College Dorm Must Haves from Amazon

August 10, 2023

My third boy is moving away for college in just a few weeks, and we are busy trying to get all of the paperwork, doctors appointments, and shopping done before we pack up for the 6+ hour drive and 16+ hour auto-train ride to Long Island. So, to save time, some of our shopping has been online. And, together we have curated a list of College Dorm Must Haves from Amazon!

If you decide to make a purchase through my links, I will be paid a small commission for it. This doesn’t cost you anything additional.

Since this is my first kiddo to move away for school, I feel like I am treading through uncharted territory. But, our second son has moved away a few times for hockey, so I have a little bit of an idea about what he will need to make his new space feel like home!

We have visited IKEA, and I will share a video about some of our favorite IKEA finds for his dorm, including a light weight rattan style headboard that can be hung with Command Hooks for less than $40.

College Dorm Must Haves from Amazon

I made a list with just under a dozen suggestions for your child’s college dorm. And, while some items can be purchased elsewhere, Amazon is competitively priced, and super convenient.

First, you will need an Amazon Prime Account. Amazon offers a discounted student subscription, you can buy it here.

Packing Bags

We have tons of the IKEA versions of these bags and I love how easily they can be stored and reused. But, I also love that we can squish them into spaces you wouldn’t be able to fit a regular moving box. We use our bags for our inflatable projector screen and fake Christmas trees, among other things.

Mattress Cover

This is truly one of the most important purchases we made for his dorm room. I just get the shivers thinking about sleeping on a used mattress. This one is waterproof and soft, so it doesn’t sound like you’re sleeping on a plastic bag unfair your sheets. And, more importantly, it protects from unsavory and unwanted pests.

Bedding

As a self-proclaimed sheet and bedding snob, I was surprised at how nice the Amazon Basics bedding is. We bought two sets of bedding for our son so he wouldn’t have to wash and dry his sheets in one day. I know this might not be realistic for some students and their rooms, but his RA advised it.

Bed Shelf

We actually have these on the boys’ bunk beds at home, and my son asked for one for school. It’s a great alternative to a night stand in tight spaces.

Washable Laundry Bag

My third son is very tidy and likes to have a laundry bag that he can easily throw in the wash with his dirty clothes or bedding. But, he also wants the bag to be able to stand up on it’s own, so this is a good option for his dorm room.

Shower Caddy

This shower caddy is also machine washable. And it folds up for easy storage when it’s not being used. But, don’t forget shower shoes if your student is sharing a shower with others.

First Aid Kit

We learned really quickly how hard it was to get medicine and basic first aid supplies to a sick or hurt kid when you are hundreds of miles away. So this was the first thing I bought for my son’s room. I also have a small plastic shoe box with allergy medicines, Tylenol, Advil, and cough and cold medicine. His prescription medicine is also in the box.

Rug

My son’s college suggested that students have rugs for their dorms. We have this one in our Amazon cart to be delivered once we get up to school.

Vacuum

You can’t have a rug without a vacuum. And I love this inexpensive vacuum. Plus, when you buy any Bissell product, a portion of your purchase directly supports BISSELL Pet Foundation^® and their life-saving efforts.

Small Safe

Any time my kids share a space, they have a small safe for their valuables. My son has expensive taste, and has been able to buy himself very nice things, so a safe was high on our list of dorm room must haves! This is a good option because it doesn’t take up too much space, but it’s fairly heavy and large enough that it can’t be easily taken. Plus, it is fireproof, and it should last him many many years.