Dorm

Moving into a dorm can be very stressful. Make it easier by sticking to a plan and staying organized. Knowing when you’d have to move in ahead of time would help you plan things better.

We’ve answered when you’d have to move in, as well as everything that would make the move easier.

When Do You Move in?

Most universities provide specific dates for moving in. The dates make the process easier, as everyone wouldn’t be moving into the building at once.  You can try and request for a change of dates. But you’d need a good reason for this.

When would do the date be? You’d typically have to move in a week before classes start.

Helpful Tips for Moving In

Ready for your big day? The following tips would make things easier.

Read the Guidelines

The college’s housing committee might have sent you some guidelines. Go through them carefully. They would summarize all the procedures you’d need to follow on the big day.

You might not only have to be at the campus on a certain date, but have to arrive at a certain time too.

The guide would specify who to speak to as well as where you should go to register – you won’t be able to get to your room before checking in.

A lot of the time, it would specify the essentials that you’d have to bring.

Dress Appropriately

You may have decided to dress in tight clothes for the occasion. Although first impressions matter, this would not be a smart idea. You’ll be on your feet the whole day, and you’d be carrying a lot of items too. All of this would be hard to do in tight clothes.

Probably the most important thing to do is wear comfortable shoes. This will make being on your feet easier.

Make Friends

Moving in is going to be an emotional experience. It would be the first day of an important journey. This doesn’t mean that you should be emotional in your room all day. You’ll be living with everyone in the building for the foreseeable future – go around and introduce yourself. Remember that a smile goes a long way.

If you wait a while to introduce yourself, friendships and cliques may have already been formed. It’ll be harder to find a place to fit in.

Bring Someone With You

Carrying everything you’ve bought to your room can be hard – have a loved one tag along to help. Moving in would also be an emotional process, so having someone from home would be nice. Having a friend there would especially be useful when trying to set furniture up.

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Meet the RA

If the RA hasn’t introduced himself to you yet, find him or her. This is the Resident Assistant, and they would coordinate all the activities in the student housing. You’d get a good idea of what they can help you with, and what would get you in trouble.

Some RAs can be very strict. Getting off on the right foot would be smart.

Don’t Bring Everything

Face it – you won’t be able to bring everything you need; there just won’t be enough space in the car. Bring the absolute essentials and have whatever you can’t carry shipped to you. Have these items shipped before you leave. They would arrive as soon as possible then.

Some items may be important, but you may not need them immediately. You could have your family send them when they’re needed, like winter clothing.

Don’t Use Cardboard Boxes

When packing everything, cardboard boxes would be the worst things to use as storage. For one, you’d have to buy the boxes and it would take time to assemble them. Make things easier for yourself by using bins or laundry baskets.

Once you move in, the baskets and bins could be used as storage space.

Rent a Storage Unit

Dorm rooms are small. You need to be smart with how you utilize the space. Although there are several important items that you’re bringing, the room might not have enough space for them.

What should you do? You can rent a storage locker near campus. There will likely be several units to rent, so look around to find something within your budget.

Examples of what you might be storing in the lockers would be recreational items – surfboards, skis and any gear you’d need for a sport.

Inspect the Space

Take pictures of any problem areas you find in your room. They might have been around for a while, but when you’re moving off-campus, you could be accused of causing the damages.

Some damages may be serious. Notify the RA about them.

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What Should You Bring With You?

The housing guidelines might have specified the essentials you’d need.  Along with these items, having the below items would be smart.

A Tool Kit

To install curtains and any furniture you might be buying, having a tool-kit on deck would be needed. You don’t need a large one.

Think about it, there are so many instances where a tool-kit would come in handy throughout the year.

First Aid Kit

A basic first aid kit instead of something fancy would be fine. At the very least, it should have disinfectant wipes/spray, bandages, over-the-counter pain medication as well as a pair of tweezers.

The chances of your roommate or neighbor having their own first-aid kit would be high, but having one of your own would help you handle the injury quicker.

Let’s summarize. The time you’re moving in depends on the college you’ll be attending. However, it would most likely be a week before classes start. You’d get a designated day, and have to check in before moving into your room. Make sure to bring someone to help you so that moving everything would be easier.

If you’re not happy with the moving in day you have been given, you might be able to change it. You’d have to fill a form and speak to the college of course.

