Dorm Room Ready

Getting ready to head to college is an exciting time.  If you are heading into your first dorm room or a college apartment, we’ve gathered some items that will help you stay organized, maximize space and decorate with a sense of style.

Brylane Home has a lot of organizational supplies that will help you keep your living space in order so you can focus on school.  One of my favorites is the Bedside Storage Caddy.  It fits under your mattress and gives you a caddy to hold tissues, your phone, glasses, books, magazines or the remote control.  In small spaces you don’t often have room for a night table so this take its place without taking up any floor space.  It comes in black or cream and costs just $19.99.

Instead of buying lots of bottled water, use a Brita Filter Pitcher.  It holds 80 ounces and the filter lasts up to two months.  It fits well inside a fridge, even a small one and improves the taste and purity of tap water.  The pitcher fills quickly so you don’t have to worry about watching water drip through the filter at a snail’s pace.  This is also a great option for other locations you may not have access to purified water such as camping.  Overall, this pitcher is a must for any college student!

Did you know college students living in dorms can’t nail photos in the walls to show off their personal swagger and celebrate their friends and family?  Terrible, right?!   WeMontage is a new way for students to transfer all their selfies to their computer, then to wemontage.com, and print a large, custom photo collage on removable wallpaper! 

 

Dorm in a Box just might be a parent’s favorite store.  They have EVERYTHING you need to head to college, back to school or even off to your first apartment.  Buy one of their pre made kits or make your own, their kits are easy to order and they can be shipped to your home or directly to your new address.  I love that you can give these as a gift, or simply avoid the crowds and get everything you need from one location, from the comfort of your own home.  Check out their offerings on their website.

 

Closets always need organizing.  Fall is a great time of year to organize, when you swap out your summer clothes for warmer ones.  Thirty One has some amazing new products that will help you get it together easily and with style.  Their Perfect Fit Organizer is long and flat and has a window so you can see the contents.  I love this for out of season clothes or for items that need a little extra care such as dress shoes or cashmere sweaters.  This also works great under the bed and protects your items from dust and wear.  In a dorm room space is at a premium, this helps you maximize it!  It comes in some great patterns and colors too!

Cubes are a great way to organize just about anything; toys, clothes, accessories or even office supplies.  Thirty One’s Your Way Cube has all the options you want in a cube; handles, a sturdy bottom and even a window so you can see the contents.  It can also be embroidered so when you’re headed off to college, it’s already labeled for you!  Fun patterns and colors mean you can match this to your dorm room style. The tote even has an optional lid to keep the contents protected, contained and dust free.

Thirty One’s Room for Two Utility Tote is perfect for laundry.  It’s light weight and easy to carry back and forth from the laundry room.  When it’s not in use you can fold it up and store it under the bed.  The pattern is easy to distinguish from other’s bags and the flat bottom allows folded clothes to stay folded.  This is a great bag to bring things back and forth to school as well; particularly linens, large winter coats or pillows.  It’s also great for plush toys, linens and beach towels in the summer, you’ll find a thousand uses for this bag.

A new year calls for some new makeup.  I was able to try out and fall in love with some of Pixi’s makeup.  Their Succulent Lip Twin is a blush and lip gloss in one.  It comes in lots of colors to meet your mood and all of them are fairly neutral and flattering.  I love the way this feels light on your skin and gives you a pulled together coordinated look easily and quickly.  Two items in one tiny tube are a great way to maximize space.

If you’re a gal on the go, try their Sheer Cheek Gel. This sheer, translucent gel creates a super natural flush of colour – the key to a youthful face. Applies easily with fingers for a fresh & healthy burst of colour on cheeks and lips. Keeps cheeks looking fresh and healthy all day long without the need for any touch ups. Oil free, fragrance free and hypoallergenic. Hydrating, moisturizing and skin-conditioning.  I wore it all day and even worked out in it.  I never felt weighed down and it lasted through everything I put it through.

If you’re heading off to college, that means laundry.  I wanted to share with you one of my favorite items from Wayfair.com.  It’s by Richards’ Housewares.  The laundry basket is soft sided so it’s lightweight and easy to carry.  When it’s not in use, it folds down flat and can slide under a bed.  It fit  great in tight spaces, even under shelving.  It’s unique angled top allows you access.  It comes in cream and black.  It’s functional, sophisticated and simple at the same time.

You’ll need something to open those care packages at school. However, box cutters are heavy and dangerous. Some schools don’t even allow them anymore.  Get a Slice Pocket Cutter.  The blade is made of ceramic instead of steel.  Ceramic stays sharper 10 times as long as steel and accidental cuts are less likely.   The exposed blade is tiny, but effective.  It’s double sided and light weight too.  My favorite part is that when you take your finger off the small button, the blade automatically retracts for safety.  If you drop it off a table, there won’t be any accidents.  It’s small and cute too.  Perfect for dorm living.

 

Everyone needs a super comfy desk chair.  I was recently able to try out the Techni Mobili Chair, available at Hayneedle.com  It’s light weight design makes it easy to move, cool and super comfy.  You do have to assemble it…so be warned.  It comes with all the tools and parts you need though.  And, since it’s not assembled, it’s easy to be transported.  The chair’s height is easily adjustable and the arm rests are padded for a super comfy fit.  The chair has castors so you can roll around your work space.  Overall, it’s a great chair that will keep you comfy while you work.

