5 Essentials To Get Before Moving To Your First Dorm Room

Going to college and getting your first dorm room is a momentous occasion in anyone’s life, and as exciting as it can be to see what the future holds, for many, it’s the first time being away from home and the comfort of your beloved bedroom.

Bringing home with you in the best ways you can make all the difference on the days you’re feeling a little more homesick than you’d like.

How you decorate your dorm room can make all the difference when you want to be both comfy and productive.

From finding the best mattress and comfortable mattress for your tiny space in dorms, to incorporating motivating reminders of home wherever you can, here are our top 5 picks for dorm room essentials you’ll need:

1. The best dorm room mattress

Dorm rooms might be a great place to hang out with friends, but you’ll be hardpressed to find one you’re able to say has the best mattress for your back or sleep cycle in general.

A mattress cozy enough to relax on, as well as one that provides the right amount of support, should be a top priority as you’re looking out for options.

If you can, investing in the best mattress possible is vital not just to your sleeping habits. It can also be the key to feeling more balanced and being able to present your best self in class and during social activities.

When it comes to sizing, a more compact mattress is going to work best within your dorm room. Twin size mattresses usually work well with other dorm room decor - coming in at 75 inches of length, they work well for average-size adults, and will still allow your dorm to have the spaciousness you’d prefer to do other things.

If you’re on the taller side, you may choose to opt for a Twin XL, which permits you an extra 5 inches of length coming in at 80 inches, so you don’t have to worry about curling up or contorting to a position that feels more comfortable

2. Bedding that will give you the best night’s sleep

Another way you can ensure you’re giving yourself the rest you deserve and need through university is by looking into purchasing high-quality bedding for your dorm room.

We’re drilling in the importance of sleep pretty heavy here, but that’s because studies indicate time and again that university students have some of the most toxic sleep cycles out there, and it has a direct impact on their academic performance and personal well-being.

To avoid this, have a look at the various kinds of sleep accessories you can invest in. Weighted blankets are a great way to promote sleep. Weighted blankets are designed to assist with calming nerves, helping chase away any extra anxiety you have due to their naturally comfort inducing feature.

Mattress toppers are also a great way to get as close as you can to investing in the best mattress you can for your sleep. Not only do they keep a safe and hygienic layer between you and your dorm room mattress, but they’re also made to help you feel a little more snug as you try and get your rest. 

3. Something to remember home by

Homesickness is an inevitable part of moving away, but that doesn’t mean you can’t use mementos of home to motivate you and cheer you up when you need it. Keeping something to remember home by definitely makes our dorm room essentials list.

Make sure to print out plenty of photos, or take other mementos - ticket stubs, high school pennants, old soft toys to keep by your bedside, or pin on your walls to keep you grounded and keeps your dorm room decor connected to home. 

4. Storage solutions that reduce clutter

Dorm room essentials you’ll find yourself most thankful for having invested in will come in the form of storage solutions. Whether it’s in the form of additional shelving, a nightstand that works as more than just a glorified box, and containers you can slide underneath the bed, keep in mind you’ll be working with very limited space in your dorm room.

Look for any way to optimize space, and be sure to keep clutter in your dorm room to an absolute minimum while you’re at it. As tempting as it might be to crowd your space, a cleaner and more simple environment allows you to feel similarly rested and focused as you work and wind down in your space.

5. Noise-canceling headphones

While this isn’t strictly bedroom decor, we’re including it on our list of dorm room essentials, mainly because we believe in good advice.

There are times when you want to be a part of the action creating the noise, and times you don’t, but it’s best to be prepared either way. Invest in some high-quality noise-canceling headphones so that you can tune out when you know you have to.

Whether you’re thinking of finding the best mattress that will work in your space, or you already have the photographs you’ll be posting up printed out already, planning a list of the dorm room essentials you want to take away with you will help you begin the process of packing as organized as you can.

Once you’ve got your environment just right, you can feel good and as prepared as possible to begin one of the most exciting chapters of your life.