When it comes to decorating your college dorm, you can forget the simple magazine shelves, plush couches, stacked lofts, and simple framed prints on the walls. Dorm rooms look like nothing you see in Ikea. Dorm rooms will usually be small and enough for you to be able to go wild with outfitting your room. Extra furniture? Leave that at home. We will give you the list of the ten items to buy for spring 2011.

Comfy Bedding
Dorms already come with extra-long twin beds, so you will need to buy extra-long twin sheets, pillows, blanket, and a foam pad to add softness to the industrial-strength mattress. To save a few dollars, consider buying a regular length foam or egg-crate pad for the best padding.

Towels and Toiletries
You will need to buy several bath towels and flip flops for the shower. Of course, what comes along with his is soap, shampoo, and other toiletries. Your best essential with this is a plastic basket to tote it back and forth between your dorm and the bathroom. You could double the basket as a place to hold onto all your toiletries in your dorm.

Laundry Supplies
When it’s time to go drop off that laundry load, you will need detergent, fabric softener, a laundry bag/hamper, and a jar full of quarters. There might be a chance that your campus may have a Laundromat that uses debit cards, but keeping a jar of quarters is a good idea.

School Tools
If your a freshmen, these apply to you. It is highly recommended that you buy a desk lamp and bulbs, school supplies (ie: notebooks, pens, pencils, rulers), extension cords and a power strip with a surge protector (for your computer).

Mini-Fridges and Appliances
The best appliance to buy for college is a mini-fridge, electric fan (Some dorms have no air-conditioning), TV, and DVD player for your dorm room. Landlines are not needed for dorms, so using your cellphone is fine and you’re more likely be available.

6. Storage Bins and Hangers
Storage bins and hangers are the most marketed off-to-college essentials for school. While some storage gears are cute and tiny, they are not enough to actually fit everything in the bins. Buying hangers for the closet and storage bins for under the bed is your best bet. Some of the popular choices are squat Rubbermaid-style tubs that can hold stacked towels or clothing. A hanging storage unit for your shoes will eliminate clutter in the closet as well.

7. Other Important Supplies
Sometimes dorms supply bulletin boards, bookshelves and waste baskets. All you need to buy to keep your dorm room clean is thumbtacks and plastic trash bags to line the waste basket. To also maintain cleanliness in your dorm, consider buying paper towels and cleaning sprays.

Dorm Decor and Photos
To make you feel more at home, bring family and friends photos, posers, soft pillows and maybe your favorite item to help personalize your dorm and soften the dorm-iness. Soft throw fleece is an easy decorative touch. You may not be able to to use nails to hang your photos and posters, but thumbtacks and/or tape can work fine.

9. Easy to Use Furniture
Adding a soft, colorful area rug helps make a dirty floor look more appealing. Easy collapsible seating or floor pillows help make guests feel right at home. The best part is if you don’t need your seating, you can collapse it and put it right in your closet to keep out of your way.

10. Listening and Reading Essentials
What is very nice to have is an IPod docking station, speakers and headphones. They are considered noise-reducing for the times you need to just relax.

Moving into a college dorm is always exciting. But many students fail to come prepared for just how small their new living space on campus really is. Dorm rooms normally are around 228 square feet, so it can be a little hard to try and fit all your stuff into such an area, especially if you may have to share it with a roommate. Fortunately, there are different types of storage options to look for and buy that can maximize your living area as well as give you a good amount of storage.

Consider a trunk: A storage trunk is a great storage item because you can store everything from sweaters to towels, blankets, or even your every day supplies. It also adds a nice touch to your dorm room since it comes in a variety of styles. Best of all, it can double as a seater, or a coffee table, so you will have little need for furniture!

Maximize Closet Space: It is likely that you will have a tiny closet, and even might have to share one with your roommate. One of the best ways to make sure your closet space is to use for temporary storing spots, use baskets or hanging closet organizers. It will make things easier, plus, you’ll know where everything is.

