Dorm room must-haves that earn their space

The five that make the biggest difference

1. A surge-protected power strip with USB ports (~$13). Dorm rooms routinely have two outlets for the whole room, both behind the bed. One strip turns that into nine devices. Buy surge-protected with a joule rating — most housing contracts require it and prohibit plain extension cords.
2. A clamp desk lamp (~$18). Overhead dorm lighting puts your own shadow on the page. A clamp lamp fixes that and uses no desk surface.
3. A 2-inch mattress topper (~$44). See do you need a mattress topper. For most people this is the biggest single improvement to the year.
4. A clip fan (~$15). No air conditioning, no thermostat, August. Point it out of the window — see our fan picks.
5. Wheeled under-bed storage (~$28). Converts the largest unused volume in the room into actual storage. Measure the clearance first.

The next ten, all worth having

• A spare Twin XL sheet set (~$12). The cheapest high-value item on any dorm list.
• Command poster strips (~$11). Decoration with no damage. Tape and tacks take paint and cost you a charge — see hanging things without damaging walls.
• A mesh shower caddy (~$16). Essential with a hall bathroom; full mesh so it dries.
• Shower shoes (~$10). Not optional in a communal shower.
• Two laundry hampers (~$13). Sorting then happens as you undress.
• A zip mesh wash bag (~$7). Eliminates single socks permanently.
• Over-door hooks (~$12). Towels, a robe and a bag, with no fixings.
• A good water bottle (~$20). You will carry it everywhere for four years.
• Noise-canceling headphones or decent earplugs (~$15 to $100). You cannot control when your roommate sleeps or when the corridor is loud. This is a genuine quality-of-life item.
• A small first aid kit and basic medicines (~$25). At 2am the campus shop is closed. Painkillers, plasters, a thermometer, antihistamines.

Things that look essential and are not

• A printer. Campus printing is cheap, usually included in fees, and does not occupy a quarter of your desk. Skip it.
• A full cookware set. You have a shared kitchen at best and a microwave at worst. One bowl, one mug, one plate, cutlery, a mug you can microwave.
• A TV. Your laptop is your TV. A TV needs a surface and nobody uses it.
• Lots of decoration. Buy two or three things after you see the room. Posters bought in July for a room you have not seen mostly stay rolled up.
• A second set of everything “just in case”. Campus shops exist. You are not moving to a remote island.
• An iron and ironing board. Most halls have one somewhere, and a $12 handheld steamer covers the rest.

Talk to your roommate before buying these

Four things are better bought once and shared, and buying two of each is the most common dorm over-spend:

• A mini fridge. One 3.2 cu ft split two ways beats two 1.7s — cheaper each and you both get a real freezer. See our fridge picks.
• A microwave, if your housing allows one.
• A rug. One good rug beats two small ones, and dorm floors are cold.
• Cleaning supplies. You are sharing the room; share the spray.

Agree in July who buys what, and agree what happens to shared items in May. Selling the fridge to next year’s intake is completely normal.