35 Dorm Room Hacks Every Freshman Needs to Know
I love finding ways to simplify my life and make everyday tasks easier and less stressful. When it came to college and dorm life, I remember spending the entire summer before move-in day searching for dorm room hacks. If you’re in that same season as an incoming college freshman looking for ways to make moving into your dorm easier or keep your dorm room clean, organized, and cozy, you’ve come to the right place.
I’ve rounded up 35 dorm room hacks that I learned and actually used throughout my college experience. These simple tips helped me make the most of my freshman dorm room and continued to make life easier during the next three years I lived on campus.
Dorm Room Hacks
1. Get a Mattress Topper
If there’s one dorm room essential I recommend to every college freshman, it’s a mattress topper. In fact, this is one of the best dorm room hacks because it instantly makes your space feel more comfortable and cozy.
Dorm beds are known for being pretty uncomfortable since they’re made with plastic covered mattresses and springs. While the material is great because it’s easy to clean and wipe down, it definitely isn’t the coziest thing to sleep on.
A mattress topper will help add a layer of soft cushioning, that will make your bed more comfortable to sleep on. You can find one at almost any price point, so it’s easy to choose one that fits your budget.
Simply place the mattress topper on your dorm bed, add your fitted sheet, bedding, and duvet as you normally would, and you’ll instantly have a much cozier and more comfortable bed.
2. Get a Laundry Bag That’s Easy to Transport
Doing laundry is one of those tasks that you’ll be doing very frequently, so make it as easy on yourself as possible. Instead of buying just any laundry hamper, choose one that’s easy to carry to and from the laundry room.
I recommend getting a laundry bag with straps or a laundry basket with wheels. Both options make hauling heavy loads of clothes much more manageable. Especially if your dorm’s laundry room is on another floor or across the building. Your future self will definitely thank you!
3. Use a Water Filter
If you don’t want to keep buying cases of bottled water, invest in a water filter. I bought one for my freshman year, and it was one of the best purchases I made. It saved me money because I wasn’t constantly buying bottled water, and I always had cold, filtered water ready whenever I needed it.
4. Add a Closet Curtain
If your dorm room has an open closet without doors, adding a curtain is an easy way to make the closet feel more private. Plus, it’ll hide the clutter and make your dorm room look more put together. Simply install a tension curtain rod (or even a cheap shower curtain works great) and hang a curtain to cover the open area.
5. Get a Surge Protector
Since dorm rooms usually have limited outlets, and they aren’t always located in the most convenient places; having a surge protector/ extension cord can make your life so much easier.
6. Use Room Sprays or Wall Plugins
Many, if not most, college dorms don’t allow candles because of fire safety rules. A great alternative is using room sprays, wall plugin, or even an essential oil diffuser to keep your dorm room smelling great.
7. Use Under Your Bed as Storage
Take advantage of every nook and cranny in your dorm room, to help maximize your space and storage. And a great place to do this is underneath your bed.
Use the space under your bed to store things like suitcases, drawers of clothes, shoes, or any other items that you want to keep tucked away.
8. Get a Desk Lamp
Get a desk lamp so that you can have another source of lighting within your room. It’s also really helpful in the evening, when you’re studying and need some extra light. Or if your roommate is sleeping. So you’re not disturbing them with the bright overhead light.
9. Create a Shower Basket
Whether your dorm room has a bathroom inside of it or you’re sharing a community bathroom, create a shower basket where you can keep all of your shower essentials in one place. This makes it easy to grab everything you need and bring it with you whenever you’re ready to shower.
Many people buy a shower caddy but you can also use a regular plastic basket as an alternative.
During my freshman year, I had a bathroom inside of my dorm room, that I shared with three other roommates. We communicated and all decided to use shower baskets so that we wouldn’t leave our products lying around in the bathroom. In the end, it made it much easier to keep the bathroom clean, organized, and free from clutter.
