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Join 135K Parents for Dorm Tips & Community
After spending the past several years helping dorm shoppers find the highest-rated, non-toxic products at the best prices, we’ve brought our same testing and researching approaches to college apartment shopping.
As your student transitions from dorm life to their first college apartment, we want to help them create a space that feels like a home away from home. This shoppable list has been curated to include everything your student will need for their college apartment, emphasizing quality, comfort, and style. From the kitchen to the bedroom, every item on this list meets high standards, including CertiPUR-US certified bedding and OEKO-TEX® certified linens (non-toxic certifications), ensuring your student’s well-being is at the forefront.
As with our Complete Dorm Room Essentials Guide, this is meant to be a full list of what might be needed addressing most situations, you will only need a fraction of these items. Again, every situation and every student is different, so please work with your student and their roommates to develop the plan perfect for their situation.
We look for products that are:
You’re likely going to be doing a lot of shopping! Consider the benefits of a premium shopping subscription from the big retailer to save you money and time. Your student can also benefit from these subscriptions when they need to order staples or even food that can be delivered straight to their dorm or apartment with no delivery fee! Many offer additional benefits and discounts as well.
AMAZON PRIME:
If you aren’t already a Prime member, you can try it free for 30 days and then it’s $14.99 per month after trial (at time of article update). Use the trial to score free and fast shipping while you apartment shop! Want a ‘free’, quick and easy gift with no shipping and packing? Send your student the gift of an Amazon Prime Young Adult membership! The first 6-months are free and then $7.49/month. Verify with proof of age or college enrollment.
TARGET CIRCLE 360
You could also consider Target Circle 360 which is Target’s premium membership for shipping as well as same-day deliveries from the store. If you are already college student verified in order to receive the 20% off student coupon, you can automatically subscribe to Target Circle 360 at the student rate of $4.99/month. This includes all Shipt marketplace retailers including Costco and Publix!
WALMART+
Walmart’s Walmart+ is similar to Target Circle 360 is 50% off for students right now! Like Target, this includes premium shipping plus same-day delivery from the store. While this only includes Walmart, there are additional benefits such as 25% off Burger King everyday, saving 10 cents per gallon at Exxon, Mobile and Walmart gas stations, and a free Paramount+ or Peacock streaming membership. Jessica’s daughter placed an order so that when she got back to school from winter break she didn’t have to make an extra trip to the store to stock her fridge.
SAME DAY DELIVERIES FROM STORE can go to multiple addresses – this means you or your student can have groceries, first aid/OTC meds, school supplies and more delivered right to their apartment using your account.
If you want to be REALLY prepared for off-campus college apartment/house shopping, you’ll need to get some answers first! Below are the recommended details to find on an apartment complex website or by asking the management office or landlord directly. Your questions will be a little different if you have a furnished or unfurnished space which you’ll see indicated in the list below.
If you’re having trouble getting in touch with a college apartment management office, check to see if they’re on Instagram. I’ve had great luck messaging with my son’s complex there. Not so much luck with email – these offices are often staffed by students, and we all know how today’s students are about checking email. (eye roll)
As you move to off-campus housing, you may actually have more roommates than you had in your dorm room. However, in many of these cases, you will now have your own bedroom. Time to make it your sanctuary and your place to escape! We’ll talk about planning for the shared spaces with your roommates below.
For now, let’s start with what you may need for this new place of refuge – your college apartment bedroom.
If your new place will be unfurnished, furniture options for the basics are at the end of this section.
All bedding recommendations are OEKO-TEX® certified, and mattress toppers are CertiPUR-US® certified. These certifications ensure no toxins in your bedding.
These should fit the exact mattress size.
These should fit the exact mattress size.
100% cotton is cooler and more durable than microfiber which tends to be very soft but also thin and sleeps warm. The fitted sheet should fit the exact mattress size.
You don’t have to have the exact size blankets, quilts or comforter.
If you will have a Full-sized bed in your first apartment, you may want to consider queen-sized blankets and comforter. It will be a little longer on the sides and over the footboard, but you can get more long-lasting use out of Queen-sized blankets and comforters as they work on Full, Full XL and Queen-sized beds.
If you’ll be using the space below your bed to store lesser used items, you might consider a basic bed skirt to hide the items below and give your bed a more finished look.
