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As you prepare to send your children off to college, they’re going to need some dorm room essentials for making their new space both functional and comfortable. For many students, this move represents their first foray into adult life, living on their own away from their parents. It’s a lot of responsibility and a lot of change all at once, and it can be tricky to navigate. One way to make it easier is to ensure you have all of the dorm room essentials you need so that your transition is a smooth and stress-free one.

Before you start shopping for your essentials, be sure to find out whether your dorm has any specific restrictions or guidelines for items you can bring into your space. For example, some dorms may not allow mini refrigerators while others may allow them up to a specific size. Others may not allow cooking gadgets such as panini presses or hot plates while others might. This will help you ensure you don’t waste your money on anything you cannot use in the dorm.

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One of the most essential dorm room items you will need is comfortable bedding. You need to be able to have a good nights’ sleep so you can focus during the day, and soft sheets, cozy blankets and fluffy pillows will help you do just that. Make sure to find out what size bed will be in your dorm. While many have twin beds, some also have doubles. Find out if the dorm provides just the bed frame and mattress or if anything else is included like pillows.

• College dorm rooms are notorious for not having a lot of storage space, so you’ll have to get creative when it comes to organizing your clothes, accessories, books and other items. Find out the dimensions and set up of your closet in the dorm so you can get a few closet organizers. These will help you fit more things into less space and make it all accessible so you can find what you need easily. Keep in mind that some dorm rooms don’t have built-in closets. Instead, they have wardrobes and sets of drawers instead.
• Schoolwork is the critical part of the college experience; however, not everyone learns and studies the same way. Some people like to do their homework at the library while others prefer to do it in their dorm rooms. Ensure your desk setup works for you so that you can be comfortable during long study sessions. Some people like to work from their beds or couches, so a pillow cushion lap desk is a good choice in this case. It helps you be productive and comfortable at the same time.
• When it comes to kitchen appliances, many dorms have specific rules that you’ll want to research thoroughly before you go shopping. If you are allowed to bring in your own small appliances, an excellent choice is a sandwich press or electric cooking pot. Both allow you to make easy and quick meals in a short amount of time. Keep in mind that if you’ll be cooking in your dorm room, you will need to also have easy access to a sink for doing dishes and a fridge for storing food and leftovers.