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Dorm Kitchen Gear I Wish I Had When I First Moved Into My Tiny Room
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items Moving into a dorm with a sink the size of a cereal bowl and about six inches of counter space taught me a lot. Mostly that regular kitchen stuff does not fit. If you're about to move in or you're already drowning in dishes stacked on your desk, this...
Sections
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Collapsible Dish Drying Racks That Actually Fit
Tiny Cooking Tools for Zero Counter Space
Storage Solutions When You Have No Cabinets
Cleaning Stuff That Won't Stink Up Your Room
Small Appliances That Earn Their Counter Space
Collapsible Dish Drying Racks That Actually Fit
My first week I balanced wet plates on a towel on my bed. That lasted exactly one broken mug before I got serious about finding racks that fold flat and sit on a dorm sink ledge.
Grab this if your sink ledge is barely wider than your hand. It rolls up and slides into a drawer when your RA does room checks. Went from drying dishes on my pillow to feeling like a functional adult overnight.
Mainstays Silicone Roll-Up Over-Sink Dish Drying Mat
Use this one if you wash dishes in batches. It holds more than it looks like it should, and it drains right into the sink so your roommate stops complaining about puddles on the shared desk.
Kitchen Details Silicone Coated Roll Up over the Sink
Perfect for the person who actually cooks in their dorm and not just ramen. Folds completely flat, about the width of a textbook. Toss it under your bed when you need the counter space back.
SAMMART Collapsible Dish Drainer with Board
Splurge pick, but worth it if you plan to use it past freshman year. The steel frame doesn't wobble like the cheap plastic ones I went through. Swivel spout drains directly into the sink so no tray to empty.
Customer reviews for simplehuman Compact Kitchen Dish
Tiny Cooking Tools for Zero Counter Space
Trying to cook with full-size tools in a dorm is like trying to park a truck in a bike lane. These actually fit in a drawer and do the job without taking over your entire desk.
Keep these stacked inside each other and they take up less room than a single regular bowl. I use the smallest one for scrambled eggs in the microwave and the biggest for tossing salads when I'm pretending to be healthy.
Mainstays 4-Piece Nesting Plastic Mixing Bowl Set
Try draining pasta in a dorm sink without one of these. Actually don't, I burned my hand doing exactly that. These flatten to almost nothing and hang on a hook inside my closet door.
Farberware Soft Grips 3-Piece Strainer Colander Set
For anyone whose dorm allows small appliances. It's barely bigger than a book and I've made grilled cheese, quesadillas, and once a very ambitious panini on it. Wipes clean in about thirty seconds.
GreenLife 12" 5QT Square Electric Skillet
Snag one before move-in weekend because everyone and their roommate wants these. Sunday morning waffles in your dorm room hit different. Fits in a desk drawer and uses less power than a hair dryer.
Dash Mini Waffle Maker Machine for Individuals
Storage Solutions When You Have No Cabinets
Dorms give you a bed, a desk, and a dream. No cabinets, no pantry, no shelves. I had to get creative or live out of grocery bags on the floor, which I did for two weeks before finding these.
Roll it next to your desk when you need it, shove it in the corner when you don't. I keep snacks on top, plates in the middle, and cleaning supplies on the bottom. Took ten minutes to assemble with no tools.
Mainstays 3-Tier Plastic Rolling Laundry Cart, Arctic White
Use this as your entire pantry. Each drawer holds a surprising amount of canned soup and granola bars. Slides right under the standard dorm desk and nobody even knows it's there.
Sterilite 3 Drawer Wide Cart, Clear Plastic Storage
Stick this on your wall next to the sink for sponges and dish soap. No holes, no damage deposit drama. I put one by the sink and one by my bed for phone and keys. They hold more weight than you'd expect.
Command Large Caddy With 4 Adhesive Strips - 4 Lbs.
Hooks right over the bathroom or closet door. I keep all my dish soap, scrub brushes, and drying towels in mine so they're not cluttering up the one square foot of counter I own.
mDesign Metal Over Cabinet Organizer Basket
Cleaning Stuff That Won't Stink Up Your Room
Washing dishes in a room where you also sleep means smells matter. A lot. My roommate almost filed a formal complaint before I switched to these.
Ditch the cheap lemon soap that smells like a hospital. This one actually makes your room smell good after you wash dishes. My roommate went from passive-aggressive to complimenting the scent within a week.
Mrs. Meyer's, Liquid Dish Soap, Lavender Scent, 16 fl oz
Bring a few of these because they last way longer than regular sponges and they don't get that horrible wet sponge smell after three days. Firm in cold water, soft in warm. Weirdly satisfying to use.
Scrub Daddy, Scrub Sponge, Scratch-Free, Model 1-COUNT
Fill it with vinegar and water, microwave for seven minutes, wipe out the explosion of whatever your roommate heated up last. The communal microwave situation is dire and this is the only thing standing between you and mystery stains.
Angry Mama Microwave Cleaner
Spray this on your tiny sink area after doing dishes. It prevents buildup so you're not scrubbing crusty soap scum every weekend. Smells like a spa, which is the opposite of what most dorm kitchens smell like.
method, Daily Shower Spray Refill, 68 fl oz, Eucalyptus Mint
Small Appliances That Earn Their Counter Space
Counter space in a dorm is currency. If something sits on it, that thing better be pulling serious weight. These passed my strict ‘is this worth the real estate’ test.
Get this before your first 8 AM class hits. It's about five inches wide and brews directly into your travel mug. Paid for itself in two weeks compared to buying campus coffee every morning.
Keurig K-Mini Single Serve K-Cup Pod Coffee Maker, Black
For the person who wants protein but has no stove. Hard boiled, soft boiled, poached, omelets. Does it all and shuts off automatically so you can start it and go brush your teeth. Smaller than a grapefruit.
Dash Rapid Egg Cooker - Walmart.ca
Toss fruit and protein powder in, blend, drink from the same cup. No outlet needed, which is huge when your one power strip is already maxed out. Charge it once and get about fifteen blends before it needs juice again.
Nutribullet Go - Cordless ( Nirkabel ) Portable USB Blender