Dorms are small so you’d likely be sleeping on a twin or bunk bed to utilize as much space as possible. Whichever college you go to, it shouldn’t surprise you that the desk wouldn’t be that big. Knowing its dimensions would let you figure out how many supplies and personal items you can bring.

A large desk isn’t important. It’s all about how you make use of it. We’ve discussed this and much more below.

How Big Are the Desks?

Expect the table to be around 30 inches in height, 42 inches in width and 20 inches in depth.

Due to how small dorm rooms are, you need to make large furniture pieces multi-functional. It’s common for students to convert their beds into couches. Use your desk not only as a place to study, but as a place to eat and converse.

The desk along with other furniture in the room would be provided. All colleges make it a rule that the furniture cannot be removed.

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How Do You Keep an Organized Desk?

Considering that you won’t be getting a lot of space, you’ll need to be smart with how much storage you use. Having an organized desk would be ideal. Here’s how you do it:

No Sticky Notes

Let’s face it, sticky notes are so 2010. The internet is your friend – why don’t you use project management software? You’ll be able to note all the important things you have to do. You’ll get notifications when you need to start working on the tasks.

Sticky notes all over the desk would not only take up space, but they can also look messy.

Go Digital

Whenever there is a digital alternative for something, go for it. Having all of your notes on Microsoft Word instead of in a book would result in less space being wasted. You’d be saving money as you wouldn’t be going through pens and books frequently either.

Bins

When moving in, you’ve probably brought things over in bins and storage containers. Place the containers in your desk drawers. They will help you store a variety of material.

Bins that are clear would work the best. You’ll be able to see where things are without moving them around as much.

Laptop Stand

Hunching over the desk will not be comfortable. Your posture wouldn’t be affected as much when using a laptop stand.

As your laptop would be elevated, there would be more space on your desk. You could place more items on it, or you could use the additional space to move your arm freely.

Your Wall

Keep your desk as clutter-free as possible by utilizing wall organizers and dry-erase boards. Not only could you place important documents and to-do lists on them, but also use the organizers as a space to store pictures of home.

Shelves

Before you panic, we’re not talking about nailing shelves to the wall. No, there are shelves you can add on to tables. They would act as mini cupboards. These are assets, because once you leave the dorm, you can sell them. Freshman are bound the be interested.

The best shelves would take a lot of vertical and not much horizontal space.

Power Outlets

The worst thing to deal with on a small table is cables all over the place. Have one spot to charge everything. There are electronics that would have multiple charging ports, like lamps.

Lamps with several USB ports would be great, as you can get additional light to study better. To help prevent the wires from tangling, you can Velcro them down.

How Do You Decorate Your Desk Space?

Now that you know how to make the desk more organized, why not learn how to make it a more comfortable space to work in?

The first place to start is your chair. No matter how much work has to be done, you’ll have a hard time doing anything if your chair is hurting your back. Instead of buying a new one, you can buy a good cushion.

Have a big project due? Working for hours can leave you unmotivated. Different scents could stimulate your brain to help you keep going. What’s great is that these bottles are small. You might be wondering, why not buy scented candles? Well, dorms have rules against fire hazards.

Speaking of what would keep you motivated, fancy stationary would do the trick too. Something that also helps would be plants. Dorms can feel stuffy, so a plant would liven the space. Have a small potted one by you as you work.

Place something personal on the table. The desk is where you’d be spending a lot of time, so having items that would remind you of home would help whenever you’re feeling down.

Can You Remove the Desk?

You’ll sign a contract that would state that the furniture in the room can’t be removed. Not happy with the desk? You’ll have to pay a fee if you get rid of it. If you don’t, your transcripts may be withheld. You’re not allowed to swap the furniture with anything from someone else’s room or the study area either.

You can’t get rid of the furniture pieces because they’re university property, and also because they’re probably made from flame-retardant material. Whatever is in the room has gone through safety protocols as a result – the furniture you’re bringing in might not be.

Without getting rid of the desk, you could bring the one you want. However, dorm rooms are small. There’s no way you’ll find room for the two of them.

To summarize, the desks in dorm rooms are small. This shouldn’t be a surprise since the spaces are quite tiny. You can expect the table to be around 30 inches in height, 42 inches in width, and 20 inches in depth. If you’re not a fan of how the table in the room looks, you sadly won’t be able to get rid of it. It’s university property, so you’ll have to make do.