10. Bring a Mirror
When it comes to getting ready in your room, I highly recommend having some type of mirror in your space. It’s so helpful whether you’re doing your makeup, checking your outfit, or just getting ready for the day.
You can get a full size body mirror and/or a smaller vanity mirror to place on your desk.
11. Create a Dorm Room Registry
In the midst of all of these dorm room hacks and essentials, consider creating a dorm room registry. As a way to share your shopping list and invite friends and family to help purchase some of the items.
12. Decorate With Cozy Lighting
At night, you might not always want to have the bright overhead light on. So decorate with cozy lighting like string lights or a lamp. It’ll help make your room feel a little bit more warm and homey.
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13. Create a Hygiene Bag
This isn’t necessarily dorm room specific, but it’s such an essential hack to have while living on campus. Which is to create a portable hygiene bag that you can keep with you throughout the day.
While staying in the dorms, you’re probably going to be doing a lot of walking to and from classes, restaurants, the library, and different places around campus. Since you may be out for long hours and won’t always have time to go back to your dorm room, having a small hygiene bag with you will be a lifesaver.
Keep essentials like deodorant, wipes, and other items you may need to freshen up throughout the day.
14. Create a Memory Box
Get a box, or even a shoebox, and use it as a memory box to store memorabilia and special items.
Your freshman year is such a memorable time because you’re experiencing so many firsts, and the memory box is a place where you can put those little trinkets.
You can save things like a wristband from your first basketball game, a ticket to a homecoming event, a free T-shirt from campus, or any other small items.
15. Do Some of Your Shopping When You Get There
Another one of my favorite dorm room hacks is doing some of your dorm shopping once you arrive on campus.
You can use the move-in process as an opportunity to stop by a nearby retail store and pick up some of your dorm essentials after you get there. This is especially helpful if you’re flying to school or don’t have a lot of extra space to pack everything.
16. Order Your Stuff Online and Have It Shipped to Your Dorm Room
Another thing you can do is order your dorm room essentials online and have them shipped to your dorm building. If you’re buying items through websites like Amazon, you can set the shipping address to your dorm room address so your packages are delivered to your college’s package room.
If you decide to do this, make sure you confirm your correct shipping address with your housing office beforehand. This will help ensure your packages are delivered to the right location and make the move in process a little easier.
Dorm Room Ideas and Hacks
17. Deep Clean Before Getting Settled
Another one of my favorite dorm room hacks is to deep clean your room before you start unpacking and getting settled. And when I say deep clean, I mean truly cleaning and disinfecting everything from your mattress to the floors.
On move in day, come prepared with items like gloves, Lysol wipes, a broom/vacuum, and a mop. So you can wipe down surfaces, clean your mattress, sweep, and mop the floors.
18. Get a Rug
When it comes to getting out of bed in the morning, one of the last things you want is to step onto a cold, hard floor with your bare feet. A great way to make that transition a little more comfortable is to add a small, medium, or even large rug near your bed.
19. Play Around With Your Dorm Furniture Layout
When you arrive to your dorm room, don’t feel like you have to stick with the layout that’s already set up for you. If you want to create a different setup, play around with the furniture arrangement and move things around until it fits your needs and feels more like home.
If you’re sharing a room with a roommate, talk with them about adjusting the layout together so the space feels comfortable and enjoyable for both of you.
This could mean raising your bed frame, moving your desk to a different location, or rearranging furniture to create a setup that works best for your lifestyle.
20. Get a Dresser
Many dorm rooms come with a dresser or some type of built in storage, but if you’re looking for even more storage space, consider purchasing an additional dresser or storage unit for your room.
To maximize your floor space and avoid having something that takes up too much room, choose a dresser that’s tall and skinny. This allows you to add more functional storage while still keeping your room open and spacious.
21. Use a Bed Skirt
If you’re using the space underneath your bed for storage but still want your room to look a little more polished, try adding a bed skirt.
