The 33 best dorm essentials to make the school year go smoothly — at least as your room is concerned

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When you’re in college, back-to-school shopping looks a little different compared to grade school. If you live on campus, your school is your home for most of the year, and you want your dorm room to be comfortable, inviting and functional. Aside from a laptop and stationery , you likely need bedding , bathroom accessories and kitchen essentials (sometimes), as well as storage bins and closet organizers . Plus, you’ll want to add fun decor and other personal touches to help make your dorm room feel like home.

Last year, the National Retail Federation (NRF)’s annual back-to-school spending survey found that as of 2026, college students and their families spend around $1,400 on average per household for supplies, up from $1,300 in 2025. The NRF noted that this increase in spending was mostly due to a higher demand for electronics and computer accessories. Clothing and dorm room decor and furniture were the second and third most popular categories, respectively.

As former college graduates (some very recently), we’ve compiled a list of items we considered essential for dorm living, including products we wish we had bought before move-in day. Below, we rounded up the best tech, bedding, bath and storage items to make dorm living just as cozy and haven-like as possible.

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Best college dorm essentials of 2026

We separated our favorite products into six categories: bed, bath, decor, storage, kitchen and tech. Although not all of these products are absolutely necessary to kickstart your college experience, they may help you to settle more easily into your new environment.

Bed essentials

Home-It Adjustable Bed Risers

One thing we recommend to anyone living in a dorm is a set of bed risers. These adjustable bed risers lift the bed a few inches off the floor and can be useful if you want to create underbed storage space. They come in white, black and brown options.

Offelia Vass Duvet Cover and Pillowcase

“I love this duvet cover because it’s comfortable, but also has a subtle pattern that makes my room look more put together,” says former NBC Selected intern Estee Yi, who used this duvet cover in her dorm and college apartment. It comes in full/queen and king sizes, and though this duvet doesn’t come in a twin XL, Yi says that a twin-sized duvet was still long enough for her dorm mattress.

Brooklinen Mulberry Silk Pillowcase

This silk pillowcase from Brooklinen is a favorite of former NBC Selected intern Kala Herh. Experts told us in our guide to silk bedding that it can be especially beneficial for those with dry and acne-prone skin as silk doesn’t absorb moisture from the skin like cotton pillowcases tend to do.

Becky Cameron Ultra Soft 3-Inch Mattress Topper

This down alternative mattress topper can give your bed extra padding and help you get a more comfortable sleep. Each corner has a strap that wraps around the bottom of your bed, holding it in place while you put on your fitted and top sheet . You can get it for any bed size, including a twin XL. It’s also machine washable and hypoallergenic, according to the brand.

Threshold 400 Thread Count Printed Sheet Set

According to Yi and NBC Selected reporter Zoe Malin , a great pair of sheets doesn’t have to be expensive. They opted for Target’s Threshold Sheet Set, which is made from 100% cotton and comes with a flat sheet, fitted sheet, and two pillowcases. The sheet set is available in twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, and California King sizes as well as vibrant patterns and solid colors .

Buyify Folding Lap Desk

While Malin mostly used a lap desk as a workstation in bed, she also brought it to her dorm’s lounge to support her computer while sitting on the couch. This lap desk folds flat, making it easy to transport and store away. Malin, who had a similar model, would slide it under her bed or in her closet when she wasn’t using it. It also has a built-in cup holder and a slot that acts as a stand for tablets , phones and books.

Serta White Goose Feather and Down Fiber Pillows

Made with a soft, durable cotton blend, these pillows are a great option for neck and shoulder support, Herh says. As someone who likes to lay on one pillow and hold another while she sleeps, she appreciates that these come in a set.

Milliard Reading Pillow

Sometimes called a “boyfriend pillow,” this memory foam-filled option can help you prop up in bed to study or watch a movie. It has a washable cover and comes in eight colors, making it easy to find something that matches your dorm decor.

Bath and laundry essentials

Xomiboe Shower Shoes

After living in dorms, we can confirm that you should always wear flip-flops in communal dorm showers. According to the brand, these slides have drainage holes that prevent water from pooling under your feet. They’re made from a quick-drying elastic material and have grippy anti-slip outsoles so you don’t fall in the shower.

Bronax Cloud Slippers

“These are so light and airy and gave my feet much-needed support in my dorm after walking all over campus to get to different classes,” says former NBC page Carolyn Chun. According to the brand, these cushioned sandals have 1.7-inch-thick soles that provide enough support to help alleviate foot pain. You can also customize the slippers by using a hair dryer on high heat to soften the upper strap and mold the slipper to your foot.

Fammart Mesh Shower Caddy

If you use a shared bathroom, then you’ll benefit from having a shower caddy that holds everything you need, including shower shoes and your towels . It has eight pockets for shampoo , conditioner , brushes and more. NBC Selected intern Lily Stern has this caddy and says it’s been beneficial for dorm living.

“Its large amount of pockets let me organize my everyday shower, skin care and other essentials and easily carry them to and from the bathroom,” she says. “The caddy is also very durable and has lasted me three years of pretty constant use, and the mesh is quick-drying, so I’m never worried about mold or wet spots in my room.”

Parachute Cloud Cotton Robe

This bath robe won an NBC Selected Bed and Bath Award for its luxe design and comfy fit. It’s made of four-ply cotton gauze and comes with a tie and two pockets. Plus, it comes in multiple calming colors and ranges in size from XS to 3X.

Room Essentials Backpack Laundry Bag

A backpack hamper can make bringing your laundry back and forth from the laundry room much easier, especially with heavier loads. This one has adjustable straps, a pocket to add extra clothing or laundry detergent, and a drawstring so none of your clothes will fall out. According to our staff, it’s especially helpful if your laundry room is far away from your room or on a different floor.

Honey-Can-Do Collapsible Clothes Drying Rack

One thing Yi regrets not using in her dorm room is a drying rack for the times she had to hand wash her clothes or for items that hadn’t finished in the school dryer. This collapsible drying rack weighs less than 5 pounds and folds down to 3 inches tall so you can stash it under your bed or in a closet when you’re not using it. It’s 29 inches long, which makes it a great drying surface for small spaces.

American Soft Linen Luxury Turkish Towel Set

This six-piece towel is made of 100% Turkish cotton, a fabric which typically has a quicker drying time and gets softer with each use. This set includes two washcloths, two hand towels and two bath towels, so you have everything you need in one. They’re machine washable and okay to tumble dry. Plus, they have a 600 GSM (grams per square meter), which indicates a closely sewn weave, making for a weighty feel.

Decor essentials

Command Hooks

Since you usually can’t use nails to hang anything on dorm room walls, Command Hooks are a great choice, Malin says. Their sticky adhesive doesn’t damage walls when you apply or remove them, and you can purchase them in different sizes and styles, like strips and cord organizers .

Beyond using Command Hooks to cover the walls in picture frames, posters, bulletin boards and string lights, Malin also used them in her closet and on the back of the door to hang coats and backpacks. The brand also offers a line of hooks to support heavier items weighing 10 to 20 pounds.

Mixtiles

Mixtiles is a service that turns your favorite images into framed wall art with a built-in adhesive on the back — you can hang the frames on walls without nails or screws, making them ideal for dorm rooms. The frames measure about 8 inches by 8 inches and are less than an inch thick. You can take them off walls and move them around multiple times without the adhesive losing its stickiness. Malin moved her Mixtiles between two dorm rooms and three apartments.

You can upload pictures through the company’s website or app, flow in pictures from Facebook or Instagram and purchase Mixtiles individually. And if you don’t want to use pictures of friends, family and pets, you can also browse Mixtiles’ collection of art .

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