Use Your Wall Space: Some campuses will have rules about putting things on walls, but there are numerous temporary wall adhesive based hooks that can easily be removed from the walls when you move out. You can use these as hooks to hang towels and jackets, or hang dowel rods across the walls to hang other items from.

Raised Your Bed: Again, some schools may restrict the type of furniture you may bring, but bunk beds and loft beds can definitely help reserve the lack of space you have in your dorm. By lifting the bed in the air, you can fit either two beds in one spot (for your roomie!), or use the space below for other uses, such as your computer desk. If you’re stuck with the beds provided by the school, you can use bed risers or concrete blocks to raise it and give you extra storage under the bed.

Just because you’re living in a small dorm space doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice style on things you bring with you on campus. With little creativity, you will be able to fit into your dorm room with ease!

When it comes to decorating your collefe dorm, you can forget the simple magazine shelves, plush couches, stacked lofts, and simple framed prints on the walls. Dorm rooms look like nothing you see in Ikea. Dorm rooms will usually be small and enough for you to be able to go wild with outfitting your room. Extra furniture? Leave that at home. We will give you the list of the ten items to buy for spring 2011.

1. Comfy Bedding
Dorms already come with extra-long twin beds, so you will need to buy extra-long twin sheets, pillows, blanket, and a foam pad to add softness to the industrial-strength mattress. To save a few dollars, consider buying a regular length foam or egg-crate pad for the best padding.

2. Towels and Toiletries
You will need to buy several bath towels and flip flops for the shower. Of course, what comes along with his is soap, shampoo, and other toiletries. Your best essential with this is a plastic basket to tote it back and forth between your dorm and the bathroom. You could double the basket as a place to hold onto all your toiletries in your dorm.

3. Laundry Supplies
When it’s time to go drop off that laundry load, you will need detergent, fabric softener, a laundry bag/hamper, and a jar full of quarters. There might be a chance that your campus may have a Laundromat that uses debit cards, but keeping a jar of quarters is a good idea.

4. School Tools
If your a freshmen, these apply to you. It is highly recommended that you buy a desk lamp and bulbs, school supplies (ie: notebooks, pens, pencils, rulers), extension cords and a power strip with a surge protector (for your computer).

5. Mini-Fridges and Appliances
The best appliance to buy for college is a mini-fridge, electric fan (Some dorms have no air-conditioning), TV, and DVD player for your dorm room. Landlines are not needed for dorms, so using your cellphone is fine and you’re more likely be available.

6. Storage Bins and Hangers
Storage bins and hangers are the most marketed off-to-college essentials for school. While some storage gears are cute and tiny, they are not enough to actually fit everything in the bins. Buying hangers for the closet and storage bins for under the bed is your best bet. Some of the popular choices are squat Rubbermaid-style tubs that can hold stacked towels or clothing. A hanging storage unit for your shoes will eliminate clutter in the closet as well.

7. Other Important Supplies
Sometimes dorms supply bulletin boards, bookshelves and waste baskets. All you need to buy to keep your dorm room clean is thumbtacks and plastic trash bags to line the waste basket. To also maintain cleanliness in your dorm, consider buying paper towels and cleaning sprays.

8. Dorm Decor and Photos
To make you feel more at home, bring family and friends photos, posers, soft pillows and maybe your favorite item to help personalize your dorm and soften the dorm-iness. Soft throw fleece is an easy decorative touch. You may not be able to to use nails to hang your photos and posters, but thumbtacks and/or tape can work fine.

9. Easy to Use Furniture
Adding a soft, colorful area rug helps make a dirty floor look more appealing. Easy collapsible seating or floor pillows help make guests feel right at home. The best part is if you don’t need your seating, you can collapse it and put it right in your closet to keep out of your way.

10. Listening and Reading Essentials
What is very nice to have is an IPod docking station, speakers and headphones. They are considered noise-reducing for the times you need to just relax.

