We hope you love our recommendations! Some may have been sent as samples, but all were independently selected by our editors. Just FYI, BuzzFeed and its publishing partners may collect a share of sales and/or other compensation from the links on this page.
1. A cotton knit duvet cover that'll make your side of the dorm look like an earthy, chic dream even if you only sloppily make the bed. Bless.
And if you're looking for a great duvet to fill this cover, here's a hypoallergenic option that reviewers love!
Promising review: "I have been looking for a terracotta jersey knit duvet cover forever and took a chance with this one. The color is great, a dark terracotta/rust color. It’s soft, but if I had to be knit-picky it isn’t as soft as other jersey knit fabrics I have felt. Shipping was surprisingly fast and the size was perfect for my queen bed. Overall I am happy with my purchase." —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $63.09 (available in two sizes and 16 colors).
2. An adjustable stand so your phone can have a proper spot on your desk when you've gotta put it down while studying but still want it in site.
Read our full review of this phone stand (#4 on the list)!
Here's an excerpt: "It has a sleek but pretty, not-too-pink champagne-y rose gold body, an adjustable stand (so you can position it to your height perfectly), and a hole in the back you can snake a cord through for easy charging. The ledge is wide enough to fit a fairly substantial case without worry, and it's a game-changer that I can just look at the screen to unlock my phone. Magic! Now I can keep those group text updates truly ~at a glance~ — without interrupting my flow until I take a break later." —Maitland Quitmeyer
Get it from Amazon for $13.99+ (available in seven colors).
3. A 10-piece set of drawer organizers — with these, even the drawers in your dorm are gonna look organized and on-point.
Promising review: "I needed to organize all the stuff that ends up in the bathroom vanity cabinet. These were perfect in every way. Being clear it is easy to see what is in each bin. Assorted sizes made it easy to sort out what I had and make best use of the space. The bins are beautifully made and look great on a shelf, in a drawer, in a cabinet, or even on the countertop. I would definitely buy again and have already suggested them to my friends. Happy to find quality products that are Made in the USA!" —Linda
Get the 10-piece set from Amazon for $19.99.
4. A quilted chenille floor pillow because while you're in the dorms, "furniture" is a word that needs a little wiggle room...because your room has none at all.
5. An abstract throw blanket for placing on your bed or over a chair, making your space look fashion-savvy and fun. Plus it's great for wrapping around your shoulders when studying for your biochem exam is so stressful you feel a *literal* chill in the air.
6. A satisfyingly quiet personal fan that'll make your retro heart soar *and* be a real breath of fresh air if your building manager's preferred thermostat setting is "stifling".
Promising review: "I'm a fan of this. What a great vintage look! This 1950's inspired look is packed with modern mechanics and safety. The fan's motor is powerful yet runs quietly. Sure, there's fan noise from the blades chopping air, but the motor itself is quiet. Also, the front grill is protective and would keep curious fingers clear of the spinning blades. The fan looks great on my desk (mix of new and mid-century items) and I love the sound. This is great for an office, bedroom, or dorm!" —Stephen Davis
Get it from Amazon for $39.99 (available in seven styles).
7. A ceramic essential oil diffuser since candles are a no-go in the dorms — this may save the day if your roommate's shoes end up being particularly pungent.
Promising review: "I like everything about this diffuser. It is pretty to look at, has a ceramic top, works well (I can actually see the vapor across the room), and you can smell the oil even in a large room. I am happy I found this diffuser." —Jenny R.
Get it from Amazon for $42.99+ (available in five colors).
8. A plant pillow that'll give your dorm room some life. Plants (even plush ones, probably) help with mental health — don't forget how much that matters!
9. And a dark botanical doormat — ~plant~ this by the end of your bed so you can have a designated shoe spot and keep the rest of your floor space clean.
Promising review: "This doormat is good quality. It came just as described, and the colors are awesome." —Kathleen Meyer
Get it from Amazon for $19.99.
10. A doggone adorable desk lamp that's sure to be the best (K9) companion during all those late nights studying.
11. A vanity mirror with tiered accessory trays, because desk space is a precious thing in a dorm room and you deserve some beautiful decor that multi-tasks as well as your mother.