Safety is important in college living.  It’s important to be aware and prepared at all times.  I recently found First Alert’s Personal Alarm.  It’s small enough to fit in the palm of your hand (and can’t be seen easily).  You can carry it across campus and if the need arrises, sound the alarm instantly.  This is great for liane night walks home from the library or getting your car out of a parking garage.  You can also use this alarm to secure your door.  It has a setting that allows you to place the alarm only our door knob and it will go off if the door is opened after you set the alarm.  It’s an inexpensive way to secure your possessions and yourself!

 

Okay every college student uses index cards.  However, Knock Knock’s Indexed Index Cards are cuter and smarter than your average run of the mill cards.  They are lined and edged with bright colors and they even have a spot for a heading and date at the top.  Each pack comes with three complimenting colors and the best part is that they are all notched so they stay together with the included rubber band.  Great for studying, recipe cards or even as an address book, they are a bit of pretty in your daily routine.

 

If you’re decorating a dorm room or an office, Dept of Motivation’s posters are a must have.  Witty and truthful, their posters match every decor with their simple black and white motif. They are to the point, in your face motivation.  I love them as gifts too!  Get a three pack for $60 and motivate lots of people in your life.

Every college students needs an alarm clock.  And I promise you, the iHome iBN180 is the one you want.  This is a Bluetooth alarm clock with FM radio features built-in NFC (near field communications) technology that instantly connects your NFC-capable device via touch to the iBN180 speaker for Bluetooth wireless audio streaming. The iBN180 lets you stream wireless digital audio via Bluetooth from your iPhone, iPad, Android, Blackberry and other Bluetooth-enabled devices. Not only is it a good old fashioned radio you can wirelessly play music from your phone AND charge it!  Save space and do everything with this one device.  

 

Your laptop goes every where with you. Protecting it is super important.  Case Logic’s Laptop Sleeve protects your laptop with lots of foam padding and it comes in seven colors (something for everyone).  It leaves room to slip your laptop in and out with ease and the zipper works like a dream.  You can then tuck the whole case into your backpack or briefcase.  I also love to throw in some pens, post it notes and even a sheet of stamps.  It’s a great “insurance policy” to keep your tech gear safe and sound.

Clean air isn’t synonymous with dorm life.  That’s why an air purifier is a great thing to take to college.  I love the Air Purifier by Duux.  It’s a unique design (a black circle) and it contains an ionizer and a HEPA filter.  It works silently and even has a small night light built in.  It has a very small footprint and can fit on a shelf or the edge of a desk.  I love that you can even add essential oils to combat smells. It’s safe to run and requires very little electricity.

 

If you carry papers around, and who doesn’t, this recycled leather portfolio is an awesome way to organize in style.  It’s available in lots of colors and it’s sturdy enough to ensure things don’t get crushed in your bag.  The closure is a cute button and it stays closed even when you pile lots of things on top.  I love that it’s recycled and since it’s leather, it has a level of sophistication that you can’t get from a paper folder.  It will last for years too!

Made of 100% post-consumer recycled paper, the ecosystem flexicover journal is great for sketching, writing, and recording your dreams. These cheerful, bright books are made of beautiful, smooth, bright-white, eco-friendly paper and are packed with extra special features – a back pocket, perforated pages, organic cotton bookmark, and an elastic closure.   In the back of each book, there is an ID number that allows you to track, via ecosystemlife.com, where the components of your book were made and how to recycle them. 

Sabre’s line of Pepper Spray and Alarms is perfect for anyone who walks alone at night or in the early morning and wants a little more peace of mind.  Their pepper sprays come in all sorts of stylish cases. Many look so cute or sleek that you’d hardly guess they were pepper spray.  Two of my favorites are their personal alarm and their pepper gel.  The personal alarm is a key chain that affixes to the outside of your bag, coat or keys.  Remove the device from its keychain and you get 110 decibels. (Check out the video here.)  It comes in different colors so it’s great for everyone.  Their Pepper Gel is great for college students.  It’s pink and fashionable and can be put on keys or even a bag’s strap over your shoulder.  The gel reduces the chances that the gel will be spread in the wind. It’s quiet, easy to use and can even be used indoors if necessary.  These are great gifts for runners, college students, people who work third shift, pet owners and really anyone who is ever walking along.  Sabre’s products are tested, trusted and really affordable.  I really like the Spitfire.  It has a really sleek design and can be fired with just the push of a button.  The fact that it comes in purple is pretty awesome too!  

 

Everyone knows you can’t affix things to the walls of your dorm room easily without leaving marks and getting charged for damage.  However, with Duck’s Washi Tape you can hang away!  Their wash tape easily adheres and is easily removed from most surfaces with no trouble at all.  It comes in really cute patterns too!  I like using it as label tape!  Simply rip off a small piece and put it on your binder, tote or anything at all…and then label with a sharpie.  It can be changed when you need to.  Washi tape is fun for decorating, correspondence, arts and crafts and gift wrapping.  It’s a great all in one tool to have on hand in the dorm!