)

I've already said many things you shouldn't do when dorm shopping, but I haven't forgotten the things you should. Do research on what is allowed, talk to people from your college, have fun, and GET EXCITED for this amazing journey you are about to begin. Happy shopping!