College Essentials that Make a Dorm Room Feel Like Home

This post is sponsored by The Home Depot. The opinions and text are all mine.

Sending a child off to college is a huge milestone. Making sure they have some living essentials to help them feel at home can make the transition so much easier. The Home Depot is my go-to for college essentials. Check out some of our favorites below.

I think it may be wishful thinking that my son is going to feel homesick when he leaves for college. Either way, I still want him to feel like his college dorm is a cozy place to be.

Fortunately, the current situation bought me a bit of extra time since his summer term was moved online. He was definitely not thrilled about it because living on campus was pretty much 100% of the appeal of going to school over the summer, but he’s still in full college prep mode so he’ll be ready the next time he has an opportunity to live on campus.

Our first stop for college essentials is always The Home Depot. They have such a great selection of college essentials and I LOVE their everyday low prices. You’ll get free delivery on orders over $45 or you always have the option to buy online and pick up in store, which is something we use all the time when we need an item right away.

The Home Depot has some amazing items and I always have great luck finding things that fit my style. It also helps that I can grab everything I need in one place and they have a 100% satisfaction guarantee, which is important when you have lots of college expenses at the same time because you want to know you are buying things that will last.

How to Create a Cozy College Dorm Environment

My son got a sneak peek at dorm life when he lived on campus last summer. That was the plan again this year but nothing about this year goes according to plan.

We learned a few things during his time living on campus that will help us be more prepared whenever he is able to move onto campus again.

Mini Fridge

One of the biggest things my son realized he needed after living on campus was a mini fridge. He got lucky and his roommate had one but that was at the top of his list of things to bring the next time he moved on campus. With the cafeteria only open during certain hours and the fact that he loves to snack later at night, a mini fridge is definitely on his list of college essentials.

We love this mini fridge from Magic Chef that is available at The Home Depot because at 4.5 cu. ft it is much bigger than most options out there and has plenty of space for snacks and a few frozen items. It has storage spaces set aside for soda cans and 2-liters too, so my son was pretty thrilled.

Decor to Personalize the Space

Most college dorms come fairly sparse. My son’s dorm was a bit dated and didn’t have a great amount of light, so that gave it a bit of a gloomy feel. A few decor items to brighten up a dorm and make it feel more homey can go a long way.

Students always bring their own sheets and bedding when living in dorms. I’d recommend looking for something that is good quality and stylish. These striped Jersey Knit Cotton Blend Sheets from StyleWell were a perfect choice, and with a classic style they will stick around no matter how many times my son changes the rest of his dorm decor.

We always use Command Picture Hanging Adhesive Strips to hang anything in a college dorm because they keep things where they need to be without damaging the wall.

Having a piece of art to hang in a college dorm can completely change the mood. My son loves this Bison Double Exposure Wildlife Art he found at The Home Depot. It adds a great pop of color and brings a modern feel to even the most dated dorm room.

Having a small end table is a super functional thing to have in a college dorm and it can be used for anything from a place to store a printer to an extra place for school books.

This Banyan Square Honey Wood End Table with Hairpin Legs from The Home Depot can serve any purpose you need it to in a dorm room and adds a great style element.

An area rug can do much to change the feel of a room. This NuLoom Raleigh Farmhouse Fringed Jute rug is such a great fit for college dooms because it can stand up to all the foot traffic and adds such great texture to a room.

If your child has the option of bringing their own bed, this black metal StyleWood bed has plenty of storage space underneath and is a nice, clean style.

There isn’t a lot of extra space in a college dorm for furniture but if your child has space, I’d highly recommend a small couch like this Lilith Mid Century Modern Loveseat.

Practical College Dorm Essentials

There are some things that every college student needs. At the top of my list are quick-drying towels since college laundry doesn’t always happen on a regular basis.

This Performance Quick Dry towel set from StyleWell is super soft and absorbent but they’re also designed to be fast drying so your college student won’t have quite as many scary laundry bags to sort through on trips home.

Every dorm room needs a great trash can. This StyleWell Stainless Steel Slim Step On Trashcan is the perfect size for a college dorm room and the slim profile makes it easy to tuck anywhere it needs to go.

Storage options are always essential. I’m a huge fan of this Good Grips POP Container Set. Whether your child has a kitchen in their dorm or just needs an airtight place to store snacks (or anything else!) these are such a great option.

Moving into a college dorm is a huge transition but it can be so much easier when your dorm feels like a home away from home. My son is prepped and ready for his move back onto campus and he’s feeling much more prepared than he was last time. A few small touches really can make a college dorm a cozy place to live while at school.

Find more great college essentials at The Home Depot Back to Class!