With May 1 right around the corner, many seniors are making their college decisions for the fall. Planning ahead includes dorm room shopping, which can be extremely stressful. Not knowing what to get, where to get it, or if you’ll need it — to say it’s overwhelming is an understatement. I’ve created a small list of the essentials for future college attendees that can hopefully ease some dorm room stress.
Storage — Target
In those compact dorm rooms, storage is hard to find. Thus, utilizing the many storage options Target provides is a smart move. They have bigger bins to help with the move and they have decorative options for within the dorm. For relatively affordable prices, Target’s storage department is the place to hit. Some of my essentials are the “Sterilite 66 qt ClearView Latch Box” storage bin for $8.99, and the “3 Tier Utility Cart” for $15.00 for random and decorative storage with easy access. I’d also recommend the ““31” Stackable Shelf” to store shoes at the low price of $17.00, and the “Soft-Grip Tote Caddy” at $9.79 to easily move and store bathroom necessities.
Bedding & Decor — HomeGoods
For affordable, high quality sheets, towels and pillows, one can never go wrong with HomeGoods. Other stores may have similar variety, but no other business gets product straight from the retailer at the discount price HomeGoods provides, making it perfect for college students on a budget. They have such a wide selection that is constantly cycling as new products come in. They provide dorm items for any style you want, whether you’re more modern, bohemian, or a bit alternative — they have everything. All of the items are also marked down from original pricing, meaning big savings. This helps immensely with the already expensive process of college. With a store only five minutes away from the high school — these items and deals are easily accessible to any Park student. The necessities include bed sheets, pillows, comforter and a handful of towels, all of which can be found within any HomeGoods store. They also have tons of decor options to personalize any dorm room.
Health — Target
One aspect of attending college that many may overlook is the sickness associated with it. Most people will be living in cramped dorms with students from all across the country carrying various diseases with them. To be prepared for this, I’d highly recommend getting health essentials from Target because of their wide selection of name brand and off brand versions of various medications. They also offer many sales with their Target Red Card membership, and other offers throughout the week. Target also does a big sale every year specifically for college purchases, where college students can get a certain percentage of their total off of one purchase for their upcoming semester. This sale can be applied to a health kit and save big bucks! Target also has a multitude of options for headache relief, cold medicine, allergy pills, burn cream and first aid kits. The sheer amount and variety of options they have within their stores allow for full customization of a health kit. The prices range from $7.99–$21.00, so one is able to stock up on these health supplies. Pick and choose the best options for you so you can save yourself the stress when you are sick in your dorm room in the fall.
Miscellaneous — Amazon
There are various necessities that don’t fit into the obvious categories above, but are still worth noting as important purchases. Future college students will need a vacuum, command hooks, a trash can, laundry detergent, dryer sheets and hangers. With a college email address, students can access free Amazon Prime benefits for six months. Purchasing all these items with free and fast shipping is easy, efficient and extremely helpful to check multiple items off your college to-do list all at once. I’d highly recommend taking a look into the student Amazon Prime account and placing a couple orders for any and all dorm necessities.
