Below are some dorm essentials that will make your room much more fabulous. After all, a stylish college girl needs a stylish place to call home.
When it comes to things like curtains and wall decal, make sure to discuss things with your roommate first. You don't want to show up with pink curtains and rugs and find out that your roommate hates that color.
Bedding
When it comes to dorm shopping, I'd say the most important thing is your bedding. After all, in a tiny 10x11 dorm shared by two people, there's not much space for much else besides beds and desks.
Most colleges require Twin XL sized bedding, which are actually quite easy to find, especially during back-to-school season. There's no reason to settle for a drab gray set. Plenty of places like Target and PBTeen offer a wide variety of bedding sets. Whether your style is preppy, girly, sporty, or simple, there's sure to be something that fits your liking.
When it comes to bedding, terminology sometimes can get a bit confusing. So here is a quick breakdown:
Flat Sheet - As the name suggests, this is just a plain sheet. The good thing about using a flat sheet instead of a fitted sheet (see below) is that a Twin flat sheet would also work on a Twin XL bed, thus increasing your options. Also used as a layer of separation between you and the comforter to keep the comforter clean.
Fitted Sheet - A sheet with four corners that wrap around the mattress. If you bed is a Twin XL, you must get a twin XL fitted sheet as a Twin fitted sheet would not work. Advantage of them is that a fitted sheet stays in place much better, making it much easier to make your bed.
Comforter - This is the typical "blanket" that you would see on a bed. It's basically a case filled with some type of feather.
Duvet - Technically the same as a comforter, although many people refer to duvets as duvet covers, which is a case over your comforter (much like a pillowcase) that keeps your comforter clean.
Pillow Case - As the name implies, a protective case for your pillows.
Sham - A decorative pillow case.
Mattress Pad - A plain, thin padding that goes over your mattress, making it feel softer to sleep on.
When it comes to selecting a bedding, I would strongly suggest you to stray away from white and black. Both colors stain very easily - white from juices, black from drools (I know, gross) and deodorant. Pick out something colorful like lavender, lemon, pink, or green. Bright colors can brighten your mood and make those gray winter days much less dreary.
Also, invest in a duvet cover to protect your comforter. Trust me, your bed will get dirty. In college, you'll most likely eat in bed, study in bed, friends will come over and sit on your bed, etc. Comforters require dry cleaning, so get a cover for it, which is much easier to wash.
Lastly, get some fluffy decorative pillows. Not only will they be heavenly to sleep on and make your bed look pretty, they'll also come in handy for pillow fights with the girls.
Wall Art
Dorm walls are quite...boring. Since you're not allowed to paint it in your favorite shade, at least put up some wall decor to brighten it up. Below are some ideas:
Small Mirrors - Small, decorative mirrors are great for adding a personal touch to your walls. Since you can't use pins and poke holes in the walls to hang things up, invest in some removable wall tape. Mirrors can make your room appear bigger and are great for makeup and hair touch-ups.
Photos - Go to your local Walgreens and print out your favorite pictures of you and your friends and family. Tape them up near your bed or your desk when you get to college. They'll remind you of the great memories you've had these past several of years when you start missing home.
Hooks - There are tons of decorative hooks that can be attached to your walls using removable wall tape. Not only will they look pretty, they are also very functional for hanging up bags and cardigans.
Posters - This is the stereotypical college decor. Hang up a poster of something that you love or inspires you - whether it's Mozart, a beautiful scenery, or Taylor Lautner's abs.
Wall Decal - Sticky wall decal comes in a wide variety. Decorate your walls with ledger lines that come with customizable music notes or a tree with birds that you can place anywhere to your liking.
Lighting
Lighting fixtures are essential for decorating your dorm. Not only will you need a good desk lamp for studying at night, you should also get some colorful lighting to spice up the space at night.
I personally love the pink iHome lamp from JR.com, which doubles as a lamp, pencil organizer, and iPod player.
For mood lighting, go with colored string lights that you can hang on the walls or a traditional lava lamp. Colored lamp shades also create great lighting, a mini strobe light is perfect for parties, and there are colored light bulbs out there that can make your room glow in a plethora of shades.
Decorative Rugs
Some dorms lack carpeting, so some cushiony throw rugs are essential. After all, who wants to step on cold, hard linoleum during the winter?
Pick out something in a bright or dark color - anything but cream or white - since you're floor will most likely get very dirty. Also, rugs can get kind of expensive. Don't invest in a pricey one as drinks and food will get spilled on it. Get something cheap and invest in a high quality one after you get your own apartment.
Bathroom
This section only applies if you have your own private bathroom (which is such a blessing to have!). You'll definitely want a shower caddy to carry all your shampoo, face wash, and body wash because you're shower is going to be very small, so you can't leave bottles in there. A shower caddy/basket is even more essential if you're sharing a public bathroom since you'll have to carry all your stuff through the halls.
Other bathroom accessories include rugs (which will keep your floors nice and dry), pretty shower curtains to spice up the place, and toothbrush holders (I love these animal ones from Urban Outfitters - they come in a variety of fun shapes like panda and elephant and have suction cups that stick to mirrors and other surfaces!). Also, I find it important to have a brush holder to keep all my makeup brushes clean and organized.
Finally, get a covered trashcan. You can't go wrong with something like the adorable strawberry trash can above. It'll keep dirty tampon applicators out of sight.
Window Treatment
College dorms generally come equipped with standard blinds. These plain, cream colored shades can be quite dull. And of course, being the fashionable college chick that you are, you're room should be anything but drab! Get some frilly curtains in a warm color - pink, tangerine, yellow, or violet. Blinds are easily removable and you can hang up the curtains. When the light shines in, your room will look instantly lovelier.
Just be sure to keep the original blinds and replace them back at the end of the school year. Otherwise you'll be charged a hefty fine for "damaging dorm property", even if it's totally remodeling for the better.
Organizers
Finally, because dorm rooms are so tiny, it's important to utilize every inch of space. Below are some clever space-saving tools that can quadruple your wardrobe and keep things organized.
Cascading Hangers - I absolutely cannot live without these. These hangers come in a wide variety - for pants, skirts, tops, etc. They seriously quadruple the size of your teeny dorm closet.
Bed Risers - These are great for increasing the height of your bed, allowing you to store stuff underneath. At some colleges, the beds themselves can be raised super high, allowing you to fit your desk and chairs underneath, leaving a much bigger open space.
Over-the-Door Organizers - Over the door organizers are hung over your closet door, allowing you to store shoes, jewelry, etc.
Hooks - Hooks can be great space savers. I hang my towels, scarves, belts, and handbags on hooks that stick to the wall.
Finally, most dorms offer a storage room in the basement. So if you have extra out-of-season stuff you don't need, ask your Resident Head if you can use the storage space.
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