At your college, living in a dorm may be compulsory for the first year or two. One of the reasons colleges do this is because student housing would provide experiences for students to grow. Although this is true, it can be very expensive to live on campus.

Many people think that getting out of campus living is tough. There is thankfully a way around it, and we discussed it below.

How Do You Get Out of Living in The Dorm?

You might need to have family living close to the university. How close they would need to be depends on the college. The distance most of the time would be around 40 miles. You can live with them and commute to class.

If you don’t want to live in the dorms, but don’t have family nearby, what do you do? You could have a living space rented within the specified distance. Have your family say that it’s their home, or the residence of a guardian.

Once the application to live off-campus has been sent, the chances of getting it approved are not always high. You might have to state the reason why you’ll be living with a family member. If you’re suffering from an anxiety disorder, sharing a dorm room may not be the best idea.

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Why Live Off-Campus?

When colleges state that living in their dorms provide opportunities to grow, they’re not wrong. However, there is a number of reasons living off-campus would be a better idea.

Save Money

Most of the time, colleges make it a rule for students to live in dorms so that they can make a profit. An apartment shared among friends would be much better for your wallet.

Lack of Loud Noises

Dorms tend to have thin walls. The chances of you hearing what the others on the floor are up to would be high. When you have an important exam the next day, this is not what you want.

An apartment’s walls would be thicker. The people in the building wouldn’t be kids your age either, so you wouldn’t hear music being blasted at odd-hours.

You Make the Rules

Living in a dorm means that you’ll be subject to the campus housing rules. They could be strict, and your RA may heavily enforce them. For example, you may be over the age of 21, but the chances of you being able to drink in the dorm would be low.

Having a place of your own means that there would be no rules. Dorms would likely be segregated according to gender. With your own place, you could have members of the opposite sex over whenever you want.

No Bad Room Mate(s)

The roommate you’ll be sharing the dorm room with may not be nice. Unless you have a good reason, it would be hard to get your application to switch rooms approved.

Superb Privacy

Having a place of your own would feel much better than sharing a room with others. The privacy would not only be appreciated, but it might be necessary if you’re going through some physical or mental problem.

Helpful Tips When Choosing Off-Campus Housing

There are probably many apartments to choose from. How do you know which would be the most worth your time? The following points can help.

Live Nearby

Make sure the space you’re renting would be well within the designated location limit. The closer you are to campus, the better. You’ll be able to get to class easily and dealing with short trips would help you get more study time.

Remember that your rent depends on the location you’ll be in. You could find a great place for a much lower price a couple of neighborhoods away.

Avoid Expensive Rent

Paying for tuition would be expensive and you probably don’t want to spend thousands on a lease. What would make rent cheaper would be living in the apartment with roommates.

If you look around, you’ll find that there are third-party dorms that accommodate students. They’d be more affordable than college housing.

Get a Good Room Mate

When you’re living on campus, you wouldn’t have a say in who you’ll be sharing a room with. You could apply for a room transfer, but your college might reject it. Having a place of your own means that you can be picky about who you’re living with.

Not only should the roommate be someone that you get along with, but they need to be able to pay the rent too.

Find A Decent Landlord

You probably don’t have much experience living on your own. Having a great landlord would make things easier. If there’s ever any issues with the plumbing or wiring, he or she would help.

A difficult landlord is not what you want. The apartment may have some damages that have been there for a while. As you’re just a college student, they might try and blame you for the damages so that you pay for them.

Analyze Your Lease Contract

Although the space may be great, the lease contract may not be. Unless you read it closely, you might miss hidden fees.

The lease may have a lot of stipulations that you may not be expecting. It would explain parking policies, pet policies, lease termination and more.

Let’s summarize. Living in the college’s dorms would most likely be compulsory for the first year or two. If you choose to live on campus, you’ll have some great memories and have opportunities to grow as a person. However, you’ll also be met with hefty housing fees. Not living in the college dorms can be done by moving to a family member’s home nearby. If you don’t have family living in the area, you could rent a space and get your family to say that it’s their place.

Along with these, some of the other reasons’ college make campus-living compulsory is because you can get help with studies, and take part in school activities with ease.

