Do you have a child heading off to college soon? I’m sure you’ve been enjoying Summer together but now it’s time to get serious about making sure your college student has everything they need to survive on their own in the dorm. When our daughter was heading off to college one of the first things we organized was her Dorm Room Shower Caddy and Bathroom Essentials. She went to college in a small town (there’s only one traffic light) and she didn’t have a car so we tried to get her stocked up for a few months.
Dorm Room Shower Caddy
Most college students need a shower caddy to carry back and forth when they shower. It doesn’t need to be large. This caddy holds all the contents listed below and there’s still one unused pocket. Our daughter actually shared a bathroom with only 4 other girls but the room was still small and short on storage space. She stored her bathroom caddy hanging from a hook in her closet. It made it easy to grab when it was time to shower.
Shower Caddy Essentials
shampoo
conditioner
body wash
lotion
face wash
shower poof
razors
toothbrush (+ another one for retainer)
toothpaste
floss
mouthwash
deodorant
wet brush
nail clippers
cotton swabs
retainer
lip balm
I don’t like toothbrushes being exposed in the bathroom, so these travel cases are the perfect solution to keep the brushes protected and they still fit in the caddy side pockets.
This plastic soap case can fit about 50 cotton swabs and keep them dry in the bathroom. It also keeps them organized and easy to get too.
Because she doesn’t want to toss her wet shower poof into the caddy I added a small clip to the handle where she can attach the poof to the outside.
And because this shower caddy is small and flexible it is easy to store on a hook inside her dorm room closet.
Bathroom Essentials
There’s not enough space in the bathroom to store the bathroom essentials so plastic drawers, under her bed, hold everything else she needs. She will have a full length mirror in her room so all of her primping can be done there and not in the bathroom. With 5 girls to one bathroom, time is going to be limited in there.
The top drawer holds make-up and beauty products. Items are kept in individual bags to keep things separate and easy to get too. We didn’t need to purchase any zipper bags because this has been our way of storing her products for years. If your child already has containers that will work, use them. You are going to have plenty of other things to spend your money on.
The middle drawer holds all of her hair care products. Everything from hair ties to flat irons and blow dryer. I’m so thankful we didn’t have to purchase new bags and containers.
The last drawer holds all of her medical and extra (stock up) supplies.
Medical Supply List
first aid kit
bandages
neosporin
midol
tylenol
vitamins
tums
theraflu
air bourne
cough drops
hand sanitizer
Other Bathroom Essentials
towels (2 bath towels, 2 hand towels)
liquid hand soap
tissues
toilet paper (there wouldn’t have been any TP if we hadn’t brought it)
feminine hygiene (a couple months worth)
shower shoes or flip flops
back-up supplies (extras for the shower caddy)
cleaning supplies (store in bathroom)
As dorm room living progresses your child will learn what works and doesn’t work for them. This worked the whole year for our daughter and it was easy for her to see when she was running low on something.
What would you add to this list?
Pin it for Later: Dorm Room Shower Caddy and Bathroom Essentials
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My son is leaving for his first year of college this week so we are in a mad rush trying to get everything ready for him to move. So I was glad to see this post pop up in my feed. I printed your lists so I can make a last minute run to the store to make sure he has everything he needs.
Where didn’t you find the cute pink tote?
Great ideas and lists.
Hey leanneja, excellent tips. I just have a question. Which is your most preferred shower caddy? Actually, I was planning to buy one.
Thanks for the checklist. This will work for my daughter…
Thank you for sharing this checklist and keep posting like this
My son is going to college this fall as well. Your list helped remind me of things that I hadn’t thought about. Thanks! (I would never have thought we’d have to bring TP!)
Thank you for sharing this checklist. The bathroom essential looks great.
Where did you get that great mesh Caddy. I’ve been looking for one like that forever!
I purchased it at Walmart.