Tag Archives: dorm ready

Creating a Cozy and Comfortable Home Away from Home Dorm Room

As summer days blend into the vibrant hues of fall, it’s time to gear up for an exciting new academic year. College life awaits, and along with it comes the adventure of settling into your very own dorm room. We know leaving the comforts of home can be a bit overwhelming, but don’t worry – we’re here to help you create a cozy oasis right on campus!

Picture this: a dorm room that feels like a warm hug, a familiar nook where you can relax, study, and make unforgettable memories with your new buddies. Yes, we’re talking about turning your dorm into a true home away from home! To get you all set for a successful college experience, we’ve put together a fantastic checklist that focuses on bringing comfort and a sense of belonging to your dorm room. Trust us, you’ll have a blast!

The Ultimate Study Space: Designate a comfortable study area with a plush, ergonomic chair for hours of focused learning. Essential supplies like a desk organizer, post-it notes, pens, and a soft desk lamp create a productive yet cozy environment. A pair of noise-canceling headphones ensures uninterrupted concentration on studies.

Sleep and Relaxation: Let’s turn your dorm room into a cocoon of comfort where shut-eye and comfort are essential for being active and alert in your busy student life. Pajamas will be an important part of your wardrobe (Link to dorm room category if there is one otherwise I think just to the home page) so make sure you have a wide variety of options to choose from because let’s face it…laundry might not always be at the top of your to-do list. So, whether it’s catching up on your favorite shows, hanging out with friends, or simply enjoying some “me time,” PJs will be your go-to companions, and when you pair them with cozy socks, a plush robe and soft slippers you’ll be at the top of your comfort and style game.

Cooking and Dining: Turn your dorm into a culinary haven with essential cooking appliances like a microwave, instant pot (if permitted), small fridge, and coffee maker. These must-haves allow you to whip up simple and comforting meals when dining options are limited. With the right tools, you can recreate your favorite recipes from home, indulging in familiar flavors even while away at college.

Staying Active and Energized: Embrace a healthy lifestyle by bringing along fitness tools that keep you active and energized. Resistance bands, hand weights, a yoga mat, and a medicine ball are perfect for quick and effective workouts in the comfort of your dorm room. For a dose of fresh air, don’t forget to pack a pair of comfortable walking shoes to take relaxing strolls around campus and explore the beautiful surroundings.

Personalizing Space: Infuse your dorm room with your unique personality and style by adding decorative pillows, posters, and wall decor that inspire positivity and creativity. Surround yourself with motivational quotes, artistic prints, and images of loved ones to create a space that feels like your own little sanctuary. Introducing plants and greenery into your living space not only adds a touch of natural beauty but also promotes a sense of tranquility and well-being, making your dorm room a calming oasis amidst the hustle and bustle of college life.

Creating a warm and inviting dorm room ensures you have a sanctuary to relax, recharge, and build lasting memories during your college experience. Embrace the exciting journey of campus living and have a great year!

Specialty care packages for your college student

Sending a child off to college for the first time is a period filled with emotion. Exciting, sad, stressful, and worried are all a part of the experience. You want them to get their education, become independent, and follow their dreams, but you still want to take care of them the best you can.

For the kids, when they are away from home, it may take a while until they realize that they no longer have the comforts of home at their fingertips. Don’t fret – we’ve got some specialized college care package ideas that you can get together and send off that will allow you to take care of them from afar and help them adjust to their new living arrangements.

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The stay warm care package. In many parts of the country, cool fall temperatures are settling in. Make sure that your student stays warm and toasty on those blustery fall days with things like:

  • Flannel pajamas
  • A new mug and hot chocolate or coffee
  • A mug warmer (if the dorm allows it)
  • Instant soup mix and instant oatmeal
  • A cuddly blanket
  • Slippers and socks
  • Scarves and hats

Home away

Home-away-from-home package. One of the hardest things about being away at college is making a dorm room feel like home. Help them make it more than just a place they sleep and study with the care package that includes items they can use to decorate based on their style. Consider items such as:

  • Cute signs with favorite quotes
  • Decorations from their own bedroom at home
  • Seasonal decor
  • A small chalkboard or dry erase board so that roommates or friends can leave notes on for one another
  • Scented candles
  • Homemade cookies

self care

Self-care package. As we all know, toiletries and personal care items can be very expensive and this type of package is always appreciated. Fill it with:

  • Shampoo & Conditioner
  • Razors
  • Deodorant
  • Loofahs
  • Toothpaste and tooth brush
  • Scented lotions
  • Plastic flip-flops for the showers

First Aid

A first-aid package. One of the things young adults send it to forget about once they leave the convenience at home is making sure they have first-aid products on hand in case of a minor incident. Get them set up with a box filled with:

  • Band-Aids
  • Vitamin C and multi-vitamins
  • Facial tissues
  • Anti-biotic ointment
  • Hand sanitizer
  • Over-the-counter pain medication such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen
  • General cold medicines like Dayquil or cough drops

College Laundry

Keep clean package. Whether they have to clean their dorm room or get some laundry done, a package full of these types of products will definitely help take care of some of their needs:

  • A handheld vacuum
  • Paper towels
  • Anti-bacterial wipes
  • Air freshener
  • Laundry pods (which are easy for them to transport)
  • A mesh bag for washing delicates
  • A roll of quarters for doing the laundry

Stress

The stress-relief package. Being away from everything they have always known can be a very stressful time for students – especially those leaving for the first time. Send them a package of stress-relieving items that will help them relax and work their way into their new living surroundings:

  • Aromatherapy diffuser
  • Back or foot massager
  • A bonsai tree or Chia Pet (that they can nurture and take care of)
  • A soothing eye mask that they can heat up
  • A relaxing music copulation
  • Herbal tea

Taking care of your kids is your number one priority but now it’s time for them to spread their wings and become young adults. These little boxes of goodies will show them how much you love them and help them make the transition to the next phase of their life. You got this… and they got this too!

Back to the Dorms: Your 2020 College Checklist

It’s time to start sending your college students back to school. Whereas in most cases students will be returning to campus to restart their education, the college experience overall will be anything but normal. Despite uncertainties about campus life, one thing is sure; everything from classes to social events will be different and your student will have to make the necessary adjustments.

Their living space will be more important than ever before and you want to make it not only comfortable but also practical. To help you plan ahead, we’ve compiled a sort of “go-to checklist” of essentials you should be sending your student back to school with so they can be successful, and adjust to a hybrid academic year.

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Workspace and Supplies: Virtual classes are almost certain to be at least a portion of student learning this year. If the dorm room or apartment your child is living in doesn’t have a desk, you’ll want to make sure that bring one along. And because they will be spending more time than usual at this workspace, a comfortable and ergo-friendly chair will be necessary too. In addition to the furniture, supplies like a desk organizer, post-it notes, pens, a desk lamp, a power strip, and extra batteries are essential to a productive works space. Don’t forget a pair of noise-canceling headphones so they can focus on their studies without interruption.

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Kitchen and Cooking: Dining halls and local eating establishments will have capacity limits and can get crowded during mealtime, so your student will likely be making their own meals much more often. Although you will want to find out what the school allows, most will permit a microwave, a small fridge, a coffee maker, and even a single burner cooktop. Believe it or not, you can do a lot with just a microwave! Make sure they have the right cooking components (utensils, microwave-safe plates/bowls, and pots and pans) to create their culinary delights with as well.

Dorm Kitchen (1)

Sleep and Study Space: As we all know, dorm rooms are far from spacious. With libraries either closed or limiting occupancy, the bed in the room may now also double as a study space. A nice bedding set including a plush mattress topper with a throw blanket will cover the comfort part, but also consider a lap desk, an overhead light, and backrest pillow to make study time most productive.

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Pajamas and Comfy clothes: Spending additional time in the dorm room means there will be more time for casual attire. Pajama sets, lounge pants, PJ pants, and short sets all fit the bill quite nicely. Make sure you have different styles for seasonal temperature changes and variety for at least 2 weeks because doing laundry is typically not a college student’s priority.

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Exercise Essentials: You won’t be able to bring a full gym to school, but a few small pieces of fitness equipment are something every college student should have this year. Because they won’t be walking to class as much and the public work-out areas will be capacity limited- or maybe even closed – students will likely not be as active as they should be. Encourage your student to stay active and provide them with tools to do so. Resistance bands, hand weights, yoga mats, and medicine balls are small and can be stored in a small space. You could also look up some online work-out videos or buy your student a subscription to a website that offers a variety of live online classes. Comfortable walking shoes should also be on the list so during downtimes, they can take a walk, get some fresh air and exercise.

Dorm Room

Room Décor: There’s no place like home never meant more than it does today. Your college student will likely be a bit more homesick this year due to less socializing and get-togethers. Make sure their living space at school is as warm and inviting as possible. A Himalayan salt lamp for example, gives off a warm glow and is also said to have stress-relieving properties and provide a better night’s sleep.  Wall décor, fun accessories, and even plants can really help make a dorm room feel like a second home. As a side note, a vacuum cleaner may be a good idea as well. 

Whether your child is just starting their college career, finishing up, or somewhere in the middle, preparing in advance for the current situation is very important to your student’s success. We wish all students the best of luck in 2020!