Emily Henderson
If you are going back to school, or going for the first time, I’ve got some dorm room decor must haves that will make your stay so much better. From functionality to fashion, your dorm will meet all of your needs and feel like home away from home.
To me, it’s not enough that you have the furniture you need, your space also has to feel like you. It needs to speak to your personality, feed your soul, and inspire you. It needs to be an oasis and a place you will gladly return to at the end of the day.
So, you might be surprised at some of these dorm room decor must haves, but my goal is to give you ideas on how to decorate so your space feels like an extension of you. I’ve combined functional items, yes, but also extras that I consider essential for a homey dorm.
Dorm Room Decor Must Haves
1. A robe
H&M
If you are in a dorm, it is inevitable that you will get evacuated from time to time because someone in the common area burnt their popcorn and the fire alarm went off. It is CRUCIAL that you have a cool robe/pajamas and easily accessible shoes or slippers that are okay to be seen in public.
When I lived at NYU, my roommate’s incense set off the smoke alarm causing everyone to evacuate and over 10 firetrucks come a knocking. We were outside for over an hour waiting for the literal smoke to clear. Think about if you will be cold, warm, embarrassed about the holes in your shirt. What if you see your crush? Your pajamas and/or robe are literally a fashion accessory to be worn in public.
2. Unique Towels
H&M
If you are hanging your white towel along with everyone else’s white towel, that’s a recipe for disaster. Functionality-wise, you will benefit from having a unique pattern or color on your towel. As far as happiness goes, Marie Kondo would say that everything in your door should spark joy. Does a white towel spark joy as much as a fun colorful patterned version?
3. Dishware
Target
Yes, you will be eating in your dorm. Yes, there will be a crowd eating in your dorm. And yes, you will be eating after hours and won’t have access to the kitchen. You will do a floor-wide pot luck at some point. And you’ll also want coffee or tea.
You are also a really awesome person who cares about the environment and doesn’t want to use paper plates. This is one of the most important dorm room decor must haves. You want to create an inviting space for you and your guests. Display your colorful dishware proudly (and make sure they are microwave safe).
4. Floor Seating
Target
Your dorm room is not meant for a crowd, and yet, there will be crowds. So give them a place to sit that’s not your bed! You can have study sessions, hangouts, and meals together on the floor if you give your guests a cool place to sit. Bonus, you can use these as meditation pillows.
You could also get a rug to add even more seating for a crowd. You can get a pretty large area rug for under $100.
5. Chair Cushion
IKEA
You will probably be provided with a desk and super generic chair that will be super uncomfortable. If you want to replace the chair, great! If you just want an $8 solution of getting a desk chair cushion, that’s cool too.
6. Command Hooks
Emily Henderson
Obviously, you will want to make your dorm room look as inviting and as “you” as possible. The only problem with that is you’re probably not allowed to make holes in the wall to hang your art. Never fear! You can buy a multi-pack of Command hooks that don’t require holes and are easy to remove with no damage. So, style that dorm with abandon!
7. Stocked Coffee + Tea Bar
Brady Tolbert
Believe me, you will be making use of this bar. If you create a place for people to naturally gather, be prepared to be the most popular dorm room on the floor. Most floors will have their own kitchen, but it is far more convenient for you to provide your own amenities. Things like:
- Electric Tea Kettle
- French Press or Keurig
- basket of assorted teas, honey, coffee canister, non dairy creamer, cinnamon
8. Wake Up with the Sun Alarm
There is really nothing worse than when you have a later class and your roommate has an 8am class. I love the wake up with the sun alarm. It will quietly wake you up with its light, but there is also a sound as a fail safe so you’re guaranteed not to oversleep.
9. Essential Oil Diffuser
Amazon
If you’re in a dorm, you need to consider your smells. Your roommate might go to the gym everyday but only do laundry twice a month, so those smelly gym clothes will definitely be noticed. Solve this problem by cleaning the air and also giving your space a zen vibe.
Some essential oils are good for focus, anxiety, concentration, cold & flu, relaxation, etc. It’s a great idea to curate a collection so you can solve whatever ails your space. These can also double as a night light.
10. Flameless Candles
Amazon
It’s a well known fact that fluorescent lighting sucks. I am 99.9% sure that you are going to have this insanely bright overhead light. That’s okay during the day, but at night, you’re going to want to have something softer…not to mention if you have a romantic partner over.
You won’t be allowed to have an open flame, so traditional candles are out of the question. So get yourself some flameless candles. These are super lovely to use as a nightlight as well because they even mimic the flicker of a real flame!
11. Plants
Urban Outfitters
I know what you’re thinking…”how is a plant a must have?”. Plants purify the air and also help your mental state. It is super satisfying to have plants placed around your space and will single handedly make your place feel like home. There are a ton of hard to kill varieties also and it would be a super fun ‘get to know you’ activity to make some DIY planters with your new roomie.
12. Hanging Shower Caddy
Amazon
Okay, I know this isn’t technically decor, but I would be remiss if I didn’t tell you to get a hanging shower caddy. You can hang it on the shower head, knobs, or curtain rod so your stuff won’t touch the ground. Believe me, along with shower sandals, you need to get this.
These are my top dorm room decor must haves that will give you function but also a really cool design element. It’s kind of depressing being in a new space, with new people, and not have amenities you are used to.
My advice is to control what you can. While you won’t be able to control your bed, nightstand, desk, or desk chair, you can absolutely control everything else you bring into your space to make it feel like home.
-Kristen
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