If you decide to live in a single dorm room, recreating your comfort zone can be much easier. Though every dorm is small spaced, you have the power to work with bold colors and edgy fabrics to help create your dorm room since you cannot color your walls. We will teach you ways to lessen your separation anxiety while being away from home.

Bedding is an absolute must in your dorm room. If you’ve had the same room bedding style in your home for many years, now is the best opportunity to change your bedding. Starting off college means exploring yourself, so changing your bedding will give you a kick-start. For boys, the common colors chosen are navy blue, dark green, or red covers. For girls, they prefer pink, combinations of brown and blue or pink and black, or sometimes orange. To make sure you have warmth throughout the winter seasons, buy a down filled blanket, but if you prefer to stay cool, a cotton comforter is just fine.

Common flooring in dorm rooms are linoleum or tile, which can be a bit cold for feet during the winter. Choosing a big modern rug that is large enough to cover both under the bed to the desk area would help resolve the issue. Those who worry about staining the rugs with drinks or food, buying a dark-colored rug can hide all the accidents when on the run. Make sure to pick easy-wash rugs like cotton or synthetic polyester. Rugs are always easy to clean because you can take it out and give it a couple of shakes, all without having to vacuum!

Having a large mirror for your dorm is a must. Most students have to share a bathroom with each other, and it may be hard to get access to a mirror. Buying a big mirror will cut down the time of waiting for a mirror and get you where you need to go faster. Consider buying a small basin and water jug, if you wish to brush your teeth in privacy once in a while.

Buying a desk lamp and a lamp for your nightstand will create the aura of home. When you add photos of family and friends and put them on your walls and desk, it helps create a comfortable space of memories.

Though it is difficult to be away from home where your family and friends are, creating your dorm room as a home away from home is a good way to make yourself at home in your college. Creating your comfortable dorm will help lessen your separation anxiety and encourage you to feel at home in your new dorm.

For college students either living with a roommate or alone, the dorm is usually their place they can call their home. With a small space that is given to create a comfortable space, we have created a list of 7 must have college dorm supplies that will make your stay much more relaxing.

1. The dorm bunk bed, or loft bunk bed. While most dorms are assigned with already furnished space, you could always improve your living quality with your own furniture. A dorm bunk bed will raise your bed, allowing more useable and valuable floor space that you can use to the fullest. What about the basic furniture from the college? They have places to store their unused furniture.

2. Now that there’s much more space on the floor, you have the option of adding a computer desk or study desk. With the bed up and out of the way, your desk will fit perfectly under your bed. Usually the already furnished desk fits most rooms, so there is no need to buy a new one.

3. A desk/bed lamp is the way to go, but having both would be even better! A desk lamp underneath your bed will be best since light will now be essential for you to be able to function. A clamp light for your bed is a must if you plan on sit relaxing in your bed instead of using your desk.

4. One word: Rug. If there was only one way to make your room stand out, a nice bold color that can turn your boring dorm room into a colorful and comfortable place to live. The best rug size would be 10 x 12 since it will cover the parts of your dorm you moving around the most during the cold seasons.

5. You have a desk, so why not a chair? It doesn’t exactly have to be a chair or seat and you have many options to choose from. You could use a bean bag chair, which is not only comfortable, but easy to move. They even come in a array of colors! Pick a loud color that will compliment your rug or your bedding to make your room stand out.

6. Headphones/Earbuds. You should always keep these handy for the times when you know the students next door are making too much noise. Another option is personal music player decks. This could help drown out that annoying noise, or that uncomfortable silence during the night.

7. Last, but not least: A laundry bag. The times when your mom or dad would tell you to pick up the clothes on your floor, the second best place (besides your floor!) was the laundry basket. Buying a laundry basket comes in handy when you need to go to the nearest laundry mat. All you have to do is toss your clothes in, close it, and carry back and forth. How simple is that?

If you are going away to college for the first time, or plan on living either on or off campus, this list of 7 must have college dorm supplies to feel more at home will help you improve your quality of living. Remember, you can make your room the way you want it. Make it you, make it become your place to get away and relax while you’re at college.