Many of these guy dorm room ideas can be modified (with different colors and throw pillows) to create options that suit any space or taste. As your soon-to-be college student thinks about living in a dorm room in the fall, begin to make a packing list with some of the things we’ve listed below.
Guy’s dorm room decor
Wall Decor
Many of the guys I know love to hang flags on their walls. You can find flags from any state or country on Amazon, but I love when the flags are more personal. If they have a favorite team, Fanatics is the best site to look for flags and banners for pro teams and more than 500 colleges.
2. DIY Wall Art
Here is a simple and fast wall design: Attach a beach towel onto a canvas board with a staple gun. It’s inexpensive, personal and visually appealing. Buy the canvas in any number of sizes.
20×200 offers fantastic art prints for reasonable prices. Allposters also has a wide selection.
We’ve heard of one college student who had old vinyl that was too scratched to use for music, so he made a design on his wall with them. This is an easy and cheap way to add color and a focal point to the walls, but you could also pick only black and white records for a different look.
Dorm bedding
Most of the guys’ rooms tend to have solids, plaids, or stripe bedding, and navy is one of the most popular colors. The benefit of a pattern is that dirt and stains are less obvious, and you can imagine how useful that would be in any dorm room.
Your teen’s bedding choices are the same for a lofted bed or one at a conventional height, except it is easier to opt for a queen-sized comforter on a lofted bed. This benefit is that a queen is more valuable in future years than a Twin XL comforter once they move into an apartment with a larger bed.
Some guys prefer to make a bed with a fitted sheet and use a comforter without a top sheet. Just look for sheets sold separately, not in a set.
Popular Dorm Shopping Sites
Our favorite dorm shopping sites for bedding are Amazon, Pottery Barn Teens/Dorm, and Target.
4. Nautica Twin XL Comforter (Amazon)
Nautica has some great looking comforters in colors and styles that could work for guys’ dorm rooms.
5. Pottery Barn Teen/Dorm
The selection at Pottery Barn Teen/Dorm is vast, and the quality is excellent; there’s a wide range of price points, and the company emphasizes sustainability.
6. Target
Target also has a wide selection of well-priced dorm bedding in their Room Essentials line. While browsing their stores, you can pick up some inexpensive dorm decoration touches, toiletries, snacks, and laundry detergent.
7. Mellanni Twin XL Sheet Set (Amazon)
This is an award-winning sheet company and there are many great colors in case your son wants something that will match his comforter. (He may not care… which is fine, too.) Many of our Grown and Flown parents say their college students only used one set of sheets so they didn’t have to fold them after washing which is very practical.
8. ViscoSoft Mattress Topper (Amazon)
ViscoSoft is our favorite brand for mattress toppers and has gotten great reviews by many product reviewing sites including Good Housekeeping and Wirecutter. While this is not a “decor” item, a mattress topper can make a big difference in your son’s comfort level so we included it here.
Dorm lighting
9. LED Strip Lights (Amazon)
Some guys have these LED lights available in a stick-on strip so they tape onto the walls and line the room. These are Bluetooth enabled to sync with music and come with a remote control device for ease of managing. Make sure these are permitted by the dorm before you purchase.
10. Sailstar Desk Lamp (Amazon)
Dorm furniture
There is rarely extra space in a dorm room, so get the dimensions and find out if the bed is lofted before buying any furniture. But if your son does have some extra space, here are a few ideas:
11. Sling Chair (Amazon)
This sling chair is an excellent option for a dorm as it folds when unused. Available in 15 colors and styles.
12. Coleman Camp Chair (Amazon)
This Coleman Camp Chair is another good option for extra seating and can be folded up and stored behind or under a dorm bed when not needed.
Other popular ideas for furnishing guys’ dorm rooms
13. Bedside Caddy (Amazon)
This bedside caddy works like a nightstand for an elevated dorm bed and is roomy and sturdy enough to stash a book, glasses, water bottle a phone, and more.
