We are actually very much anti-dorm checklists! They’re NOT designed with your student’s actual dorm or specific needs in mind! Dorm layouts, rules, and student needs vary wildly: one-size-fits-all lists don’t help, they lead to frustration & wasted money. Please see this article to learn what we recommend instead.

Dorm mattress are thin, typically 5-8", hard and covered in a thick vinyl. They are typically used for 7-10 years before being replaced, so some are in better shape than others. At home, you may put a mattress pad over your mattress and then your fitted sheet. You can do that on a dorm bed as well, but we recommend a specific dorm bed layering plan for those hard thin mattresses.

Your sheets should be the exact size of your mattress regardless of your bed layers! Your dorm mattress is only 5-8" thick. Your topper is probably 3", so your total mattress depth including topper is 8"-11". The most shallow sheets that I've seen say 'up to 15" mattress', and you want your fitted sheet to be tight enough that it helps hold the topper in place but not so tight that it pops off in the corners. These are our recommended 100% cotton sheets for dorm & college life.

The only correct answer to this question will come directly from your school! Most schools, and many individual departments, have specific laptop requirements or recommendations. These can vary widely, so the most accurate answer will come directly from the department your student is enrolling in at their school. You can start with the school bookstore as they often has a list of requirements by major. While you're speaking with them, ask if they offer student discounts and/or any additional services such as extended warranties or on-site service.

We put together a list of items to consider (you don't need them all), a printable instruction guide AND a list of creative containers to hold it all in our How To Create A College First Aid Kit article. You know your student best and what they'll likely need, but please don't stock up too early as we want those expiration date to last as long as possible. Check the dates when you do purchase.

If you'll have a typical double dorm room and will be sharing one larger rug with a roommate, consider a 6'x9' or an 8'x10' rug to cover a good portion of the width of the room and most of the length of the bed. If the beds will be fully lofted, you'll want to go on the larger end to get further under the beds.

There is a rug sizing graphic in this post in the Dorm Shopping Recommendations Facebook group that should help too.

A few years ago, IKEA Frakta bags were all the rage for college moves. They were fine, they were popular, and then they were discontinued. I can't explain it! But I'm glad they were because then I discovered the VENO Moving Bags With Backpack Straps. The VENO bags are thicker and a little larger than the IKEA bags, and I can't recommend them enough. You want this particular bag because it has the backpack straps, just like the IKEA bags did.

We recommend that everyone consider an insurance policy to cover personal belongings, laptop and other valuables while living in a dorm (and a rental insurance policy for off-campus housing). While you may be able to include a dorm policy on your homeowner's insurance, any claims made for the dorm will likely have a negative impact on your entire homeowner's policy rates. You can look into a separate simple dorm insurance policy which will likely only be about $10/month for typical coverage.