If you’re applying for college, one of the things you might be the most excited about is living in a dorm.

There are multiple dorm room types. You can’t just estimate how many people would be able to live in one. The spaces tend to be small, so even if it was enough for two people, it would feel crowded.

The different types of dorm rooms you will come across are discussed below. Let’s get to it.

Single Rooms

Typical single dorm rooms are 100 square feet. They are offered at almost all colleges. However, they can be hard to secure – a lot of students would want a private room of their own. Campuses give priority to students who absolutely require privacy.

The beds in these rooms are twin beds. They usually are 36 inches wide and 75 inches across. Imagine how it would be to have more than one of these beds in a 100 square foot space.

Double Rooms

These rooms are designed to host 2 twin beds. Double rooms are around 190 square feet. You might be assigned a bed. But most of the time, you’ll have to decide with your roommate.

Triple Rooms

Some dorm rooms are big enough to house three single beds. Not all colleges offer them, and some don’t offer triple-rooms in certain years.

Suites

You might be lucky and get housing in a suite. How many people can live in a suite together? Most are designed to house 2, 4 or 6 people.

In a suite for 2 people, there would be 2 separate rooms connected by a hallway. For a suite for 4 people, there would be 2 double rooms connected, and a suite for 6 people would have 3 double rooms.

You’ll be sharing amenities with the others. This would be the kitchen and bathroom.

What Dorm Rules Would be in-Place?

Now that you’re aware of how many people you will be living with, you might want to know the rules you have to follow. More conservative colleges have strict dorm rules.

The person enforcing the rules would be your Residential Assistant. If he or she is strict, dorm life could be hard.

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No Fire Hazards

If there is a fire in your room, not only will yours’ and your roommate’s live be in danger, but you’d be risking everyone living in the building too.

Certain fire hazards may be banned. Hot plates, coffee machines, candles and anything with burners on.

Quiet Hours

You’re at college to further your education, so studying should regularly be done. This won’t be possible if everyone’s loud – there would be quiet hours to help people get their work done.

No Pets

Some dorms let you keep pet fish. But having a dog or cat may not be allowed. Remember that you’ll be living with someone else. They could have allergies. Keeping a dog in a small space won’t be humane – it needs space to run around.

You’ll be leaving the room at the end of the year. The pet may have caused damages or left behind stains that you have to pay for later.

Substances

If you’re not 21 years yet, there is no way you’ll be able to have alcohol in your room. If you go to a religious university, or one that has strict rules, there is a chance that you might not be able to have alcohol even if you’re of age.

Let’s say you’re over 21 and your dorm lets you have alcohol on the premises. You shouldn’t drink outside your dorm room. It would be a public space which would technically be illegal.

Limited Visitors

Are you going to a same sex university? Having someone of the opposite gender over may not be permitted. If he or she is allowed, there may be specific visiting hours.

No Nails

You’ll basically be living on rent. As a tenant, you’re supposed to take good care of where you’ll be living. That’s why colleges aren’t fans of students nailing things to the walls – there would be permanent holes.  Placing thumb tacks may be allowed, though.

Should You Live on Campus?

Living in a dorm comes with multiple benefits, but there are some difficulties you’ll face. The pros outweigh the cons – you can create memories and have an opportunity to grow. However, living on campus can be expensive. It’s clear that such steep rates are only charged so that colleges can make money.

You don’t have a say in the roommate you’ll be getting. There is a real possibility that the two of you won’t get along. Living off campus would let you decide who you want to live with.

Speaking of who you’re living with, you may be a fan of living alone. Snagging a single dorm room can be hard. You’ll need to provide the university with a very good reason why you want privacy.

Although quiet hours would help you study, the others on the floor may make a lot of noise at other hours. Dorms sadly are notorious for having thin walls.

Another major disadvantage is the rules you’ll be living with. If the RA enforces the rules heavily, living in the dorm would especially be hard.

Getting out of living on campus can be hard. Many colleges make it compulsory that you live in their dorms for 1-2 years.

If you have a family member living near campus, you could get an exception and live with them. Don’t have family nearby? Rent a space and have family lie and say that it’s their home.

The number of people who can live in the room depends on the type of room you get. A suite would be the best.

There would be separate living spaces connected by a hallway, while you’ll be sharing a bathroom and kitchen. Suites can house up-to 6 people and there would be 3 double rooms. In general, only one person can live in a typical dorm room.

Something that would make your college life extra special would be staying in campus housing. You’ll make friends and have some great experiences. But there are some disadvantages to it.

Knowing about the problems of dorm life is important; you would be able to handle them better. We’ve run through some of the most common difficulties students face below.

1. Home Sickness

For maybe the first time in your life, you would be living away from family. Know that everyone who moves into campus housing feels homesick at first. So don’t feel bad for yourself.

The feelings would fade away when you create a group of friends. Feelings of loneliness may arise every now and then, but they won’t hit you as hard.

What would help you miss home less would be having pictures of your loved ones in the room. Remember to regularly speak to the friends and family you’ve left back home as well.

2. Thin Walls

Missing home would become less of a problem as time goes on. Something that might continue to be an issue would be how thin your dorm’s walls are.

On your floor, there would be several other kids. You might hear them making a noise when you’re trying to study. Another thing that would disturb you would be students blasting music.

You can solve this by purchasing good earmuffs. They’d be life savers when you have a big exam the next day.

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3. Responsibilities and Independence

Back home, you may not have had as much responsibility and independence as you do in college. You’d now have to take care of every single aspect of your life. To some people, this adjustment can be hard. You can make the shift easier by working on how independent you are before your move.

4. Lack of Privacy

Something you might find hard to get used to would be the lack of privacy. You’d likely be sharing the room with one or two people. The lack of privacy would especially be hard if your roommate is nosy.

Learn how to share a living space before you head to college. You also need to get used to living in a smaller space – some dorm rooms can be incredibly small. You’d likely have to use double furniture to get multiple uses out of them. Many students convert their beds into sofas during the day.

5. Bad Room Mates

You have no idea who your roommate will be until you’ve moved in. Although the chances of the two of you getting along are high, there is also a chance that they might not be a nice person.

Depending on what college you’re going to, you could arrange a room swap. But you’d need to provide a good reason for this. You’d also have to tell your roommate that you’re leaving.

Let’s say the person you’ll be sharing the room with and you get along. However, they may bring their friend or partner to the dorm, who you don’t get along with. Set some ground rules and a schedule so that the two of you can coexist better.

Are you from out of town? Most of the others in the building will could be from the area, and your roommate as well. The difference in culture might make it harder to connect with everyone, especially if there is a language barrier.

6. Communal Kitchen

You won’t have a kitchen in your room. Everyone on the floor would be using a communal one. Cooking can feel a bit cramped, as there may be a lot of people in there with you.

Remember that the utensils and pans in the kitchen would have been around since the dorm first opened. You’d have to wash everything well, since so many others would have used them before you.

The appliances in the kitchen won’t be many – you may not be able to cook all the foods you want. And the appliances present may not be working well.

Depending on the college you go to, you might have to reserve the kitchen if you want to use it too.

7. Communal Bathroom

Just like there would be communal kitchens, there would likely be communal bathrooms as well. Although sharing a communal kitchen might not be too bad, you could find it difficult showering with 5-7 others.

The bathroom probably wouldn’t have fancy features. If you’re accustomed to using bath tubs, get ready to be disappointed.

8. Strict Rules & RA

The dorm you’d be staying in would have a set of rules. How strict they are depends on the type of university you’ll be attending – more conservative ones would have the most restrictions.

Even if you’re over 21, there would likely be a rule that wouldn’t make it possible for you to drink while on the premises.

Some dorms are known to have curfews, but this isn’t that common.

The RA would be the one enforcing all the rules. This is the Residential Assistant, and he or she coordinates all the activities that take place in student housing. Some RAs are stricter than others, which could make your dorm life very difficult. If you’re having a problem with your roommate and want to swap rooms, a strict RA might make this impossible.

9. Dating Trouble

This is not a problem for everyone, but you might be dating someone across the hall. If the two of you aren’t on the best terms, living in the same building as them would be a headache.

Living in a dorm would be a great experience. You’d be able to create memories that you’d cherish for the rest of your life. However, it’s not as easy as everyone thinks. There are some issues you should prepare for, as discussed. Probably the biggest difficulty you’ll face would be getting used to living away from home. You’d also need to get used to being so independent.