14. YETI Tumbler (Amazon)
Your son might love a YETI mug to keep his coffee hot or cold water chilly for hours! Consider having it personalized with a college logo or initials.
15. Call Your Mom Pillowcase (Amazon)
One way to remind your son to call home? This cute Call Your Mom pillowcase is a clever idea.
16. Command Hooks (Amazon)
Command Utility Hooks are incredibly useful in dorm rooms, and many guys use them to display a hat collection.
17. Self-Adhere Key Rack (Amazon)
A self-adhesive key rack holds keys or lanyards with room cards that show how many students access their dorm buildings and rooms.
18. Paper Towel Holder (Amazon)
A magnetic paper towel holder is easy to keep paper towels ready when it is on the side of a mini fridge.
19. Washable Area Rug 5×7′ (Amazon)
An area rug will make the cold dorm floor feel more like home, and washable ones are a good choice. A carpet is an instant way to help transform a dorm room into a cozy space. This one is available in numerous colors and sizes.
20. Whiteboard (Amazon)
Some guys like to hang a corkboard or whiteboard to help them keep up with assignments and activities. This one is magnetic and could stick on a mini-fridge.
21. Trunk (Pottery Barn Teen)
Closet space in most dorms is minimal, making it easy for disorganized rooms to be sprinkled with clutter. Putting extra sheets and towels or out-of-season clothes in a trunk or other under-bed storage space is key to keeping a small dorm room organized.
This one looks nice at the end of a bed. Bonus if the trunk locks, making it an excellent place to store valuables or meds.
22. IRIS Stackable Drawers – Set of 4 (Amazon)
23. IKEA FRAKTA Bags – Set of 4 (Amazon)
These have long been our favorite bags for moving in and moving out of the dorm. Plus, speaking of storage, they can also hold out of season clothing or extra linens. They are again being sold on Amazon – we are thrilled! This is a MUST HAVE for the dorms.
24. ComfortSpa Bed Rest Pillow (Amazon)
Most dorm beds do not have headboards so getting one of these comfortable bedrest pillows for your son can make sitting in bed MUCH more comfortable.
25. Levoit Mini Air Purifier (Amazon)
Levoit is one of the best-selling air purifier brands and this mini version – 10′ H and 6.5 W – is perfect for a dorm room. The filter captures lint, airborne pollutants, and smoke particles which can help create a cleaner environment for your son which is especially important in a dorm room that may rarely get cleaned. The activated carbon filter can also help neutralize odors – another key benefit!
This is the machine that I have and personally recommend it.
26. RubberMaid Tall Trash Can With Lid (Amazon)
College dorms may come with trash cans (check the college website to see if you student’s does) but they are often quite small which can result in an overflowing mess! This one holds 13 gallons and has a pedal for hand-free use. Rubbermaid is a trusted brand for quality, long-lasting products and this trash can is something that can be used for four years of colelge and beyond. Don’t forget a box of trash can liners!
27. Bagsmart Toiletries Kit (Amazon)
28. Belkin Surge Protector (Amazon)
We have surgery protectors on all of our dorm lists because we feel so strongly about the safety of your teen and your teen’s expensive electronics! We recommend this one by industry-leader Belkin because it has 12 AC Outlets, 2 USB-A Ports and 1 USB-C Port, and a 6ft Cable It is UL-listed w/ Overload & Overvoltage Protection and the On/Off Switch makes it easy to turn off when not needed.
29. Glamburg Extra Bath Towels (Amazon)
Your teen can bring towels from home or, if you want them to start their dorm life with a new set, please remember that if you have a teen who is doing sports, they may need more than one or two towels since they will often shower a few times each day. Glamburg towels are 100% cotton and dry quickly. They come in a set of two and there are many nice colors to choose from.
30. WOOZOO Fan (Amazon)
These fans have become wildly popular. The WOOZOO brand is available at several price points but we think this one would be helpful for your teen in their dorm. It is compact and light-weight and can fit easily on a desk, has 3 speeds and is affordable. Even in air-conditioned dorms it can be stuffy.
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