Top Ten Dorm Room Essentials

Hey everyone! I'm about to be a sophomore in college in about a month, so last year I had my first experience of living in a dorm room. It was a suite-style room that I shared with three other girls - two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a living room, and a kitchenette. I obviously had a very "luxurious" dorm room experience, but I decided to make a list of the ten things that I believe are essential for every student living in a dorm room! There are obviously some more things that you would need, but I consider these ten things to be necessary. Enjoy!

1. Mini-Fridge: Every college student needs a mini-fridge in their dorm room. Where else would you keep your alcohol? I'm completely kidding, but a mini-fridge really is a HUGE help. My freshman year I always kept it stocked with milk, a couple frozen dinners, ice, and a few snack items. It really comes in handy for those late night cravings, or for when there's a blizzard outside and you don't feel like walking across campus for a meal!

2. Keurig - Any coffee machine would definitely be a necessity, but I think that a Keurig is the best option. Rather than making 12 cups of coffee that will go to waste, you can make a single cup of coffee for yourself in just a couple of minutes to bring to class with you and wake yourself up for those dreaded 8 A.M. classes. They aren't just for coffee lovers, either! You can make a cup of coffee, tea, hot chocolate, iced tea, or anything else. You can make just about any drink in a Keurig! Although they're on the more expensive side, they are definitely worth it.

3. Cute Bedding - Obviously, bedding in general is an essential to have in your dorm room, unless you want to sleep on a rock hard mattress with no blankets or pillows. However, having cute bedding that is personalized to your style really makes the entire room! It sets the tone for your dorm room, and really is the focal point of a dorm room. So I definitely suggest getting the cutest bedding you can find that you really love, and it doesn't have to be expensive at all! Target, Bed Bath & Beyond, and even Wal-Mart have some really cute and affordable bedding sets for dorm rooms. 

4. Full Length Mirror - Whether you have your own bathroom, or share a community bathroom with the rest of your floor, I still suggest keeping a full length mirror either on the back of your door or just propped up against the wall. Even though I had a bathroom in my suite to share with my roommate that a had a large mirror above the sinks, I still kept a full length mirror in the bedroom. It's always a great thing to make sure your outfit looks okay!

5. TV or Laptop With Netflix - I don't know how I would have gotten through college without my TV or Netflix. It's a great way to end the day and unwind. It was nice to have a TV to turn the news on in the morning while I was getting ready to keep myself informed on what's going on in the world around me. I also loved just getting in bed at the end of a busy day and opening up Netflix to turn on One Tree Hill. It's a nice break from everything that's going on!

6. Rain Boots, Rain Jacket, & Umbrella - You'll be thanking me the first time that's it pouring down rain when you have to get all the way across campus for a class! If you live in an area where it rains fairly often, you're definitely going to want these things - and they don't have to be expensive either. My rain boots were the clothing item that I always got the most compliments on from everyone including strangers, and I got them for only $5! They are great investments to have for college. It's always good to be prepared!

7. Wall Decorations - This obviously is not a necessity, but I wouldn't want to live in my dorm room without some decorations on my walls! Even if it's just a couple of posters that you like, wall decorations will really brighten up your room. It will also make the room feel more like your own, and you'll feel more at home. 

8. Pictures of Friends & Family From Home - This goes along with the wall decorations. They obviously aren't essential, but it helps a ton with homesickness! There are also a bunch of cute ideas on Pinterest for ways to hang up your pictures in your dorm room. 

9. Flip-Flops - Whether you're living in a suite or a traditional dorm room, I recommend always having a pair of flip-flops in your room, even in the dead middle of winter. If you're in a traditional dorm room, you're definitely going to want them for the bathroom/showers - you never know whose feet have been in those showers! As for myself, I always kept a pair of flip-flops with me living in the suites, because I didn't want to walk out to the trash room or laundry room in bare feet. Like I said, you never know what's been touching those floors!

10. Storage, Storage, & More Storage - Need I say more? There isn't much space in a dorm room (even if you're living in a suite), so you need all the storage you can get! My number one way to save space is to make use of the space you have under your bed. This coming year, I plan on raising my bed as high as it will go, and putting a couple of clear drawers under there, as well as my hamper. It's a great way to save space!

I really hope you all enjoyed my first blog post, and that this helped some of you! I really wish I would have been told some of these things before I started college. Feel free to comment with requests, questions, or comments. You can also e-mail me at pasororitygirl@gmail.com! Have a lovely day, and a great time dorm room shopping! xoxo

Twitter: @PAsororitygirl

Disclaimer: I do not own any of these picture, I got them all from Google.