Knowing what issues may lie ahead is a good thing – you can prepare and mitigate them if they arise.

As a college student living in a dorm a refrigerator can be a lifesaver. It is a great option for storing snacks, leftovers, and cool drinks for warm days. However, most dorm rooms are quite small. At such, you need to be aware of the right dimensions for such an appliance before you buy one.

So, is there a hard and fast rule to follow when shopping for a dorm refrigerator? Or, are there different size options to choose from? Find out these answers and more below:

Dimensions of an Average Dorm Refrigerator

More often than not, dorm refrigerators are measured in terms of capacity. Therefore, these refrigerators tend to have capacities between 1.7 cubic feet and 4.5 cubic feet. So, what does this mean in terms of dimensions?

The smallest dorm refrigerator will measure in at around 17 inches wide, 18 7/8 inches deep and 20 1/2 inches tall. The larger option will have dimensions of 19 inches wide, 20 inches deep and 43 inches tall. You may find this to be the height of a desk.

Which Dorm Refrigerator is Right for You?

Now that you are aware of what sizes are available to you, your next hurdle will be selecting the right one for you. Thus, which size should you pick? Well, this depends on the following factors:

The Size and Orientation of Dorm Room

While there are similarities among dorm room dimensions, not all dorm rooms are the same size. And, they are certainly not designed in the same way. This is why it is a good idea to only buy your refrigerator after seeing your room. This will give you an idea of how much space you have to work with.

Keep in mind, you are going to want to store other pieces of furniture as well. Therefore, you will need to plan out how everything is going to be arranged and just how much space is available for your dorm refrigerator.

College Restrictions

In the end, room size may not matter if your college has placed limitations on how big a refrigerator can be. The exact dimensions may be in the guidelines about what you and can’t bring. Or, you can contact your dorm manager and get the preferred dimensions from them.

It can be tempting to go your own way and select a size that you feel is right. However, if your refrigerator does come to the attention of someone in charge, you may have to get rid of it. While this is unlikely, it may not be a chance that you want to take.

The Number of Refrigerators

You should also think about the fact that your roommate may want to store a dorm refrigerator in your shared room as well. If this is the case, then you may have less room than you imagined. To avoid any confusion, contact your assigned roommate and ask them about their plans for a refrigerator.

This way, you can ensure that each of you buy a smaller option. This will means that you will be able to fit both refrigerators comfortably and still have space for other furniture. It should be noted that your college may limit how many refrigerators can be plugged into one room at the same time. So, this is something that you will need to check on as well.

Refrigerator Storage State

You should also think about how you are planning to store your dorm refrigerator. Since you are dealing with a smaller space, you are going to find creative ways of maximizing your storage options. Therefore, you may consider propping up your mini fridge on a cart or to place it under a lofted bed.

In this case, you have to consider the height of the refrigerator. You may have to opt for a shorter one so that you have a bit more leeway when using it in tandem with other furniture or design concepts.

Tips for Selecting a Dorm Refrigerator

Here are some of the guidelines that you can follow to find the perfect fitting dorm refrigerator:

Select the Right Shape

If you think that all mini refrigerators have the same shape, think again! A lot of smaller refrigerators have a cube shape. While these do help to save space, they come with another issue – their capacities are quite small.

So, although they may not take up all that much room in your dorm room, they aren’t going to help store too many items either. You should only consider this refrigerator if you have to fit a mini fridge into a very tine space.

Consider Tall Dorm Refrigerators

If you don’t have too many size restrictions, you may want to consider investing in a tall dorm refrigerator. As the name suggests, these are larger compact models, often with an interior capacity of 4 or more cubic feet.

The main benefit of these refrigerators is the storage capacity. They are able to maximize on internal space, ensuring that there is more than enough room to store all kinds of food and drink in your mini fridge.

At the same time, the thermostats in these refrigerators are stored in the refrigerator rather than the freezer. This helps to create a more optimal temperature throughout the appliance. As such, your food will be kept cold and in good condition for longer.

Of course, always measure your desired refrigerator before buying it and make sure that it will be a good fit for your dorm room. What’s more, check that you are still able to add storage elements above, under, or around the refrigerator as you intended earlier.

Pay Attention to Freezer Size

Freezer size is a tricky issue with dorm refrigerators as there isn’t much space for this feature. For the best results, consider a freezer that runs the full width of the refrigerator. Not only does this offer you more space, but the cooling capabilities will be better as well.

Now, you may be tempted to get a two-door design as you would presume that it would make it easier for you to maintain proper temperatures in both sections. However, this isn’t the case at all.

The issue is that with two-door mini fridges, the thermostat is located in the freezer. Therefore, much of the cooling performance is being directed here, leaving less cool air for the bottom section. As a result, you may find that food in the bottom part goes bad more quickly.

In general, though, you shouldn’t expect freezer qualities to be all that great with dorm refrigerators. There will be a limit to just how well they can keep items frozen. As such, you shouldn’t count on this feature too much.

Consider the Internal Design

Remember, it isn’t just about the size of the refrigerator. It is far more important to consider the internal design of the refrigerator. For instance, just how many things can you store on the door. And, how many shelves are there? Can you lower or raise these shelves to suit various food items?

If you want to store fruits or veggies here, then a bin can be quite useful as well. The easier it is for you to store various food items in your refrigerator, the less important the size is. Therefore, it is one of the main features to pay attention to.

Consider a Locking Feature

If you want to make sure that your food or drink isn’t going to get eaten by someone else, then you may want to get a refrigerator with a locking feature. This way, you can lock the door before leaving your dorm. It can save you the hassle of getting into arguments with your roommate or their friends.

Think About Energy Efficiency

Most people are surprised to learn that mini refrigerators can use up quite a bit of energy if you aren’t careful. This is why it is a good idea to get a refrigerator that is energy efficient or considered ecofriendly. In fact, your college may insist upon it. This is another important factor to consider before making your purchase.

Energy efficient models can help you later on as well. After all, there is a good chance that you may take this refrigerator with you once you have graduated from college. As such, you will appreciate this feature when you are able to keep your utilities bills to a minimum.

This is all that you need to know about the dimensions of a dorm refrigerator. As you can see, there is quite a bit more to the story than you might have imagined. Now that you have all the relevant details, though, you will have a better idea of how to find the right dorm refrigerator for you.

Remember to consider the size and layout of your dorm room before coming to a decision. Also, check if your college has any restrictions on the size of refrigerator that you can bring in. After this, it is simply a matter of selecting the make and model that has all the features and elements that you require.

Moving into a dorm room can be a bit jarring for most students. After all, you are used to the creature comforts of your home for your entire life. So, moving into a small and sparse space can be a bit of a letdown.

The good news is that there are a lot of ways to make your dorm room feel homey and somewhere you feel safe and content. To know just what you can do to your room, check out the suggestions below:

Set Up a Comfortable Bed

Most dorm rooms are so small that your beds are your main, and sometimes only, piece of furniture. Due to this, it is important to make sure that it is as comfortable as possible. After all, it will be used as your study spot and where your friends hang out when they are in your room.

Now, college beds are notoriously rigid and certainly don’t make for a good night’s sleep let alone lounging quarters. So, your first order of business is to improve on it. Mattress covers, pads, and toppers can help you to take any mattress to the next layer, so it is a good idea to invest in these.

The next thing to do is to choose comfy, fluffy pillows. These can be used as a backrest, makeshift tables, or as seating cushions for friends. So, look for good-sized, good-quality pillows. Cheerful slip covers can help to transform them even more.

Raise Your Bed

The lack of space in your dorm can be downright depressing. So, if you want to make your room feel a bit more like home, try and raise your bed. Before you do this, though, check with your university about what their policy is on lofted beds. In some cases they will provide you with the gear to raise your bed, otherwise you may be on your own.

Even if your college won’t let you create a loft bed, use bed raisers to raise the bed several inches off the ground. At the very least, you may be able to pack storage boxes under there and get some of the clutter in your room out of the way.

If you are allowed to create a loft bed, use the space underneath carefully. A great idea is to create a miniature living room. You don’t have to go overboard – a few bean bags and a small table is all that you need to add a cozier vibe.

Create Your Own Headboard

Headboards may not serve any function, but they certainly help to make your bed look a bit more comfortable – and sophisticated too!

The good news is that you can actually make your own headboard and it is pretty easy. The base can be made from either cardboard or plywood. Then, use quilt batting for padding and your preferred fabric on top. Best of all, this can all be held together with a staple gun so that you don’t have to make any more effort than necessary.

