Benable — create shareable lists of things you recommend!

E.g., products you love, local businesses, travel recs - you can add anything to a Benable list!

Discover

COLLEGE MUST HAVES 📚🎓

29 items

Ashley Raugust

As someone who has spent so much money on everything college related, I’m here to help you NOT do that! Here are my top essentials that I use EVERYDAY in Chicago to ensure my environment is what I want it to be, and my grades are reflective of that. ...

Sections

$0-50

$50-100

$100+

$0-50

A lamp is your gateway to mood and soft lighting. The overhead lights in any dorm are too bright, too white, and overall set a horrible mood in the room. Pair a lamp with some other light for different levels of light and dim! Lamps are easy to turn ...

Lamps & Lighting

Owala is my favorite water bottle brand. They don’t leak and they fit so much without being excessively heavy. Owalas keep my water cold all day long and can also hold warm things. They are so fun to decorate too. Easy to grab and take at all classes...

Owala

You will always need these! From hanging up picture frames to hanging shoe racks, command strips are here to help!! I have never had a problem with them ripping out cheap dorm paint off, which off brand strips usually do. While they may be a little p...

Command™ Brand

Definitely a must if you want soft lighting in a dorm room. Doubles as cute decoration that is also functional. Best if you find some controlled by a remote or a switch.

Fairy Lights

If you have communal showers, you need this. Fits all types of bottles and containers for your showering essentials. You’ll need a bag that you can take everything in one trip. I recommend a hook of some sort (over the door type is what I use) to han...

Eudele Mesh Shower Caddy Portable for Dorm

The look of shower shoes aren’t the cutest, but they definitely will help you stay hygienic and clean. These are comfortable and drain water fast. I’m never worried when stepping into communal showers when I wear these.

Shower Shoes

Not only can you do your homework from bed easier, but they also act as a headboard against the wall when needed. They travel well from place to place ensuring that you’re never left without some comfort. These last for a long time and I couldn’t ima...

Best Reading & Bed Rest Pillows

When you’re trying to do makeup or skincare in the morning, this is a MUST! It has both bright lights and natural lights to help you see best. I enjoy having this when I am getting ready in the mornings, especially on gloomy days where the sun isn’t ...

Tabletop Vanity Mirror With Lights

My FAVORITE way to take notes and organize my assignments! Notion is hard to navigate at first, but gets easier with time. It will be your one stop shop for everything school related. You can even print off the pages if needed, and have a hard copy. ...

Notion

Hear me out. In the middle of the night when you have to go to the bathroom, the only thing you’ll want to wear on your feet is slippers. I practically live in my slippers, immediately changing into them after a long day of classes. They’re easy to s...

Slippers

THIS! Personally, I am a light sleeper and can wake up at any moment. This alarm is the best thing when my roommate and I are waking up at different times, or if I just want a gentle wake up in the morning. I use this on the highest vibration setting...

REACHER Loud Vibrating Alarm Clock Rechargeable

THE BEST closet organizer. This fits so many things and takes up barely any space in the actual closet. I keep my laundry necessities, my medicine, my electronics, and so so much more in here. I would never trade this organizer.

HOMELUX THEORY Heavy Duty Over Door Organizer

If you’re a college student, many people will tell you to get a backpack laundry bag. My advice? Don’t. Get one with wheels that you can roll in and out of the elevator. No need to carry it if you don’t have to! This is easy to set up, easy to take d...

WOWLIVE 100L Laundry Hamper with Wheels

I am a firm believer that you can never have too many outlets in a room. This extension cord / surge protector has it all. It has USB ports, USBC ports, and regular outlets. The best part? The plug is flat, ensuring you can put furniture up against t...

HANYCONY Power Strip 12 Outlets 4 USB Ports

If you have a community kitchen, you should have your own dishes! This is the perfect size to cook one or two portions of anything on. It is easy to clean and thanks to its compact size, easy to store.

8-Inch Pink Nonstick Egg Pan, PFOA-Free

Vitafusion is my favorite! Their melatonin is great for an easy night of rest, and their multivitamins keep my immune system running well during cold and flu season.

Shop All vitafusion™ Gummy Vitamins and Supplements

Easy to keep up with! These plants add a great amount of life and color to any dorm room, making a small space feel much bigger. I love scattering these all around my room and kitchen to make the place look lively and it’s the easiest plant you’ll ev...

Artificial plants & flowers

Whether you're showering or going to the beach, you will need a good speaker in college! This has a great battery life and is loud! With this, you'll be asked by everyone to bring your speaker to every event, therefore making more friends in school!

MIATONE Pink Waterproof Bluetooth Speaker

Yes 100x over. I have two of these carts in my dorm room and if I had the space, I would get 100 more. This is a great way to utilize vertical space in a cramped room, or just have something easy and accessable. This cart is SO easy to set up, my roo...

Simple Houseware 3-Tier Metal Utility Cart

$50-100

This is a must!! The college mattresses aren’t thick and aren’t comfy. The only way to have a good nights sleep is to get a gel mattress topper. This one will have you sleeping so well that you won’t want to go to class in the morning!!

Mattress Topper

A backpack with multiple zippers is helpful to fit all you need for your full day of classes. It ensures that your back isn’t hurting when going from class to class. When you’re in the dorm room, your backpack won’t get dirty on the ground but if it ...

BÉIS 'The Expandable Backpack' in Beige

THE BEST FAN FOR DORM ROOMS! This fan circulates so well, especially in tiny dorm rooms. I have had this fan for two years now. It is so helpful that there’s a remote connection and I can change the fan from across the room. This fan keeps us nice an...

Woozoo 5-Speed Globe Fan

My weighted blanket is my favorite! Makes my bed feel cozy and applies deep pressure, relieving my stress after long days. I think weighted blankets are essential and everyone should have one!

YnM 15lbs Weighted Blanket for Adults

My college has two vacuums for the floor to use, but my roommate and I really enjoy having our own. It is small and fits in my closet or next to our sink. The cord is long, ensuring us that we only have to plug it in once and we can get the whole roo...

Dirt Devil Vibe 3-in-1 Lightweight Corded Vacuum

If you can’t start your day without some caffeine, you’ll want to get this. Rather than walking around trying to find decent coffee, you’ll can make delicious coffee right from your room. Not a coffee fan? You can use this to easily boil water and ma...

Shop Coffee Makers

My dining hall closes when it’s not meal time, so I love having a soda stream available to have a carbonated beverage everywhere I go. The canisters last a long time and little maintenance is required. Lightweight and easy to move and store! Fun colo...

SodaStream

$100+

A mini fridge with a freezer is a necessity in college. If you are allowed to have one in your room, it is fantastic. It holds so much and saves you a trip to a community fridge. One that has a separate freezer that’s big is also great to hold frozen...

Upstreman 3.2 Cu.Ft Mini Fridge with Freezer

This has always been my dream computer, and after getting it, remains so. This computer is versatile and helpful. It is easy and lightweight to transport from class to class, only letting your textbooks weigh you down. The computer may be expensive, ...

Surface Pro 9: 2-in-1 versatility, laptop power, tablet flexibility

My favorite over ear headphones! Great noise cancellation or transparency mode for whatever kind of privacy you need. These are lightweight and easy to carry around, perfect for studying on the go.

Beats Studio Pro - Premium Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones