Sterilite Laundry Basket, 6-Pack

College dorms are known for being small in size. In most schools, students will need to collect their dirty laundry and walk it to the nearest laundry facility. This may or may not be in the dorm building itself. It’s important to keep this in mind when browsing the available laundry baskets for college students.

Hampers that are designed to save space when not in use are an excellent option. Look for a model that is made of a durable plastic that collapses to just 3.5 inches. These can easily be tucked under a bed or placed against the wall in your closet.

Consider how much time you’re going to be able to devote to doing your laundry. Some baskets are only able to hold one load of laundry at a time. The INDRESSME Cotton Rope Laundry Basket is a cotton woven basket with an extra-large amount of space. You’ll be able to hold several loads of laundry in the basket before you need to head to the laundromat.

When you need to transport your wash from a dorm room to a laundromat, you don’t want the basket itself to be heavy and hard to carry. There are models that are solid with two bins for separating whites and darks; however, they feature removable mesh liners with handles that are nice and light. As an added bonus, some of these hampers come with a lid to conceal your soiled clothing.

Look for any extras that make the college laundry basket more functional. For example, the Handy Laundry Mesh Popup Laundry Hamper has an outer pocket for carrying your detergent and fabric softener sheets.

• If you opt for a plastic laundry basket, check to make sure it’s BPA-free.
• Some laundry baskets come with a chemical smell. Leave time to fully air the hamper out before you take it with you to college.
• Watch out for hamper models that use thin metal wires if you have small children or pets in the home. The wires may come loose and pose a hazard.
• The cost of laundry baskets for college students is all over the place, due to the wide variety of sizes and construction materials. The Handy Laundry Mesh Popup Laundry Hamper uses the least amount of material and is, therefore, the most affordable. The INDRESSME Cotton Rope Laundry Basket falls in the middle of the price range, while more costly models that are actually two baskets in one.