From cozy blankets to personalized wall decor, we’ve got some great suggestions to help your college kid feel right at home on campus.
Fall is rapidly approaching, and that can only mean one thing (or two if you include pumpkin spice latte season at Starbucks): It’s time to go back to school! For a lot of young people that means heading back to college — or starting college for the first time. Since the pandemic kept so many students at home last year, a much larger group of young people will experience their first time living on a college campus this year. They say there’s no place like home, but the last thing your child probably wants is for their dorm room to make them feel like they never left their childhood bedroom. That said, when young adults are left to their own decorating devices, it usually amounts to a few posters tacked to a sad, lonely-looking wall.
There’s nothing that’ll make a first-time student homesick like a bare, undecorated dorm room, and after the year most kids have had, they deserve to go back for the fall semester in style. We’ve rounded up some of the best dorm room decor that will make your college kid’s room feel homey and comfortable, and will also help them to maximize the often very small spaces that first and second-year students end up living in. From plants to photos to blankets to creative storage, we’ve got everything your college student needs to make the big transition back to school.
You might even find a few things on this list that you want to gift to yourself, especially if you’re going to be an empty nester for the first time. We’re eyeing that weighted blanket to quell our own back-to-school stress.
Best Dorm Decor to Make Your Kid Feel At-Home On Campus
A Perfect Little Plant
Nothing says “I can make it on my own” quite like owning a plant. Instead of letting a plant wilt and die in the long car or plane ride back to school, The Sill will ship plants right to your student’s school. We can’t recommend this snake plant highly enough — they’re incredibly resilient in the off-chance your student forgets to water it once (…or twice) and it’s small enough to fit on a desk in even the smallest room. Plus, the planter comes in five fun colors!
Custom Photo Collage
Just in case your college kid is having so much fun at school that it seems like they might forget you, this custom photo collage from Minted will serve as a sweet reminder of home. You can customize it with your favorite photos of friends and family.
A Cozy Blanket
Whether your college kid spends a lot of time in bed or not, they’re sure to appreciate a really cozy blanket. We love this one from ChappyWrap — the light blue plaid print will fit perfectly with any room and it’s machine washable and dryer-safe just in case there are any accidental spills. Plus, your college kid will appreciate the reversible element, in case they do spill, and like many college kids, don’t feel like doing laundry.
Scented Room Spray
Most college dorms have a no candle policy, but college kids can be…stinky, especially the athletes. Between the laundry pile and the microwave dinners, their room might end up smelling a little bit ripe. That’s why we recommend getting them a scented spray — like this lightly scented lavender crush room spray from Frères Branchiaux Candle Company. They’ll be glad they have this after a long workout — we promise!
Cozy Pajamas
Brushing your teeth in a bathroom full of new people can be stressful, so you might as well make sure your college kid is super comfy while doing it. Eberjey makes the coziest, cutest pajama sets for women and men, and you can even get them monogrammed so your son or daughter’s roommate can’t claim them as their own!
Weighted Blanket
A new bed in a new place can take some getting used to, and falling asleep might be a bit tough at first for your teen. A weighted blanket is a great way to help them calm down, feel safe, and reduce stress. We’re fans of this one from Bearaby because it looks just like a regular knit blanket. The cotton napper comes in three different weights and eight different colors.
Under Bed Storage
In a small dorm room with a shared closet, you’ve got to make the most of storage space. We still use this set of four plastic storage bins, which can slide and stack easily under a bed to store winter clothes during the warmer months, and vice versa.
Comfortable Desk Chair
If your college student prefers to study in their room rather than the library, you’ll want to make sure they have a solid, comfortable desk chair. This ergonomic mesh swivel chair from Walmart is adjustable and comes in seven colors, so it can add a fun splash of color to any dorm room.
Acne Treatment
Ok this isn’t decorative, but we promise, it’s essential. While a lot of us miss our college days dearly, most of us don’t really miss the teen and young-20s acne that came around that time, too. That’s why we suggest sending your student off to school armed with a good blemish fighter. Blume’s meltdown acne oil has rave reviews and will help your blossoming young adult to feel comfortable and confident in a sea full of new faces.
A Soft Rug
Nothing will remind your kid how far from home they are more than the hard dorm floors or gross carpeting that is nothing like what they have at home. Throw down an area rug that’ll give them the support they need when they step out into the world. This soft Safavieh rug is small enough to fit in a dorm and stylish without being too loud.
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