Many furnished apartments do not include nightstands. If you have room, you may want to add one on at least one side of the bed.
In the apartment my son moved into, each bedroom had a platform bed frame with mattress, a set of drawers for under the bed, a desk and a chair. You bring your own nightstand. Below are a couple of images from his complex.
It is not typical to raise a larger bed higher to create more storage space like you may have done in your dorm. Interestingly, in the photos above from my son’s apartment complex, they provide the low 4-drawer ‘dresser’ to fit under the bed. I can already see his golf clubs going right behind those drawers in the left picture. If you really need to create more space, you could consider bed risers.
But for many, you’ll have a regular dresser that isn’t under the bed.
In speaking with many college students living in apartments, they tell me that under bed storage is very popular. Whereas dorm beds are taller and accommodate drawer towers and cube organizers, apartment beds are usually lower and will require shorter under-bed storage. The following are suggested lower storage from the students, just be sure you know how much clearance you’ll have before purchasing.
If moisture is an issue in your apartment or suite-style dorm, consider hanging a bag of Damp Rid in your closet. It collects moisture from the air and is good for odor control too. Be sure to replace the bag when it is full of water.
If you’re coming from a dorm room, you probably already have all you need for makeup and jewelry storage. If you’re moving into an apartment as a freshman, please see our Dorm Room Essentials Guide for ideas.
An additional consideration if you’re going to have your first private bath is have a simple heat mat or another option to protect counters from hot hair tools. Just a little insurance against end of year fines and assessments.
Many students love these full-length mirror jewelry cabinets once they move into a private bedroom. See bedroom extras below for more options.
This is another area where you are probably all set with desk storage, desk lamp and supplies from your time in a dorm. If you bought a desk hutch for your dorm desk, check to see if the size will work on your apartment desk. Or perhaps it will work on your dresser for extra storage.
One thing you may not have brought to your dorm is a printer since you probably lived within close proximity to the library or other places where you could print when necessary. This probably will not be the case in off-campus housing, so if you are one to print school work, you may want to bring a printer. Unlike in the dorm, you’ll be able to put your printer on your private WiFi network and use wireless printing – keep in mind, so can your roommates sharing the network! Also check with your apartment complex as they may offer printing services.
Still have your mini fridge from your dorm room? Many students appreciate having their own small fridge in their private bedrooms. I recommend putting it on a large rubber mat to protect the carpet or flooring in the room. If you don’t have a mini-fridge because you had to rent one or you roommate purchased and you think you’d like to be able to have a personal stash of your favorites, this is a highly rated 3.1 cu ft option with freezer.
If you’re moving into an unfurnished apartment, you’ll need your own bedroom furniture. I took this opportunity to spend money on my home instead of the apartment when I could. We had a guest room queen bed and dresser that we’d had for decades, so I decided to send those to college and buy new furniture for my own home. My son was totally fine with this, but this response will vary by student. 🙂
This approach works if your family home is close to your school and you have access to a truck or an affordable U-Haul truck or trailer to move things to college.
Please take caution using Facebook Marketplace and be especially leery of hard-sales, turning off comments and people insisting on deposits to ‘hold’ the item. Common scammer tactics.
Here are some affordable, but quality options that should get you through college and beyond. For all of these, no box spring is required, only a mattress.
Simple platform bed frame. No headboard or footboard (see headboard options below). I like this frame with the metal horizontal slats versus the loose wood slats which can move around and slide off the supports. You may want to add a simple bedskirt for this option to hide the metal legs below.
Metal Circle Bed With Headboard & Footboard – An affordable option for a complete bed.
Tufted Upholstered Platform Bed – Available in 5 colors.
Velvet Vertical Channel Platform Bed – Also available in 5 colors including pink.
I would add a least a 10″ mattress to these. An 8″ would be thin especially on a platform bed. We’ve had great luck with Zinus memory foam mattresses (this one is confirmed fiberglass free, as is this one). As with memory foam toppers, leave this in the box until you are in the apartment!
Whether you have a furnished apartment with a bed frame only, or you bring your own bed frame, you should be able to attach a headboard to that frame (without zip ties this year!). Here are a few options:
White Faux-Leather Headboard – A larger size of the headboard often brought for Twin-width dorm beds.