She misses you. You better give her a call.
Promising review: "I really like this product. I use it on my vanity as a face mirror when I am getting ready and it also holds little makeup items, jewelry, and other stuff. It's a very solid material and I think it looks very chic. A beautiful buy!" —JJ
Get it from Amazon for $37.24.
12. A set of dimmable string lightbulbs that'll transform the dull mirror your room came with into the glam vanity you and your theater major deserve.
Promising review: "I love these lights and cannot believe the price! I love the dimmer — it dims to five different brightness levels. You simply touch the 'ON' button each time you want it brighter. I really didn't expect these to work as well as they have. I mean, when can you buy anything at this price and it really work? I'm really impressed and will definitely buy these again for other mirrors or replacements. I am very happy with my purchase! —Ginger
Get it from Amazon for $22.99.
13. A darling mini fridge (in case your place doesn't provide one) is gonna keep your snacks fresh while also lookin' like a fresh snack itself.
14. A baroque mirror — place this directly across from your window to give your dark and dreary room a lot more natural light.
Promising review: "All I can say is woooow! This mirror is not only affordable, but the quality is amazing. It’s heavy and not cheap looking. The gold color is not so tacky, and it’s done just right. My main concern was receiving a broken mirror, but the packaging was great and arrived in one piece. Don’t hesitate buying this gem — you need it!" —Celeste C
Get it from Amazon for $117+ (available in three sizes and four colors).
15. An ultra soft faux fur rug that'll feel luxurious every time you get out of bed and have this fancy fuzz between your toes instead of the cold wood floors beneath your feet.
Promising review: "My parents went to Europe and sat outside on furs like these and now they do the same at home. They live in the mountains in Utah. They put these on their metal patio chairs and then cover themselves with a blanket outside in the winter. The furs keep your backside insulated and then topped with the blanket they are able to have cocktail hour(s) on the deck all year long! It’s honestly pretty sweet and the dog gets her own to lie on when she’s outside too." —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $15.19+ (available in two sizes and seven colors).
16. A decorative cork canister you can fill with things like paper clips, pens, and candy if you'd like some ~cork-y~ cute decor in your dorm.
Promising review: "I absolutely love the look of these storage containers (pictured above, right)! They are so unique and modern. The quality is great, the glass is pretty thick, and they seem very durable. The reason I'm docking one star is because some containers don’t quite seal air tight correctly like the rest. Not sure if it’s the glass container or the cork, but I did come across that one issue with some of the jars. Overall though, I would recommend these containers." —Mig and Les
Get it from Amazon for $23.99+ (available in three sizes).
17. A pack of vinyl tangerine decals — these are gonna show off your great ~taste~ by instantly improving your dorm's dreary walls. Improve your mood one decorative decal at a time!
Promising review: "Love these decals! I’m in a rental space and wanted to spruce things up for the summer without breaking the bank. It took me 20 minutes to do, super easy to stick and smooth out nicely, even on my textured walls. Makes my space so much cozier and is a very budget-friendly option, especially for renters. I will say that two of my decals did rip when I was removing them from the paper... Cutting the torn pieces off and using on the edge of the wall made for an easy fix. Completely worth the money!!!" –Casey
Get it from Amazon for $11.36 (includes 32 leaves).
18. A CovoBox that's hollow on the inside, this'll cover cords and miscellaneous messes with elegant "books" instead of leaving clutter out on display. What a *novel* idea!
Before adding this to your cart, you have the option to customize it, including selecting from 14 lengths and 15 colors (including custom colors). The CovoBox is made from reclaimed books and sustainable wood.
BTW — Covogoods is a small family-owned business creating home decor in Utah!
Promising review: "I’m pretty sure I’ve never loved a purchase from Amazon as much as I love this one. This product is EXTREMELY well made and very unique. Plus, it does the job of hiding the ugly routers and cords. And the customer service was great and responsive. I was a little hesitant to spend the money on this but after years of living with the husband’s pile of technology, the money was well spent!" —AmazonEmme
Get it from Covogoods on Amazon Handmade for $29+ (available in customizable sizes and colors).
