Beddy’s 2025 Ultimate Dorm Room Checklist
The beginning of school is just around the corner, and whether you’re a new college student or the parent sending off their budding scholar, it’s officially time to gather all of those dorm room essentials.
The last thing you want is to show up unprepared. But no stress, because we’ve got you covered!
Here's Beddy's ultimate college dorm room checklist!
Bedding Essentials
First things first, you’re going to want to make sure you have all of your bedding essentials taken care of. If you’re wanting to create a little slice of home in the dorm room, some cozy bedding is the perfect place to start!
So what size are dorm room beds? The most universal dorm room bed size is Twin XL. If you’re looking for some fresh dorm bedding, this is going to most likely be the size you’ll need. But if you want to be sure, you can contact the school to get more information!
Here’s what you’ll need when it comes to bed sets for dorm rooms:
- Twin XL bedding
- Mattress protector
- Extra blanket/throw
- Pillows and pillowcases
- Throw pillows
- Bed risers
Our personal favorite bed sets for dorms are zipper bedding! These bedding sets make it so insanely easy to make the bed every day, you can literally pull your whole bed together in seconds. Just line up the pieces and zip!
Bath and Shower Supplies
Depending on where they're attending school, the bathroom setup will vary. The most common scenario is going to be shared bathroom space, so be sure to come prepared with all the dorm checklist essentials!
- Shower caddy
- 2-3 towels
- Shower shoes/flip flops
- Toothbrush, toothpaste, floss
- Shampoo, conditioner
- Body wash and scrubber
- Razor
- Skincare products
Toiletries and Personal Care
Make sure they're covered with all those toiletry essentials!
This is the most common area where things tend to be forgotten. The last thing you want is for your college student to need nail clippers or a bandaid and find themselves empty handed!
- Deodorant
- Nail clippers
- Tweezers
- Hairbrush/comb
- Tampons/pads
- Lotion
- Lip balm
- First aid kit
- Over the counter medications
- Detergent
- Stain remover
- Lint roller
- Laundry hamper
Clothing & Closet Organization
This may seem like a no brainer. But when it comes to packing clothes for college, you have to be choosy about what you bring and clever about how you pack and store it.
It’s ideal to bring 2-3 weeks worth of clothing to school. That way, there are plenty of items to mix and match without going overboard, plus there will be enough clothing so they're not doing laundry every other day.
- Everyday clothing
- Weather-specific clothing (coat, boots, rain jacket)
- Workout gear
- Pajamas
- Underwear and socks
- Hangers
- Hanging closet organizer
- Shoe rack
- Under the bed storage
The last few items on this list revolve around storage options. Every dorm room varies; some dorms have built-in closets, some have wardrobes, and some even have shared closets where roommates need to share the closet space.
Make sure you’re optimizing your clothing storage space, or bringing additional, space-conscious storage solutions.
Kitchen
Kitchen situations in dorm rooms will vary. Some dorm rooms have an apartment-style kitchen, while others require students to bring their own mini fridge and microwave to serve as their kitchen and food prep space.
The kitchen portion of this college dorm room checklist encompasses needs for varying kitchen set ups, so make sure you understand what the dorm set up is before purchasing!
- Mini fridge
- Microwave
- Single burner
- Reusable water bottle
- Travel coffee mug
- Dishware
- Silverware
- Microwave safe containers
- Mini keurig or electric kettle
- Dish soap and sponge
- Pots and pans
- Mixing spoons
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Snacks
- Easy meals
Study and School Supplies
It’s easy to focus on the exciting college purchases, like cute pillows and mini fridges, but don’t forget the study essentials either!
- Laptop and charger
- Headphones
- Backpack
- Notebooks, folders, binders
- Pens, pencils, highlighters
- Desk lamp
-
Sticky notes
Electronics & Tech
The last thing you want is to get to the dorm and find that there are a grand total of two power outlets in the room, but sometimes that’s the way the cookie crumbles. Make sure you’re prepared with everything you need to make those outlets work for them!
- Power strip
- Extension cords
- Charging cables
Room Decor
This is the part where they can make a house a home! Being prepared with these fun additions can work wonders in making a dorm feel cozy and inviting.
- Area rug
- Wall decor
- Photos and picture frames
- Command hooks and strips
- Fan or space heater
- Mirror
- Small trash can
Important Documents
Time to bust out the manila folders! Make sure your student is prepared with all the right grown up documents before they jet off for school.
For some of these, it may be the first time your student is handling these documents. How often is a teenager carrying a health insurance card in their wallet?
As you help them gather these docs, it will probably be a good idea to have a quick rundown on what they are and how to use them, if necessary.
- Student ID
- Health Insurance card
- Drivers license
- Banking info
- Copies of prescriptions
- Emergency contacts
College is a big adventure, and having the right setup can make all the difference.
Whether your child is heading into their very first dorm or you’re a student upgrading your space this semester, we hope this checklist helps you feel a little more prepared (and a lot more excited)!
From all of us here at Beddy’s, congrats on this new chapter. We’re cheering you on every step of the way. Now go out there, make your bed (in seconds!) with zipper bedding, and make some memories. You've got this!
