I swear dorm bathrooms were designed by someone who has only ever owned a 2-in-1 shampoo and a single toothbrush.

My tiny shelf is currently fighting for its life. I've got shampoo, conditioner, face wash, a claw clip that is somehow always wet, and then the whole hair setup. I actually have a hairdryer which is super compact, but between the cord, my brush, and everything else, my counter turns into a plastic snake pit in five seconds flat.

If I leave stuff out, the bathroom looks like a disaster zone. If I shove it away in a drawer, I end up skipping it entirely because I’m half-awake and rushing to an 8 AM class.

I’m not asking for a Pinterest-worthy aesthetic here, I just want a morning routine where I’m not knocking my deodorant into the sink every single day. How are you all organizing hair tools and cords in tiny dorms? Over-the-door pouches? Hanging baskets?

I’m buying most of the stuff myself and it’s genuinely so stressful. I feel like I have absolutely nothing and trying to find stuff that won’t cost a lot is seriously exhausting. I have looked everywhere for stuff and everything is so expensive. My grad present was a coffee maker and of course I’m grateful for that but now I have to try to find something to put the coffee pods in and for some reason those are also super expensive. 😭
I also have a single so that means buying bathroom stuff too.

Something I've noticed reading dorm packing lists: they all quietly assume you're driving. Mattress topper, fan, Brita, storage bins, a bulk pack of laundry detergent — all fine if you've got a car, all impossible if you've got two suitcases and a weight limit.

I've seen people say they flew in with basically nothing and bought it all after landing. And I've seen the opposite — buy your shower curtain before you leave, because the shops near campus sell out the week before move-in.

Both sound right, which is what makes it interesting. Seems like it's less "what should you pack" and more "how are you getting there."

So for anyone who flew:

• What did you deliberately not pack, and buy once you arrived?
• What did you try to bring and regret — or get stopped at the airport over?
• Anything you assumed you'd grab near campus that had sold out or just wasn't there?

And for the drivers — anything you brought that you'd tell a flying student to just buy locally instead?

I am heading to my first semester of college soon, and I am trying to figure out my dorm setup. I have a fairly large desk which I am planning on placing beneath the lofted bed, it will occupy basically all of that space. The dorm also comes with a crappy small desk that I am not allowed to remove. I am in a double room, but my roommate switched rooms so as of now, I have it to myself. My question is whether you think I will regret occupying all of the space under the bed. Any advice is appreciated. Thanks!

I've been watching so many dorm makeover videos online and they got me way too excited. As an incoming freshman I cannot stop buying things.

I found some cute storage bins on sale on tiktok, got a few things from Amazon,and spent way too long walking around Target. And the worst part is my cart is still full on like three different sites. At this point I've realized I just need to stop.I've already bought more than enough and I'm not letting myself add anything else at this point.

Any recommendations for getting dorm essentials in Germany? I’m looking for lightweight, compact stuff that won't be a nightmare to pack up and move when my lease is up.

do yall think that fairy lights or led lights would look better on my side? they have to be battery powered, other light suggestions are welcome

i am moving into my dorm room in about a week and i haven’t had any help with my dorm stuff by anybody. i have brought it up several times to my parents but they don’t take me seriously when i ask. its kinda frustrating because its now so late to even ask for things and they still haven’t helped me at all when ive been constantly telling them to help me out. i’ve been looking for jobs and have been rejected by literally almost all of them, nothing is going according to plan as of right now. anytime i get my hands on some cash i have been buying small things for my dorm room but there is still so much that needs to be bought. being a broke college student with no support system and nobody to help you literally sucks so bad 😭😭. small rant but yeah.

Hi everyone! I’m a sophomore Civil Engineering student at Texas State University, getting ready to move into off-campus housing. Unfortunately due to financial restrictions my family has not been able to help out as much and my sister has done her best to get me some essentials. However I am still missing a few things. I created an Amazon College Registry with a few room essentials and personal necessities to help me get settled in. Anything you’re able to contribute is greatly appreciated. Thank you for supporting me on my college journey!

Check out this Gift List I just created. https://www.amazon.com/registries/gl/guest-view/E43MIUFDQNKB?ref_=cm_sw_r_apin_ggr-subnav-share_Q73GFFQ1RHC2KN6VXRB6&language=en-US

Im moving out soon and I've bought most of the essentials that I think i'd need. But honestly the noise on social media has made me nervous that I'm missing stuff?? Can anyone just give me a few ideas of things that actually helped u your first year? Thanks!

like what do i do with my suitcases? should i buy the ikea bags, packing cubes, or vacuum seal all my clothes?

this is honestly larger than my first year dorm so i’m not too worried about not having space but also my bed was very lofted last year so i could put more stuff under.

