Looking for the college apartment essentials you will need this year? Here’s the ultimate checklist of college apartment essentials you’ll actually need.
Moving into your college apartment is such an exciting experience. You get to decorate your entire space, live on your own terms and be independent, but this also comes with a lot of work you need to do.
Before getting to the good stuff, you need to find a place, move in and get all your college apartment essentials. After living in a college apartment during most of my college experience, I know first hand exactly what you’ll need.
This post is all about the ultimate college apartment essentials list you’ll actually need.
This laundry bag is the best thing for every college student. Having your dirty clothes all over the place is not hygienic, and if you live with other roommates it’s pretty easy to take something that’s not yours by accident.
That’s why I love this custom laundry bag. You can totally personalize it with your favorite font and color.
This towel wrap is one of my most recommended products for college students. Even if you have your own bathroom I highly suggest you get one because 1) it’s cute and 2) it’s practical and will keep you covered and never fall off thanks to its velcro system.
Having a fan is essential in college apartments since not all apartments have air conditioning. And even if they have it, it’s super expensive so turn it on. If you want to save money without dying in the heat, I highly recommend getting a fan.
It saved my life in college, and it also saved me some money in electricity bills.
This one is pretty obvious so I guess I don’t need to explain myself a lot. Everyone should have a first aid kit in their homes, and that includes college apartments. Hopefully you won’t use it, but it’s better to be prepared in case of a small cut or burn.
Having a tool kit is always helpful. The chances are at some point you’ll have to fix something or make a reparation in your apartment. Plus, if you’re getting new furniture you’ll have to build it up, so a tool kit will definitely be needed.
Even in a college apartment, there are never enough plugs. You’ll probably be living with other roommates, and each of you will have many things that need to be charged like a phone, a laptop…
That’s why having a power strip at home is always a good idea. This one from Amazon is cheap and includes USB plugs, which comes in handy to charge your phone.
The reality is most college apartments don’t include basic utilities like pots and pans, so you will have to bring them.
You can bring pots and pans you already have from home or get new ones. I love this set because it basically includes everything you need and it’s cheaper than buying everything separately.
Same goes for cups, mugs and glasses. I personally like to have my own cute mugs because they’re more like a personal treasure, so I like to invest in good quality mugs that have something special.
When I cooked in my college apartment I always liked to make extra portions to save for later. Tupperwares are a must to keep your leftovers safe and in good conditions to eat later.
You can also use them when you eat outside and avoid non-reusable containers that aren’t sustainable.
Metal trash cans with a cap are way better than plastic ones because they are more sturdy and keep the small away. No one wants to live in an apartment that smells bad!
Having a blender is the perfect excuse to eat healthier. You can make all types of smoothies with fruits and vegetables in less than 3 minutes, so it’s definitely one of the best college apartment kitchen essentials.
Your mattress is probably the most important thing in your college apartment dorm. Keep in mind you’re going to spend a lot of hours on it and you should get good rest, which is highly important especially when you’re a college student.
Memory foam mattresses are the best option because they adapt perfectly to your body shape and it almost feels like you’re sleeping on a cloud.
When I was in college I tried to save as much money as I could, so I bought the most affordable bedding I could find.
If you already have a duvet at home you can use, that’s great. And if you don’t, there are tons of cheap options on Amazon that work perfectly.
For my duvet cover though, I invested a bit more since I wanted to get one made of good quality fabric. I didn’t want any gritty fabric touching my skin because that would affect my sleep. This one from Urban Outfitters is my favorite.
Along with your mattress comes your pillow. Please don’t try to go for the cheapest option you find just to save money because your neck is going to regret it.
Investing in a good pillow is investing in your health. This one from Amazon is the best.
I recommend not bringing more than two sets of bedsheets to your college apartment. You can easily use the second set while the first one is in the laundry machine.
You don’t need to get too fancy with your furniture as you don’t know if you’re going to be living in the same college apartment for the rest of your college experience.
When I was in my first year of college I bought a super cute desk that took ages to build just to get out of that apartment the year after. I totally regretted it, so please don’t make the same mistakes I did.
Definitely get a good desk chair. You’re going to spend most of your day sitting on it. I tried to save money on my desk chair by getting a cheaper one and it completely destroyed my back.
Of course, I had to buy a better one and it changed my life, but I ended up spending even more money than if I had just bought a good chair from the beginning.
You’ll basically need a mirror to see how you look before you head out to your classes. I recommend getting a full-length mirror to get a full picture of your outfit.
I got mine for my first year of college and I still have it five years later! So it was one of the best college apartment essentials purchases.
When it comes to hangers you NEED to get velvet ones. Your clothing will stick to them and won’t fall off like it usually happens with plastic hangers.
The closets in my college apartment were pretty small, so I had to find a solution to maximize my space} a closet organizer. It’s the best thing to put your shoes or bulky items.
The best part of moving into a new space is decorating! Moving into a college apartment has even more advantages because you get more space to decorate.
There are hundreds of options when it comes to college apartment decor, but these are just some of the most popular ones.
These days you can actually live without a TV, but having a big screen to watch your favorite Netflix shows and movies can’t compare to watching them on your laptop!
Most college apartments don’t have a dryer machine, which means you’ll have to air dry your clothes. This is not a big deal, but make sure you have a clothes rack to dry your clothes inside or you won’t be able to hang your laundry when it’s rainy outside.
This makeup organizer is a life-saver to keep your most used makeup products and get ready faster in the mornings. It’s also the cutest decor to put on your desk or bathroom counter.
Cleaning Essentials
During my college years I tried a bunch of cleaning products that helped me keep my apartment nice and clean, but these are the ones you should add to your college apartment essentials list right away.
Don’t waste your money on cleaning products and get something that works on most spaces and surfaces. This all-purpose cleaner is the best because you can use it in every room.
I prefer using reusable microfiber cloths rather than paper cloths because they are much more sustainable and you can just put them in the washing machine and use them as many times as you want.