Rectangular Performance Velvet Tufted Headboard – In 5 colors.
Vintage Glam Performance Velvet Tufted Headboard – In 5 colors.
Or you can skip the headboard and opt for some big pillows to put up against the wall.
If you bring your own bed and your own mattress, you can likely skip the mattress encasement and the mattress topper. Of course, if you student fell in love with their dorm mattress topper, we’ll let you negotiate whether they need one for their bigger (and probably newer) bed!
You will need a mattress pad, sheets, blanket and comforter, and you’ll want to be sure these are all OEKO-TEX® certified. These are our recommendations, following the same quality certified brands that we recommend for dorm bedding. These are links to Full sizes, be sure to change it to your bed size if not Full.
Will you have your own bathroom or will you be sharing with roommates? If sharing, be sure to split up the list of bathroom essentials and have each roommate buy a few things. I recommend against splitting the costs of shared items so that there is no question about who takes what when it’s time to move out.
Depending on the number of roommates sharing and the storage space available in the bathroom, you’ll need to determine what you need and what will fit. The following is a list of things to consider for various situations, but you certainly don’t need them all.
I recommend minimal investment in shower curtains for college – multiple students, lots of showers, minimal cleaning. The following options are all very affordable but still stylish.
Stall showers are just that – a shower only, no bathtub, usually about half the width of a full bathtub base shower. You will be much better off with a stall-width shower curtain and liner so there is less wet material bunched up growing science experiments. Leave those for the lab classes.
See shower curtain ring options above.
I always recommend quick-dry towels for dorm rooms, and they are typically the best option for college apartments as well. I recently tested 5 popular quick-dry towels if you want to do a quick read through the results.
These are the towels to consider. All are OEKO-TEX® certified.
Going vertical in a small bathroom may be the only way to add enough storage for multiple roommates. Carts, over-toilet organizers and tall yet skinny cabinets are popular solutions.
While I’m a fan of the covered kitchen trash can, a cover seems like a barrier in a college bathroom for some kids. I would use a simple plastic bathroom-sized trash can (this one is under $1!) and provide a months-long supply of trash can liners. If you think they can get past the lid, this Amazon Basics is a good choice.
You’ll need shower cleaner, toilet cleaner, countertop cleaner and a mop for the floor.
Whether your student just needs to cook enough to get by or looks forward to cooking dinners for roommates and friends, cooking in a college apartment doesn’t have to be daunting or expensive.
The recommendations below are intended to be affordable and high enough quality to be reusable throughout college. And you really only need one set of most of what is below. I recommend going through this list with your roommates, discuss what you need and who already has items to bring, and then split up the rest of the list equitably.
It’s a good idea to look for a basic set of non-stick, non-toxic and dishwasher safe cookware. Here are a few options.
You may not need any of these, but if your student will bake or wants to create oven-based meals or even reheat something in the oven, you will need some of these.
Along with spatulas and cooking spoons, you’ll potentially need measuring spoons, measuring cups, a whisk, can opener and more.
The following options are all entry-level, affordable and highly rated with a mix of Target, Walmart, Kohl’s and Amazon. Note that some of the Kohl’s options are incredible buys during a sale with a coupon, but if you happen to click on it at full-price, it won’t be nearly as affordable!
I prefer for the dish sets to be primarily plates and bowls. No saucers or small coffee cups necessary.
We’re going to assume your apartment has a built-in microwave, but if not, hopefully one of the roommates has one from dorm life.
Keep leftovers and preprepared produce fresh longer with appropriate storage. Pantry organizers are great for keeping each roommate’s groceries separate from one another’s.
Should this go under Kitchen Safety? 🤣 Start them on the right foot by gifting them a basic cookbook to get them started in the kitchen,
Depending on the layout, extra space may be needed for the microwave or other appliances. Consider something on wheels like this Kitchen Shelf on Wheels/Serving Cart.
If unfurnished, you will need a kitchen table and chairs.
As with the kitchen planning, the roommates should have a discussion about living room plans.
Even if your apartment is furnished, students often bring additional items for the living room to add seating, storage, function and decor.
Split up the list of items that you collectively decide to bring so that there will be no question who leaves with which items at move-out time.