Essentially, it’s a long piece of fabric that hangs down toward the floor when placed on your bed frame. Helping to hide any storage bins, shoes, or other items you have underneath your bed.
22. Use a Queen Size Duvet
Getting a queen size duvet for your Twin XL bed is a great alternative to using a bed skirt.
I did this in my dorm room, and because the duvet was longer and larger; it was able to cover the items underneath my bed so I didn’t need to purchase a separate bed skirt. Plus, having a larger duvet gave my bed a fuller look and added an extra layer of coziness.
23. Use Vacuum Sealed Bags
If you’re bringing your winter clothes and coats with you on move-in day, I highly recommend putting them in vacuum sealed bags.
Once the cold weather starts, then you can open the bags, take out your winter clothes, and transition from your fall to your winter wardrobe.
24. Use Command Double Sided Strips
A great way to decorate your dorm room without taking up any floor space is by making use of your blank walls.
Since many dorms don’t allow you to drill holes into the walls, a great alternative is using Command double sided strips to hang your picture frames and posters.
25. Keep Your Cleaning Supplies Accessible
Another dorm room hack is to keep your cleaning supplies easily accessible. If your cleaning supplies are somewhere that you see frequently, it can encourage you to clean more often.
With that in mind, I also recommend getting cleaning supplies that make you excited to clean. This could be something like a cute vacuum, an air freshener with a nice fragrance, or a disinfectant spray that smells good.
26. Store Off Season Clothes Until It’s Time
Store your off season clothing in suitcases or storage bins under your bed instead of taking up valuable closet space. When the season changes, you can simply swap out your clothes and bring out the items you need while keeping the rest stored away.
27. Create a Snack Drawer
Create a dedicated snack drawer in your room filled with your favorite snacks. While you’ll likely have access to the dining hall, there will be times when you just want a quick snack without leaving your room.
28. Bring a Microwave or Mini Fridge
If your room doesn’t come with a fridge or microwave, consider bringing your own.
A mini fridge is great for keeping your drinks cold and storing any food items that need to stay refrigerated. A microwave is also another essential so that you can easily warm up leftovers, or heat up some quick meals, like pizza rolls.
29. Make Your Bed
In a small space, especially in a dorm room, I highly recommend making your bed every day (or almost everyday). It will make the whole room look way bigger and organized than it actually is.
30. Get a Small Trash Can
Get a small trash can so that you have an easy place to throw away miscellaneous items, papers, and everyday trash.
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31. Decorate With Pictures
To make your room feel more homey and help with some of the homesickness that can come with moving away for college, decorate your space with photos of family, friends, and your favorite memories.
32. Keep a Few Extra Throw Blankets on Hand
Keep a few extra throw blankets on hand, especially for when friends come over to hang out.
33. Decorate With Flowers
If you’re someone who loves having flowers in your space, consider adding them as part of your dorm room decorations. You can decorate with fresh or faux flowers.
34. Communicate With Your Roommate
One of the most important and underrated dorm room hacks is communicating with your roommate. If you’re able to get their contact information before move-in day, take the opportunity to reach out, introduce yourself, and start building a good relationship before you both arrive.
Once you move in, use that time to communicate about things like personal space, shared items, and room preferences. For example, your roommate may have allergies or be sensitive to fragrances, so it may be helpful to discuss things like using a scented wall plug or other products in the room.
You can also talk about things like adjusting the furniture layout, setting boundaries, and finding a setup that works for both of you.
Since your dorm room will most likely be a shared space with one or more roommates, having open communication, respecting each other’s boundaries, and being willing to compromise can help create a positive and comfortable living environment.
35. Relax and Have Fun
Last but not least, one of my biggest dorm room hacks is to relax and have fun with the process. Take your time and remember that you don’t have to have your dorm room completely finished right away.
Move in, live in the space for a few weeks, and slowly figure out what you want to add, change, or adjust once you’ve had time to experience the room.
