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First Apartment Must-Haves for College Students
31
items My college student will be living in an on-campus apartment in the fall, so we'll need a few more items than what was needed for the dorm.
Sections
8
Bedding
Cleaning
Storage
Bags
Personal Care
Eating
Bedding
Dorm mattresses are. . .well, unique. Keep your college kid comfortable with these items so they rest well.
This mattress protector is affordable and effective for the dorm bed. We put the mattress pad down first, then this on top to keep the pad in place. Works great!
Twin/Twin XL Machine Washable Quilted Microfiber Mattress Pad - Room Essentials™: Polyester Protector, 180 Thread Count, OEKO-TEX Certified
Mattress toppers help cushion the mattress to make it a little more comfortable for sleeping. Here’s an affordable option that is working great for my kid.
Twin 1.5" Reversible Memory Foam Mattress Topper - Room Essentials™: CertiPUR-US, Cooling, Spot Clean
We love this sheet set for those odd shaped dorm mattresses. Soft, durable, and stylish color options to fit any college student’s style!
Utopia Bedding Twin XL Sheet Set 3PC Lavender
This pillow is such a comforting option for the dorm room. Pair it with the super soft pillowcase and night time will be so soothing for your student.
SquishPillow by Original Squishmallows Standard Firm Bed Pillow and Ultra Soft Pillowcase Cover
Dorm mattresses are XL twin. Don’t ask me why. But new sheets are needed so we headed to Target. This style has lots of colors and patterns so you’re bound to find one (or two) that you like.
Twin/Twin XL Microfiber Sheet Set Pink Metal - Room Essentials™: Polyester, 170 Thread Count, OEKO-TEX Certified
Quince bedding is unexpectedly affordable and luxurious.
Linen Duvet Cover in Lavender Gingham
Cleaning
An apartment will require a little more cleaning than the dorm. These are some of the necessities we've purchased.
We didn’t get one right away but my college kid said they wish we had. A stick vacuum is a simple cleaning tool to help with dust and crumbs that doesn’t take up much space and is quiet and lightweight.
Teendow Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner V07 , Lightweight Rechargeable Vacuum with LED Floor , 35 Min Runtime, 2 Modes for Carpet, Hard Floors, Pet Hair
What’s the recommendation I saw more than any other to haul laundry to the laundry room in the dorm? A backpack! This one works great and has some pockets for the detergent and other products needed for the laundry room.
Backpack Laundry Bag Textured Gray - Brightroom™: Polyester, 3500 Volume, Multipurpose Hamper Bag, All Ages
A dish wand is essential for washing up your dishes; this one is durable and well-designed.
Dish wand
Great multipurpose microfiber washcloth for cleaning.
Envirocloth
Dorm washing machines get a lot of use, and we were told liquid is less harsh on them than pods or even strips. A little goes a long way with this detergent.
Liquid Laundry Detergent
Germs galore in the dorms mean an air purifier is a must.
Levoit Core Mini Air Purifier with Night Light
Storage
Smart storage in small spaces.
This bin helped us transport some of the items across the country that we wanted to have a little more protection than the travel bags. It’s kept in the room for bulky items.
Stacking Clear Bin
The three-tier cart is a versatile, cute space saving storage option that’s found in so many dorm rooms. My kid loves purple and this one fits right in with the decor.
3 Tier Utility Cart Lavender -Brightroom™
So many uses for the storage ottoman. This one is affordable and great for a step up to the lofted bed, a seat for putting your shoes on, and a place to stash your gadgets. We love this one from IKEA.
KJUGE Ottoman with storage - Knisa dark gray
IKEA’s shopping bags are a dream when you need to move a lot of stuff but this version has a zippered top so it’s even better for getting your clothes, bedding, and essentials from home to dorm.
Great investment that your student will use for years.
FRAKTA Storage bag for cart - blue 28 ¾x13 ¾x11 ¾ " 20 gallon
Bags
Walking through campus, you need smart, well-made bags that can store everything you'll need for the day.
A laptop bag that's durable and functional is a must; we like this one.
Mancini Leather Laptop Messenger Bag | Nordstromrack
A backpack is useful for sports, overnight trips, travel, and just moving around campus. Adidas is high quality and knows how to design pockets and pouches for today's student.
adidas Saturday 2 Backpack
Personal Care
What's essential in my minimalist college kid's personal care kit? These things.
This 4-pack of Burt’s Bees lip balm is great for the dry air that leads to chapped lips throughout the school year. One for the backpack, one for the desk drawer, and a couple extra to avoid running out.
Burt's Bees Moisturizing Lip Balm - Tropical Fruit - 4pk
Keep the cycle regular with this over the counter birth control pill.
Opill Daily Oral Birth Control Pills - 3 Month - 84ct
This Flamingo razor is portable, cute and affordable. Great to put in the basket for the showers.
Flamingo Value Pack Non-Disposable Razor with Handle - Lilac - 5ct
A durable toiletry bag is very helpful if your dorm room is down the hall from the showers and toilets. We chose this one.
The Cosmetic Case in Black
Eating
Some kitchen necessities for the apartment that will get used every day.
This slim-designed Brita pitcher is a necessity for dorm fridges. Now it comes in a variety of colors to match your kid’s style.
Brita 6-Cup Denali Water Pitcher Dispenser Lilac: Filters Mercury & Chlorine, Hand Wash, 3-Year Warranty
A kettle is useful to boil water for tea snd ramen.
Aroma 1.7L Electric Kettle - Black
Bathroom
What goes in the bathroom shared with three roommates?
Easy to clean is the name of the game for the apartment. Just rinse and it's ready!
Pebble Bath Mat Blue - Room Essentials™
Use some of these caddies in the bath, some in the kitchen. Nice set to help store roommates' things in a small apartment.
Swtroom 5 Pack Stainless Steel Shower Caddy No Drill Adhesive Bathroom Organizer with Inside Shower, Kitchen & Home Decor Storage
My marine-life loving college kid couldn't wait to put this up in the bathroom.
Deny Designs Clara McAllister Marine Life Shower Curtain Blue
Don't forget the liner to protect the shower curtain and help keep the floor dry!
70"x71" Lightweight Color Shower Liner Clear - Room Essentials™
These are easy to snap in place to hold the curtain and curtain liner. Nice bright color too!
Home Mart Goods 12 Piece Premium Plastic Teal Blue Shower Curtain Hooks Rings Round 2.3" Inches
Desk
Small desks for studying need a few smart items to help organize your school supplies and a few fun things to make this space more enjoyable.
This organizer keeps the essentials in view and in place. So important to store the highlighters, pens, pencils, and other supplies.
Essentials Acrylic Pencil Cup | Erin Condren
Keep your schedule in plain sight and jot down tasks and reminders with this white board. My kid finds this super helpful and I think I need one for myself too!
Vertical Repositionable Weekly Whiteboard and Notepad | Erin Condren