Let’s face it; college isn’t exactly a walk in the park especially life in the dorms. But, with the right planning and a few trips to Walmart, you can create a cozy, stress-free space to come home to at the end of the day.
Here are five tips to make dorm life a little easier.
1. Arrange Your Room to Your Advantage
Dorms aren’t exactly known for spaciousness, so the first thing you’re going to want to do is discuss furniture placement with your roommate. A big help is deciding what can be stacked. If you can get your roommate to agree, bunk your beds. This is a huge space-saver and creates a storage area under the lower bunk.
This also applies to other pieces of furniture your dorm might come with.
If it’s safe to stack ‘em, stack ‘em.
2. Become Captain Hook
Command hooks are your best friend. Colleges don’t typically let you nail things into the wall, but most schools will let you use command strips/hooks. They’re really handy for decor and everything, but you can also use them for other things such as hanging towels or creating key hooks so you don’t forget them. In general, keep a good supply in your room. You’ll be surprised how many uses you’ll have for them.
3. Coffee Bar
For all the coffee people out there, I highly recommend investing in some form of coffee pot. The cheapest option is to get a little $15 filter machine from Walmart. If you want slightly better quality, get an AeroPress and a hot water pot.
If you’re not a coffee person… I don’t know how to help you. Just kidding! If you’re not a coffee person that’s perfectly fine (even admirable), but at least get a hot water pot. You’re going to want some form of hot water regardless. You can use it to make tea, ramen, cocoa, soup, etc.
4. Embrace the Cozy
Seriously, there’s a reason superheroes and villains have lairs to come back to at night. Everyone needs a space to unwind in. Your dorm is your lair so cozy it up! Throw rugs are great, especially if you have a carpeted floor. You’re going to want some degree of lounge chair. You can get those cheap at thrift stores or you can get a beanbag chair from Walmart for $15. Definitely worth it.
Soft lighting is also a huge win. Just get a strand or 2 of Christmas lights, grab a couple of your handy command strips, and voila! Cozy lighting. Curtains help too. Gentlemen, don’t knock it until you try it.
5. Miscellaneous Necessities
These things are all pretty self-explanatory, so I’ll just list them.
- Extension cords
- Dishes
- Broom
- Cleaning supplies
- Hangers
- Power strips
- Shower caddy
If you start out your college experience with these tips in mind, you’ll be well on your way to a great 4 years (more or less). If you have any unique dorm hacks you want to share, comment below!
About the Author
Stephanie Van Wyk
Stephanie received her bachelor’s degree in English from Southwestern Assemblies of God University in 2021. She is passionate about the world of storytelling, artistry in all mediums, and is incapable of resisting any dog over 50 pounds.
