5 Necessities for a Comfy Dorm Room

You'll soon be off to college and settling into your new Home Sweet Home: a compact dorm room. Most dorm rooms come equipped strictly with the basics -- a bed, desk, chair, light and garbage can, plus a small amount of storage space in the form of a dresser and/or closet. But don't be put off by such a bare-bones pad; today's students love to customize their rooms with everything from decorative linens and cushy futon to brightly colored rugs and a wealth of personalized accents.

1. Power Strip

Most dorms were built several decades ago, before the current technological era. Students plugged in a lamp, clock-radio and maybe a small fridge and TV, and that was about it. There were no laptops, no printers, no cellphone, no X-boxes, no I-anythings. Three-pronged cords weren't common, either. Many a student has arrived on campus, only to find she can't plug in half the devices she'd like to. Even if you brought a power strip, it's not uncommon for a computer component or other device to have an adaptor that covers several of the outlets in your strip, even though it's only using one -- and a lot of people don't think about that before hand. So pack a few power strips, plus some plug adaptors and extension cords.

Once you're in your room and determine how many power strips you'll need to use, double-check with your floor advisor to make sure it's OK. Sometimes only a certain number are allowed, and it may differ by dorm.

2. Laundry Hamper

Easily corral your dirty laundry in a hamper, so it's not all over the floor. You don't have much space to begin with in your room, so why have even less because you've got dirty clothes tossed all over? Keep in mind, too, that, rodents like to nest in piles of things such as papers and clothes, and the last thing you want is to encourage a mice or rat infestation in your room.

But hampers are for more than just dirty duds. Hampers make it easy to tote your clothes to the laundry room, and they can do double-, triple- and quadruple-duty as laundry baskets (to store folded clothing after laundering), storage bins and even as small tables.

3. Shower Shoes and Totes

Shower shoes aren't just for the showers in your local gym. They're also for the lovely communal showers you'll soon be sharing with a floor full of strangers. Shower shoes, flip-flops - whatever you want to buy or call them - protect your feet against the fungi and bacteria often present in moist environments, such as showers. If you don't use them, you may pick up athlete's foot or another condition, or merely step on something gross, like a wad of wet hair. (And no one wants to do that.) After showering, dry your shoes with a towel, or set them out somewhere where they can dry quickly. Plastic shower shoes are better than foam ones, as they dry more quickly.

A shower tote is a handy way to lug your soap,shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste and other stuff down to the showers. Totes are typically plastic containers separated into sections, and have holes at the bottom for drainage.

4. Storage Bins

Dorm rooms are small. Really small. You'll see. But you can easily add to your storage space by purchasing a variety of bins and containers. Stack containers with slide-out drawers in a tall column that you can tuck into a small nook; these are good for items you want to keep easily accessible. If you haven't lofted your beds, slip long, flat containers underneath. Use those for items you don't need every day, such as the next season's clothing, or extra school and cleaning supplies. Store bulkier items in a trunk that can double as a table or extra seating. Basically, you want to utilize every bit of open space that you can, whether it's on your floor or walls, under the bed or over the door, so think creatively.

Liberal use of storage containers means you'll be more organized, too, which is always beneficial for college students.

5. Mini Fridge

Obvious, perhaps, but crucial, is a small refrigerator. Most students snack, and some regularly eat one or more meals each day in their room. Unless your diet consists of all packaged foods, you'll need a little fridge to store your perishable food and drinks. Typical mini fridge sizes for dorm rooms are the cube, with 1.5 to 1.8 cubic feet (0.14 to 0.17 square meters) of storage capacity, and the mid-size, with 2.5 to 2.7 cubic feet (0.2 to (0.25 square meters). Costs range from about $90 to $150.

What if your roommate also intends to bring a refrigerator along? That's fine. It's best if you each have your own. You can easily keep your food separated that way, plus it's amazing how quickly you can fill a mini fridge. However, you can still share or rent a mini fridge together. That will save you both a whole lot of money.

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