Thinking about outfitting your dorm room? Having limited space makes it challenging to make everything you need fit in your place; but how much stuff do you really need?
Apartment Therapy suggests these things that you really don't need in your dorm room as well as the things you should consider 'essentials' to make dorm-living more worthwhile:
6 Things That Might Come In Handy
Lamps
Having a lamp or two (one for the study desk and one for the bedside table), would be useful when you need to study and your roommate already has to sleep or to create that cozy environment that you can't achieve with the harsh fluorescent light on.
A rug
Depending on the type of flooring that your dorm has, a rug could provide that extra sense of style and warmth to that cold and ugly tiling. Just make sure to pick the right size in relation to the size of your room, and of course, ask for your roommate's opinion about it first.
A full-length mirror
Of course! You want to get through college looking fabulous! Make sure to check yourself in the mirror before leaving your dorm.
Hooks
Because of the limited space, you would need as much place to put your things and hooks are an awesome tool. Over the door, the side of your shelves, to sticky hooks; you can use them to hang your backpack, towels, or clothes you used just once and aren't dirty enough to go to the laundry.
A blanket
Have a blanket for the cold days! You will not have control over the temperature of the room and days could get cold sometime within the year so it's best to be prepared.
A folding tray table
As much as possible, avoid having furniture. But if there's one you should have, it's a foldable table. You can use it for snacking, making assignments, and as a laptop desk; and the good thing about it is, you can easily fold and tuck it away when not in use.
6 Things You Probably Don't Need
A shower tote
If you are sharing the bathroom with just your roommate or suitemates, then you don't really need a shower tote. Unless your dorm is one of those whose bathroom is down the hall, then a toiletry organizer that hangs over the showerhead should be fine.
A television
Aside from not having enough room for that flat-screen TV, staying at the dorm's TV lounge (most dorms have one) is a great way to meet and mingle with your dorm mates. And, you also saved cash.
Tons of furniture
Check the dimensions of your room before giving in to buying that really cool and cheap IKEA furniture. Chances are, you will only have limited amount of space to fit your things in so you might want to reconsider those pretty bookcases and that plush lounge chair.
Matching bedding
Sure, you and your roommate are BFFs. But getting matching beddings is not the best idea. If you do, chances are you will end up picking a design that neither of you are really happy with, and how about if the two of you decide to separate ways?
A printer
Take advantage of the free printing in your campus lab. Not only will you save space (those printers could be really bulky), you also wouldn't have to deal with having to change that empty ink cartridge (just the night before your paper is due).
A set of dishes
The most effective way to avoid piled up dirty dishes is not having dishes to pile up. Unless you are planning to constantly host parties, then you don't really need anything more than a plate (for your sandwiches) and a bowl (for your ramen).
