Getting ready for your first college year is an exciting and emotional time. You not only have to go to school in a new place but if you are like 67% of college students, you also have to live on campus. "Where do I begin?" You might say to yourself. To help you get some direction on the right products to buy to organize your new home, I found many great organizing dorm room products and gadgets you can purchase through Amazon (affiliate).com (affiliate). Since I found lots of organizing college dorm room supplies, I will be splitting the list into two posts.
Please note these are affiliate links through Amazon (affiliate), and at no additional cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through and decide to make a purchase.
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BEDSIDE STORAGE CADDY:
The dorm rooms are notoriously too small. So, finding a place to put things is super important. Storage caddies are great because they usually don't give you a nightstand (affiliate). And, if you use your desk to study, having things on there while napping may be an issue. This can store many easy-to-use items, especially if you don't have a table near your bed. Click on the image below to purchase from Amazon (affiliate).
Bedside Caddy by Zafit, 8 Pockets Large Size
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BED RISERS / Adjustable Bed Lifts:
Bed risers will help give you more storage under your bed to store your luggage (affiliate) or other under-the-bed storage bins. There are even bed lifts with AC Outlets and USB Chargers; you can get this through Bed, Bath, and Beyond. NOTE: several colleges have dorms with raised beds, so check your dorm layout to see if you need to buy these items. Click on the image below to purchase from Amazon (affiliate) (affiliate).
Bed Risers 2 Inch Lift - Square, Heavy Duty, 4 Pack
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6 SHELF SWEATER ORGANIZER:
To maximize closet space, you must buy a few hanging organizers (affiliate). Another organizing college dorm room item is these sweater organizers with six cubbies. Click on the images below to purchase from Amazon (affiliate).
Hanging Closet Organizer 6 tier, (Grey)
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Some even have drawers you can use to hide items like undergarments.
JEWELRY ORGANIZER:
Another college dorm room essential is these jewelry organizers. They can either go on a surface like a dresser or hang over the door. They hold a lot of different things. If you are traveling back and forth from college, it may be critical for you to have something portable. Click on the image below to purchase from Amazon.
Jewelry Organizer Stand by ProCase
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Want more jewelry (affiliate)-organizing tips, visit our post: 6 AMAZING WAYS TO ORGANIZE YOUR JEWELRY
DOUBLE HANG CLOSET ROD:
A double hanger rod adds additional hanging space at the bottom of your closet. Click on the image below to purchase from Amazon.
Closet Hanging Rod, Width and Height Adjustable Closet Extender Hanging by STARTOSTAR
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CLOSET SHELF ORGANIZERS:
Usually, the shelves in a closet are pretty low, and there is a lot of wasted space above the shelf. You can buy bins and stack them on top of one another to maximize the space on top of the shelves (affiliate). You can even add dividers to help keep the clothing piles upright. Here are some I found on Amazon.
Closet Shelf Organizer 4-Pack Stackable Wire Baskets
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POP-UP HAMPER:
The pop-up hampers are great for storing dirty clothes and collapsing when you are done with them. I like the ones that have a pocket for detergent. It will stand up even when it is empty. Ensure the mesh is sturdy and can withstand at least 2-3 loads of laundry. Mom is no longer doing your laundry, so you must schedule time for laundry duty. Click on the image below to purchase from Amazon.
Laundry Basket Laundry Hamper, Pack of 2
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OUTLET SURGE PROTECTOR WALL MOUNT:
Let's face it; you can never have too many outlets. Some of these surge protectors also have USB plugs, which are helpful in a dorm. Click on the image below to purchase from Amazon.
Belkin 6-Outlet Wall Surge Protector w/ 2 USB Ports
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LAP DESK:
Another college dorm room product is a lap desk. Lap desks (affiliate) are great for those times when you don't want to sit at a desk to study. There is a variety of options. I particularly like the ones with legs and grooves in the lap desk to help keep things on it. Some have cup holders embedded in them, too.
Lap Desk, Lap Desk with Cushion
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Keeping your dorm room organized will help you with your school work and your day-to-day life. I hope this post helps you buy the right stuff to organize your dorm room.
Check out our recent cleaning supplies and organizing tips post to help keep the dorm room clean.
If you want an extensive packing list, check out our dorm room FREE packing list sheets post.
What type of items do you plan on bringing to school? Leave a comment below.
Reminder: These items are visual suggestions for organizing items for a college dorm room. If you wish to purchase them from Amazon or any other store, you take full responsibility for these items. If you have an issue with any of these items, please contact the store where you purchased the item.
Visit our other college success collection of posts!
- 15 Easy Tips to Keep Dorm Rooms Clean
- The Best Most Useful High School Graduation Gift Ideas for Her
- Helpful First Time Off Campus Apartment Tips
- Practical Graduate Gift Ideas Your Student Will Love
- How to Pack for a Quick College Move In Day
- How to Change a Tin Can into a Marker Bin
- How to Quickly Pack Up the Dorm Room
- FREE Dorm Room Checklist and Tips for Successful School Year
Sarah Soboleski says
The bedside storage caddy is a must if there's bunk beds in the room! I was an RA at my college and trust me when I saw a lot of my floor mates could have used these items to help with neatness!
Linda Samuels says
I remember having a lot of fun helping our daughters to get organized for their dorm rooms. I love all of your suggestions. It's also helpful to bring several sizes and types of Command Hooks. They can be easily installed on walls, backs of doors or in bathrooms to provide extra hanging space for specific items. I also sent each of our daughters with a file box containing important documents and files to house other items. These days, it's possible that college kids go digital and aren't in need of physical papers. But if they are, it's useful to have a box they can move around as needed.
Janet Barclay says
This is interesting! I remember visiting a friend in her dorm room (many decades ago) and seeingthe way she had her shelves organized, with labels for what went in each section of each shelf. It made a lasting impression on me!
Seana Turner says
I sent a lot of these with my girls to school. The pop up hamper is a must, and the bedside caddy can be lifesaver, especially if your bed is lofted. We didn't send much jewelry, but did use the back of the doors for storage as well. When it comes to the dorm room, less is more. Both girls brought home clothing at Christmas and decided to keep fewer items on campus.