19. A wireless library light with both warm and cool settings, so you can highlight favorite books or prints in your dorm. This lighting can help you see at your desk during the night without disturbing the morning person you're rooming with.
This uses three AAA batteries and includes a remote that lets you set the light to different brightnesses and schedule a timer for 15, 30, 60, or 120 minutes.
Promising review: "For the price you can’t beat it. Super easy to install and lightweight. The gold had a slight orange tint to it, so be mindful of that. I actually just taped over the light and spray-painted ours with gold spray paint I had left over and then they were absolutely perfect." —Paris Seder
Get it from Amazon for $30.99 (available in three colors).
20. A set of gold cable organizers is sure to make your desk look impeccable while keeping your charging cords neat and tidy.
Brighttia is a New York-based Etsy shop established in 2018 that specializes in industrial and modern interior lighting and decor.
Promising review: "These brass cable organizers are beautiful and high quality. I’m using two of them to keep a plug-in sconce cord attached to the wall and to direct the cord to the electrical outlet. These little gold pieces add a touch of functionality and glamour to the sconces. Exactly what I was looking for." —Amy Margolis
Get a set of two from Brighttia on Etsy for $12.98+ (available in six colors).
21. Motion-activated LED light strips are gonna give you juuust the right amount of lighting when you don't get back until late at night and don't wanna turn the light on and wake up your dorm mate. Put these strips under your desk or bed, and you're g2g!
These charge up with a standard outlet or four AA batteries.
Promising review: "This is a fun motion light for under the bathroom cabinet. It lights up the floor area when you walk in for those nighttime trips. It's a great value. I love this light. Go buy one!!!" —Gloria D.
Get 6 meters from Amazon for $23.99 (available in four lengths and in cool or warm white).
22. A faux leather tissue box cover for design-minded people who know even a tissue box is an opportunity to show off their sense of style.
Promising review: "This tissue box holder is lovely, it looks and feels like leather, but if you get a stain on it it cleans up beautifully. I cannot believe a tissue box can make a statement, but everyone who has seen it or used it says it is very unique and such a smart design." —saf
Get it from Amazon for $9.99+ (originally $19.99; available in 13 colors).
23. Or a minimalist tissue box cover so you can keep your space chic, even when you need a li'l reminder of home.
This works with square tissue boxes, be sure to grab ones that fit!
Promising review: "I'm in a dorm room and wanted to keep my color scheme going throughout the room (white/blush/gold), and multi-colored tissue boxes can look chaotic in such a small space. It's cute and functional." —Rebecca
Get it from Amazon for $8 (available in two colors).
24. A glowing willow vine to spruce up the space above your tiny twin bed and create the look of a headboard *while* giving yourself the perfect amount of late night reading light.
Promising review: "This is such a unique set of lights! I wanted to give my room an enchanted forest vibe and these fit perfectly! They are easy to install (I used a staple gun) and somewhat easy to bend into the shape you want." —MacKenzie Conrad
Get it from Amazon for $38.99+ (available in four styles).
25. A collapsible hanger that'll hold way more clothes than traditional hangers, giving your minuscule closet a serious ~leg up~ while making it look lovely at the same time.
Promising review: "I am very pleased with these hangers! I first bought one to try it with my boyfriend’s pants and I loved them so I had to buy another one. The material of the part where you place the pants prevents any type of clothing from sliding off. Saves a lot of space on my closet and was easy to install, took me less than two minutes. The hangers come with the tool necessary and an extra piece that holds the rods in case you lose one. Overall very happy with the results, will buy again if I need more!" —Lizette Lopez
Get it from Amazon for $16.99.
26. A silly-but-sleek snail soap dispenser — your hand sanitizer is sure to look far cuter on display in this than in the massive medicinal-looking bottle it was shipped in. And believe me, college is nasty — you want hand sanitizer available at all times.
I highly recommend this eucalyptus and mint sanitizer if you're looking for a fresh scent.