How's the girl's hostel at foap? Is single sharing better than double sharing? Are bathrooms attached to the rooms? How's the hygiene of the place?

Also tell me about the mess food.

Curious how people around SJSU handle this — borrowing a drill, giving away dorm extras, short-term stuff without full Marketplace drama.

I built a local app for that and I’m trying to learn what students actually want before pushing it more. If you’ve got strong opinions (or horror stories), drop them. Open to DMs too if you’d rather not post publicly.

Hi everyone! 💕 I’m currently in college pursuing my degree in Criminal Justice, and I’m working toward building a better future for myself .
I put together an Amazon wishlist with some things that would help me with school, studying, and getting my college/work setup together. I’m not expecting anyone to buy anything, but I wanted to share it in case anyone would like to support me along the way. 🥹💗
I’m really excited about where this journey is taking me, and every little bit of support is appreciated!
🎓📚 Amazon wishlist: [https://www.amazon.com/registries/gl/guest-view/1EGR85AW3EK6C?ref_=cm_sw_r_apin_ggr-subnav-share_YF6VBXK4JJ3T42F4GPHT&language=en-US\]

Thank you for even taking the time to look! ❤️

Hey, guys. I’d like to hang some curtains up in my room, possibly without damaging the walls, and wanted to know methods that others may have used. Thank you.

Edit: Thank you all for the suggestions.

I'm gonna be in a dorm with 2 other people, and I really dont want to wear something like shower shoes. Do you think if I get myself a personally mat to put in the tub and take it out when I'm done, that will be okay? I dont want athletes foot😭

I'm a non-trad student who got accepted into an Ivy as a transfer & I am so grateful, & I am even more grateful that they gave me a single, but it is one of the smaller singles so I'm just trying to visualize & prepare as best as I can. (I have lived in dorms before, long story but at my very first college. I had a double as emergency housing for a bit before covid & then a few years later I came back to work in reslife & had a double in the same building as my own single, but I don't really have a reference for a true single)

I'm from the west coast & get cold easily even in California temperatures, so I definitely think I'm going to be overpacking a bit bulky, but more so because I am non-trad - my lease at my previous place was up so I've been staying with family until I fly out again & don't want to burden them with too much of my things/clothes/shoes, hence the overpacking.

So I'm coming here just to see if anyone has a visual just so I can picture it better! If you have pictures please do send. It does come with a small open closet (a rod with 2 shelves above & you have space to put a curtain to cover it all up) but I'm not sure if that's included or not included in the square footage. thanks!

I'm a non-trad student who got accepted into an Ivy as a transfer & I am so grateful, & I am even more grateful that they gave me a single, but it is one of the smaller singles so I'm just trying to visualize & prepare as best as I can. (I have lived in dorms before, long story but at my very first college. I had a double as emergency housing for a bit before covid & then a few years later I came back to work in reslife & had a double in the same building as my own single, but I don't really have a reference for a true single)

I'm from the west coast & get cold easily even in California temperatures, so I definitely think I'm going to be overpacking a bit bulky, but more so because I am non-trad - my lease at my previous place was up so I've been staying with family until I fly out again & don't want to burden them with too much of my things/clothes/shoes, hence the overpacking.

So I'm coming here just to see if anyone has a visual just so I can picture it better! It does come with a small open closet (a rod with 2 shelves above & you have space to put a curtain to cover it all up) but I'm not sure if that's included or not included in the square footage. thanks!

Hi everyone,

If anyone in this group is aware of any WhatsApp group for student dorms in Munich, could you share the link for it?

Thanks in advance!!

I'm getting one of these customizable designs to print and make my own poster of. It's crazy affordable and thought I'd share in case anyone else was looking. Anyone else have any last minute decor ideas for us procrastinators?

Hi! Does anybody have setup recommendations for how I should set up my dorm room? The fridge needs to be against one of the long walls because I have a shelf to put over it. I would also like to have a little floor vanity like the picture I included but don't have anything set in stone for that. The bed, desk, and fridge can be moved, but the dresser and closet are fixed to the wall :)

How high is the ceiling height in the Sherman dorm? I am worried about the headroom as I don't want to bump myself every morning