Create Some Privacy with a Canopy Bed

It doesn’t matter how much you love your roommate, sometimes you need a little bit of privacy. Unfortunately, this is hard to come by in a dorm room. Fortunately for you, you can create your very own canopy bed with a minimal amount of fuss.

Place removable command hooks on the ceiling of your dorm room. Then, get as many curtains as you need to surround your bed. Loop string or twine where the curtain bar is supposed to go. Then hang the string in between the curtains from the command hooks.

And, there you have it – your very own canopy bed! Best of all, you can swap out the curtains every now and then if you feel like you need to change up the space in any way.

Fluffy Rugs

The flooring in some dorm rooms aren’t great. You either have cold, unforgiving tile or thin, rough carpet. This is why fluffy rugs can make all the difference here. If your roommate isn’t on board with the idea, have a fluffy rug at the foot of your own bed. This way, you step down on something soft and cozy first thing in the morning.

In case your roommate does like the idea, you can buy several large, fluffy rugs that can cover most of the flooring. To make things a bit livelier, you can play around with colors or textures. This can help to add some interest to the floor as well.

Personalize Your Space

One of the biggest issues with dorm rooms is that each room has been designed to be an exact replica of others. As a result, there is nothing very personal about this space. This can make your room seem rather stark or cold. Therefore, it is up to you to personalize it as you see fit.

One of the ways to do this is to invest in removable wallpaper. These come in all colors and patterns and are a temporary alternative to paint or permanent wallpaper. If you are tired of the backdrop or are moving rooms, just remove it and there will be no trace of it left behind.

If you don’t want to make such a commitment, you can try to incorporate your favorite color in various ways around the room. This could be with wall hangings, frames, comforter covers, and more. Or, put up posters of your favorite bands, movies, places, etc. Make sure to surround yourself with things that make you happy.

Create a Wall of Friends and Family

One of the hardest things about being away from home is missing your friends and family member. To compensate for this, set up one of your walls so that it is a collection of your favorite faces. Go through your social media and print out some of your top memories.

And, as you make new friends in college, make sure to add them onto the wall too. Being surrounded by people that you care about can really help to make your dorm room feel cozier. Not to mention, it is a great reminder of all the good times you have had.

Add Mood Lighting

Lighting can make all the difference in your dorm room. It can soften, brighten, and in general just make a space look far better. However, you do have to use your lighting options wisely.

For instance, if you want to brighten up a room for studying, opt for white lights. These are great if your dorm room feels like it is in perpetual darkness. If you want to soften the space and make it feel warmer, then opt for lights with a yellow hue.

You should also not stick with just one type of lighting, either. For a soft and romantic vibe, consider string lights. If your roommate doesn’t mind, you can string it up across the entire ceiling. Otherwise, just restrict it to your side of the room. Or, you can hang them on your wall instead.

At the same time, buy a good lamp. These are great for studying and when pulling all-nighters.

Invest in Curtains

If you are all about making simple changes, then consider setting up some curtains. All you need is a curtain bar and curtains of your choice. Select a bold or cheerful color and watch how these curtains instantly transform a space!

If you have shades in your room instead, there are still a few options available to you. Use removable wallpaper and paste it on top of the shades. This can add a pop of color or an interesting pattern. In any case, it will certainly liven the space up.

Add Some Greenery

There is something incredibly comforting and soothing about having greenery indoors. Of course, taking care of plants is not something that the average student wants to be bothered with. So, go with a more student-friendly option.

Succulents don’t have to be watered all that much and can be pretty much left to their own devices. You can get several small pots and place them on various surfaces or even attach them to your walls.

Air plants in terrariums are a good option if you don’t want the plants to take up too much space as they can be hung from the ceiling. Want to make your room smell nice at the same time? Invest in tiny herb pots – mint, rosemary, and basil are just some options to start with.

As you can see, there are plenty of ideas for you to try out. This means that making your dorm room feel cozy and comfortable isn’t as difficult as you thought. So, go ahead and try out some of these options – you can do as few or as many as it takes for that space to feel more like home.

You may want to get your roommate involved so that you can create a beautiful and cohesive space that everyone can enjoy. See what you can do today!