Promising review: "We named him Herbie; we use him for hand sanitizer, and he’s absolutely wonderful!!" —G.
Get it from Amazon for $9.99 (available in three colors or multi-color pack of three).
27. A concrete desktop planter for green thumbs who can't handle living in a room without a little life in it. Bonus: the concrete will match your brutalist walls swimmingly.
Fill this with a little bit of soil and some real or faux succulents and you'll be set!
Promising review: "Words cannot describe how much I love this little planter! It is exactly as advertised and such a great statement piece for a dull desk. It's perfect for my office and my style. It came very well protected in styrofoam and bubble wrap, and it even has little anti-scratch bumpers on the bottom. I love love love it!" —Ashley M. James
Get it from Amazon for $13.46+ (available in two sizes).
28. An unnecessarily elegant bedside caddy with a slim felt design to store your phone, glasses, tablets or to keep your notebooks handy if you always study best right before bed (i.e. you *only* ever study right before bed).
Promising review: "When I first saw this I thought it was a cool concept, but now I feel like I can’t live without it. It’s randomly the most useful thing in my dorm since the beds are up high and my window ledge is always in use! It’s like a side table, but better. It’s able to hold my phone, journal, pen, and a book. I’ve had it hold my iPad before as well. I even take it home with me when I leave for breaks! This is an invaluable innovation." —Chelsea
Get it from Amazon for $28.90.
29. A lightweight trashcan with a useful handle that only accentuates its good looks — this stunning receptacle proves you can have a trashcan that doesn't look like, well, trash.
Promising review: "This is a stylish, minimalist trash can. It's amazing how hard it is to find a trash can that isn't an eye sore. This one looks nice and doesn't take up much space." —Megan Rolerkite
Get it from Amazon for $28+ (available in two colors).
30. An unstuffed leather ottoman to use as secret storage. Fill this with your winter sweaters or extra blankets and enjoy some extra seating at the same time! Who knew saving closet space could look this good?
If you don't plan on filling this with things you already own, grab some bean bag filler to go with it!
Promising review: "This is a great size, the color was as described, and for it being faux leather it certainly feels real! It didn't have a bad odor when I opened it. So far very impressed!" —Tiffany Zylstra
Get it from Amazon for $40.98+ (available in three colors).
31. A set of foldable cloth storage cubes — their simple look is way better than seeing a bunch of loose papers and products lying around. Honestly, these might be the most versatile and useful thing you could get for your dorm.
Promising review: "This is exactly what I anticipated. I wish they were just slightly bigger, but I use them on the side in my closet almost like drawers. It's definitely a space saver for me because we have just downsized and wanted a neat solution for lack of space to put a dresser in the bedroom. They work great — if I was using them right side up I am quite sure they would be more sturdy, but honestly I am not complaining because they work great for me. These run anywhere from $5–$10 at any store I looked at, so as far as value totally worth it!" —Gretchen Thro
Get a set of six from Amazon for $20.87 (available in 11 colors).
32. A pair of dyed agate bookends, because the perfect ge-ode to your favorite novels is gonna be displaying them in a way that really *ahem* rocks.
Promising review: "Okay. The ones I got are nearly perfectly matched and have beautiful markings. The pieces are beautiful and I am pleased with the purchase. I wanted to add a pop of color with something my dumb cat can't knock off and shatter." —Jeanqua
Get them from Amazon for $28.99+ (available in six colors and four sizes).
33. Or a slim book organizer for nicely storing a mix of paperbacks and papers that are nearly due.
Promising review: "I didn’t want anything too bulky on my nightstand, but I like to have several books I like to read in bed. I previously had them stacked on top of each other and found this and was afraid it might be cheaply made, but it is sturdy and beautiful! I’m such a bookworm, and I am in love with this added piece to my room." —Stephy Lynn
Get it from Amazon for $14.99+ (available in three colors).
34. A Mustard Made locker — these lockers are available in a variety of colors and sizes and can be customized with shelving units, matching hangers and baskets, and even by which way the door opens.
Looking for the perfect size for your dorm? Browse through the entire line!
