College Dorm Shopping: Where to buy College Dorm Essentials + Free dorm Packing Checklist 2021

This post is all about college dorm shopping and where to buy college dorm essentials.

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I am not going to lie, as stressful as it was going college dorm shopping, I kind of miss the feeling! I had so much fun looking for cool dorm decorations and finding out what college dorm essentials I’d need.

I have been talking non-stop about what my favorite decor ideas are and giving you tons of options but we’ve never really spoken about where I actually bought all the stuff for my dorm! You can probably guess most of these brands if you’ve been around for a while, I am pretty committed to these shops because I already know them and trust them with my college essentials. Let’s go college dorm shopping together!

MY COLLEGE DORM SHOPPING FAVOURITES

IKEA

I mean, who doesn’t love Ikea as a student? 95% of the furniture I own is from Ikea. It’s affordable and versatile, and most things I bought have moved with me from my dorm room to my college apartment. If you don’t have an Ikea close to you, people are selling their furniture all the time! I have bought some pieces on Facebook marketplace for half the price!

One of my favorite college dorm essentials from Ikea is their famous Kallax Storage Unit, which I used as a bedside table and I loved it! You can use it as extra storage or just as decor.

I didn’t have much room for a big desk in my first college apartment so the Micke desk was perfect. It had enough storage room for all my stationery and it fit perfectly in my tiny room.

The Lack Shelves are another of their classics. The price and quality of these shelves are insane and they saved my life in college when I didn’t have room for my books. These should definitely go on your college essentials list!

Other college dorm essentials from Ikea you should add to your college dorm shopping list:

– Malm Bed Frame
– Kallax Inserts
– Raskog Cart
– Purrpingla Laundry Basket

Urban Outfitters

Okay, I have said that all the brands on the list are affordable, and yet here I am talking about Urban Outfitters, just let me explain. UO is not affordable, but every now and then they have insane sales and you can get some things 70% off. You have to hunt around a little bit, but I promise you’ll find some amazing stuff.

If you buy online, they have an under $25 section where they have great products for really cheap. Not that long ago, I found an amazing Duvet Cover set for $32 that once was $70.

The only home-related thing I’ve bought full price from UO is this floor cushion that I fell in love with and looked amazing in my college dorm.

Other college dorm essentials from Urban Outfitters you should add to your college dorm shopping list:

– Decorative Vines
– Over-The-Door Multi-Hook Shelf
– Fleece Throw Blanket
– Lulu Medallion Tapestry

Society6

Society6 is one of my absolute favorite college dorm shopping brands. They have the coolest prints, throw pillows, and blankets, and with their products, you will create Pinterest-worthy college dorms.

They have tapestries and decorations for all styles and color schemes, whatever you are looking for, you’ll find it on Society6. You can get tapestries, art prints, pillows, duvets, pretty much anything.

I have a wall print named “You Loved me a Thousand Summers Ago” that I absolutely love and it’s been in my office for ages, I got it discounted to a really good price!

I got this Terracota Pillow as a gift for Valentine’s Day and I am obsessed with it! They have pillows for literally every style out there, they all include the insert so you’ll be getting a really good deal as well.

Other college dorm essentials from Society6 you should add to your college dorm shopping list:

– Nature Geometry V Wall Tapestry
– Good Vibes Only Art Print
– Treat People With Kindness Throw Pillow
– Morning Wine Art Print