If the apartment comes with a mounted TV, there is probably nothing below it except a good opportunity for some storage!
Before you purchase any TV’s for a college apartment, if your apartment is furnished, check to see if TV’s are included as it’s often a standard like in my son’s first apartment. The apartment advertising may say one in the living room and one in each bedroom, but it’s worth confirming ahead of time!
The following are decent TV’s at great prices (at time of posting). Between streaming connections and low-tier cable in many college dorms and apartments, I wouldn’t worry about paying for a top quality picture. You just need something to get them through college, and they can upgrade after they graduate.
Apple TV – Roku – Fire Stick – A streaming device may not be necessary if you have a newer smart TV with current apps and the ability to add additional apps. For older TV’s or TV’s without the ability to add newer apps, you may choose a streaming device/stick. The 3rd party remote is often easier to use with streaming services than the TV remote.
Sound Bar – I have an inexpensive Roku TV in my office. The picture is fine, but the sound is pretty poor, so I put a sound bar on it, and it makes a HUGE difference. This one may seem like overkill with the sub-woofer, but it is more highly-rated and less expensive than others. Most sound bars, such as the one linked here, are Bluetooth compatible which will allow students to stream their music when not watching TV.
Most furnished apartments will have a couch, a love seat and maybe a table or two. So if your apartment is unfurnished, you’ll need to bring these items and supplement with ideas above to complete the living room.
I recommend shopping at local stores during sales to find couches and love seats. Tables can be found online – some of our recommendations are found above as well as extra seating (single chairs).
After living in a dorm, you are hopefully all set with laundry hampers and baskets unless they didn’t survive the year and need to be replaced!
Turn the boring white walls and basic furniture into a cozy place to live with the addition of rugs, ambient lighting and wall decor.
There are so many rugs to choose from out there! Like dorms, I continue to recommend against shag rugs in college apartments. This is primarily due to the combination of their tendency to trap all of the dirt and grime, infrequent vacuuming as well as the difficulty in vacuuming well with a basic vacuum cleaner. These are a few popular low pile rugs, most available in several colors.
Your apartment likely comes with an overhead light fixture or ceiling fan/light combination in the living room. To avoid harsh built-in lightning, some affordable ambient lighting ideas are below.
Apparently these are very popular in apartments. Yes, they require drilling a hole to install, but they are simple to remove and patch the wall at move-out. These are great for the living room, bedroom and bathroom, or even all 3!
In 2024, we introduced a collection of wall art designed for college students, by our great team of college interns! We continue to add to our collection of digital downloads in a variety of size and color options to fit the decor of the space. Shop the full collection!
Among the college apartment must-haves are items that help keep the roommates safe.
When bringing a car to an off-campus college apartment, you may be looking at a driveway for a rental house, a large parking lot for an apartment complex or covered parking deck parking. Regardless of your parking situation, you’ll want to consider the following helpful ideas for taking your car to college.
Now that you have an idea of what you want/need for your apartment, make a list of the items that will be shared. This list will be primarily for the living room and kitchen and also the bathroom if you don’t have a private bathroom, of course.
The same advice that I recommend for dorms applies to apartments as well. Don’t add up costs and split the investment. Rather, split the list and buy things individually in roughly equivalent investments. When it is time to move out, you take what you brought. You don’t want to end up in a disagreement about who takes what come move-out time.
Equipping a college apartment is a mix of functionality and personal expression. This guide combines highly rated affordable product ideas to bring the comforts of home and ensure your student is set up for safety and success. Remember, when choosing items, consider the ease of moving them as students often move year-to-year.
No matter the living situation, our focus on certified-safe bedding and toxin-free materials remains constant because we believe that every college apartment should be a safe and healthy home base.
Our weekly newsletter keeps you informed of trends, major sales and deal alerts on all of the items in this guide. You can subscribe here.
Happy planning & shopping, and here’s to the start of a new chapter filled with learning, growth, and comfort! And of course, be sure to share this with your future roommates!
Affiliate Disclaimer: I only recommend products I do or would use myself. All opinions expressed are my own. I may receive a small commission, at no additional cost to you, for purchases made through the links in this post. Please see our full disclaimer for details.
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Jeremy says:
This is a great article – lots of good tips. Thanks!
Joelle Fernandez says:
This is amazing, thank you!