Promising review: "Furniture heaven. I got mine in blush; it's gorgeous and incredibly functional. I'm in love with my Twinny!" —Amanda R.
Get the Shorty from Mustard Made for $169 (available in five sizes and 11 colors).
35. A minimalist monthly planner for folks who find a neat and tidy semester schedule the most aesthetically pleasing decor of all.
Promising review: "Being 12x18, it's the perfect size to log your daily activities. I love the spaces for the month's top three priorities, monthly health, person, and career focuses, and the achievements section. It's a very nice planner pad." —Stacey Lee
Get it from Amazon for $16.99.
36. A power ring you can literally keep on the floor of your dorm, because it's so good looking it doubles as decor. If you want something simple to keep up your workout routine between classes, be sure to keep these spiffy circles around.
You can also get the full Power Ring set directly from Bala's site.
Promising review: "I love the weight and ease of use with this ring. It's great for both my arms and abs. An all-around workout!" —J. Barganz
Get it from Amazon for $89 (available in seven colors).
37. A rolling lap table — slide this under your bed during the day and pull it out whenever you feel like lounging while you study (or, more likely, while you're binge-watching The Office).
Promising review: "This snack table is perfect. I wasn't sure about the wheels at first. But it's awesome, I can roll it nice and close to me and push it around the living room without lifting it, even tho it's lightweight. The table was easy to put together in about 20 minutes. The directions were easy, and all the pieces were labeled. It fits my Chromebook, a cup, and snacks perfectly!" —Vaneska
Get it from Amazon for $39.99+ (available in three colors).
38. And a wedge pillow to give your lower back support and lift you up while sitting up in bed. Plus, this acts as a headboard to make your bedding look complete.
Promising review: "We bought this for my daughter for her dorm room. She loves it and has told me multiple times that she is so glad we purchased it!" —Better Display Cases
Get it from Amazon for $99.99 (available in five sizes and seven colors).
39. A rustic jewelry organizer so you can have your best accessories at-the-ready as their very own decor.
Promising review: "This is probably one of the most useful items I've bought in a long while. My necklaces would get destroyed because I used to just stick them in a drawer and they'd get pretty tangled up. I would lose earrings left and right too. This looks nice and keeps all my jewelry in one place." —LuckyLam
Get it from Amazon for $28.95+ (available in five colors).
40. Or an iridescent mini shelf with six different levels perfect for keeping skincare, jewelry, and sunglasses on display.
Promising review: "These are in great shape and perfect as sunglasses shelves. I used a level, and they were easy to install. I highly recommend these and will probably buy more!" —Samantha G.
Get it from Amazon for $34.99 (available in seven colors).
41. A cooling weighted blanket — this has a unique knitted pattern that creates the perfect balance of breathability and heavy comfort. This thing is gorgeous *and* it's gonna help you feel calm as can be when finals have you feeling frazzled.
Promising review: "Previous weighted blankets I've tried were too hot to use in warmer weather and made it difficult to move in my sleep, which I do. The wide open knit of the Tree Napper provides excellent airflow and flexes to allow me freedom of movement without sacrificing the weight of the blanket itself. I love it." —Meredith B.
Get it from Bearaby for $269+ (available in three sizes and four colors).
42. And finally, a very boring banner you and your roommate can hang on the door when you both *really* need to avoid social interactions and actually focus on studying...for once.
FYI, most of the products from this shop are made to order. and thus, they take a little extra time to ship — keep that in mind when making your purchase!
FunCult is a woman-owned small business run by Caitlin Holcomb from Aurora, Illinois. My maximalist heart is oozing with adoration over all the banners available, and the rest of their goods are just as delightful. Their Instagram is a ton of fun, and their logo is so great I want it...tattooed to my body.
Promising review: I am absolutely obsessed with my banner! It was such an amazing addition to my party. Everyone loved taking pictures in front of it. Thank you!!" —Elizabeth Stone
Get it from FunCult on Etsy for $40+ (available in three styles).
When you see those cinderblock walls and linoleum floors before getting all your goods inside your new room:
Looking for the perfect gift for any occasion? Check out all of BuzzFeed’s gift guides!
