Before You Move In: Dorm Shopping

This is by far the biggest undertaking you'll under go before you move into your dorm. So, I figured it would be a good place to start in my 3 part series "Before you Move In."

I see my dorm as an extension of myself and my "safe zone" when I'll be on campus. When you're missing home, feeling stressed, or just plain exhausted, your dorm is going to be your place of refuge. That is why it's super important to make sure you love it! Now, it's hard to fully decorate your dorm the way you'd like because of many decor rules, but there are still plenty of things you can do to your dorm to make it look great!

Let's start with your BED. 

Your bed is the focal part of your room. It's typically the biggest piece of furniture that you have full control over decorating. Your bed is not only a bed, either!

Buy it here!

It's your study space, you couch, and even your kitchen table sometimes! My biggest tip for decorating your bed is pick a neutral comforter. One of the exciting things about having a roommate is planning out an adorable room together. But, if you buy that hot pink comforter to match hers and you switch roommates sophomore year, you're kind of in a pickle. The best route to go is to get something super plain and dress it up with some fun accent pillows! I got this grey and white chevron comforter for my dorm. 

I cannot think of a single color that would look bad with this comforter. If your roommate decides on pink, simply buy a pair of pink sheets or some pink throw pillows. So much easier than buy a new bedspread every year.

Next is your "kitchen" supplies.
You don't have much space in your dorm, so if you don't absolutely need it don't buy it. With that said, you really don't need many food prep supplies. Most of your meals will either be in the schools cafeteria/food court or you will go out for food. You rarely will have legitimate meals in your dorm room. You simply have to prepare your dorm for snacks. I would recommend buying one full dinner set. So, a set of silverware, a dinner plate, and a bowl. (Make sure they are all microwave safe!) I have actually bought two bowls, one cereal bowl and another larger bowl for popcorn/chips. Also, another item you will need is chip clips. When you're thinking about storage, don't forget to factor in where you are going to put a box of pop tarts and bag of pretzels. A small bin will probably do the trick.

Scrub-a-dub-dub: Living life without a tub.
Things you will need for your shower kind of depends on what type of facilities your school offers. Most schools have community bathrooms (yuck). But, some schools (like mine) have a bathroom between two rooms. Some basics you will need are one full set of towels. That means 2 body towels, a hand towel, and washcloth. If you're not comfortable walking around in just a towel, I would invest in a robe. It doesn't have to be fancy, you'll just use it for transportation purposes. Personally, all of my dorms are strictly females, so a towel would work for me. (It's also one less thing you have to lug with you to the bathroom.) Something I bought this year is a bag dedicated to holding my toiletries. I have a sister, so I know the pain of desperately needing a supply and the box being empty. If you have your own storage, you'll know when you're running low.

Where are you going to put everything? We're talking about storage.

Storage is super important for keeping your dorm organized, but you don't want to go overboard. It's okay to buy some items after you move in. You may even find some great discounts after traditional "college shopping" time is over and they have to clear their inventory. Once you are ready to tackle organizing your smaller items, work on organizing within your drawers. You want to save precious floor space, so if you can use the furniture you're supplied to organize you'll be much happier. Soon your dorm will be a sea of storage boxes and canvas bins. Start off worrying about storing your larger items. If you can think of a place to put all of your clothes, shoes, and books you're good. Something I bought is a cute ottoman! It's perfect small size is great for a dorm. It opens up for extra storage space and can also be used as a place to sit. Other than that, figure out the rest once you are on campus.

Now, to focus on why you're actually going to school. You're going to need school supplies.
The last time I had a backpack was probably my freshman year of high school. I only carried two or so books home and so it was never a problem. Well, college is not going to be that easy. When you make a quick pit stop at the cafeteria in between classes, you're not going to want to worry about balancing your plate of food on your science textbook. I got this adorable one from Vans. It's girlie, but not in your face. You're also going to need a laptop. I got a 13 inch MacBook Pro with the storage upgrade. It's so amazing. I was previously a PC person, so I was scared for the transition. It was pretty smooth! I am going to invest in Microsoft Office for Mac, however. Don't waste your money on pages and numbers from the Apple store. I have a little more information about some extra stuff for your Mac that isn't completely necessary, but will most likely save you a few headaches once you move into your new dorm home!

Everyone needs some extras! First, I'm talking futons! I looked everywhere for a good futon. I have a good sized dorm, so I decided to purchase a full size one. www.walmart.com had the biggest selection and they really had the cheapest prices. They are also offering free shipping for college students. However, we just had it shipped to our local store to pick up. I went for this one! It looks nice and can hold a lot of weight. (Not that my roomie and I are fat....) but I'm hoping it'll be sturdy! Dormco.com also offered mini futons! They're really mini, so I don't know if you could sleep on one, but it's good for extra seating in those smaller dorms. My advice is if you find a good, quality futon for cheap just get it! Even if you don't have room freshman year, you'll want one for the rest of college and beyond.  Now, as I promised I also want to mention a MacBook extra! I got this great skin for my laptop from Gelaskins.com. It not only is super cute, but it's protective. It keeps scratches off of your computer. Also, you don't ever have to worry about someone accidentally grabbing your computer in the crowded hang out areas.Another item you should purchase is an area rug! Even if you have carpet in your room already, those are nasty. And who doesn't love a bright rug! I'm buying this plush one so it'll be nice to sit on. 

Need a good shopping list? Well, this one helped me out the most. 

www.collegepackinglist.com

Have any more tips? Comment them below! Also, I will include some dorm projects soon! I hope this gets your creative juices flowing for your new dorm!



Can you guys tell I love chevron yet? (;