Cool Dorm Room Stuff: 13 Things That Will Really Improve Your Life

Cool stuff for a dorm room (best dorm room ideas to transform your space)

Dorm rooms are not always the most welcoming spaces. They can feel cramped, unorganized, and just plain boring.

Despite this, whether you’re a freshman or a senior in college, there are so many things you can do to make your dorm room setup more comfortable and homey. If you want to create a more inviting space, then this list of cool dorm room stuff will help you get started.

Skip the bean bag chair and go with one of these ideas instead!

1. Modular LED Lighting

Lighting is EVERYTHING.

Cool modular LED lighting will make the walls in your dorm room look less like prison walls and more like a bedroom. By combining the shapes in different ways you can customize the design to be something completely your own, too.

And Nanoleaf Shapes make setting the perfect mood super easy. You can transform the color scheme any time to suit your vibe. From brightness to color, to light patterns, visual effects, and more these babies can do it all.

They’re a simple and straightforward to elevate the atmosphere of your room which is why they’re super popular right now.

2. An Ultra Supportive Bedrest Pillow

When you’re living in the dorms, your room becomes a place of many uses. It’s your oasis among the chaos of campus life and the go-to spot for everything from studying to relaxing.

Sitting becomes a kind of a lifestyle as a student. And that calls for a supportive bedrest pillow to protect your posture and relieve your back from strain.

Whether you’re sitting on your bed doing homework, taking online classes, eating, watching your favorite show, or staying up all night gabbing with friends, you’ll love having this awesome pillow! Bedrest pillows are so underrated but they honestly improve your life so much.

3. A Small, But Powerful Vornado Fan

When considering what cool dorm room stuff you should get, don’t leave out a fan!

Because it can get damn hot and stuffy sometimes while living in a college dorm. And even when it’s not feeling like a sauna, a little air circulation can go a long way to freshen things up.

A Vornado VFAN Mini is the perfect personal table fan. It’s a little powerhouse with a motor that runs quietly. You (and your roommates) can appreciate it for both its useful and eye-catching retro aesthetics.

4. A Multifunctional Lap Desk

Sure, your dorm probably has a desk in the room. But why restrict yourself to a desk or regular table when you don’t have to?

A Lap Desk is a super cool dorm room thing that you’ll use all the time. With it you can conveniently work on your laptop, take notes, or read with comfort anywhere. And hey, it even improves the ergonomics of your dorm provided desk!

Combine a lap desk with a bedrest pillow to reach a level of comfort in your room you didn’t know was possible. It’s a game-changer for sure!

5. A Dorm-Sized Retro Fridge

Is a mini fridge an absolute college necessity you can’t live without?

No, but most college students would agree that it sure is nice to have!

The Galanz Retro Compact Refrigerator is a great looking mini fridge that will stand out from all the others on your floor. The cool throwback style (available in blue, green, black, or red) is such a statement piece! The 3.1 Cu FT model is sized right for dorm rooms yet also surprisingly spacious.

And trust me, if you want a mini fridge that will actually keep frozen snacks frozen – the separate freezer door is a must-have. (We’ve all been let down before by those one door hotel mini fridges that don’t cut it, right?)

6. Bookshelf Speakers

Bluetooth speakers are awesome. Though they do leave something to be desired…like lower and higher frequencies.

Cue bookshelf speakers – truly cool things for dorm rooms. If you’re serious about music and the audio experience, bookshelf speakers are an easy decision. Cause nice speakers add extra good vibes for dorm room hangouts.

Klipsch R-51Ms are a favorite audiophile brand. However, Edifier R1700BTs and Jamo S801s are more budget-friendly and still excellent picks.

7. An Aesthetic Black Light Tapestry

Decorating your walls with a tapestry or two is like a right of passage for college students living in dorms. These and posters are the wall hangings of choice in student housing.

Jazz it up and take it a step further by opting for a dope tapestry like this that glows neon under UV black light. If waves aren’t your jam, don’t worry ’cause there’s more cool artwork to choose from. You might even hang it on the ceiling so you have something to look at before falling asleep.

Whichever version of this wall decor you end up going with, the vibrant colors will make your room really POP! For additional dorm room decorating, consider pairing it with your favorite wall art, a photo wall collage, and dreamy string lights.

8. A Unique Head Planter

Indoor plants and all things plant care are unmistakably trendy right now. And with good reason!

Not only do indoor plants upgrade the overall composition of your dorm room’s space, but research shows they also offer helpful psychological benefits. Pretty cool stuff for a dorm room, am I right?

Lean into those advantages with a unique head planter like this – what I would describe as a modern take on the classic Chia Pet. This novelty planter works well for a variety of plants and comes in a variety of skin tones.

Better yet, you can further customize her look with fake lashes, a necklace, or even a tiara (check out the review pictures for some really neat ideas). I love how this piece of dorm decor gives you so much creative freedom!

9. A Microwave Panini Press

When it comes to cool dorm gadgets, this is my latest favorite discovery:

A microwave panini press/sandwich tray crisper!

You can use this bad boy to make toasted sandwiches, hamburgers, and even coveted CRISPY grilled cheese sandwiches — in the microwave. And if you don’t believe me, check out this microwave grilled cheese recipe, it’s legit magic.

Seriously, this thing is so super handy. In the world of microwave cooking, it’s an iconoclast, and clearly, it’s invaluable to college students who only have a microwave at their cooking disposal.

10. A Relaxing White Noise Machine

A dorm room can be a noisy place. You have your roommates coming in and out of the room, chatting on the phone, or playing music. Plus, people walking down the hallway and talking to each other.

Which is why a sound machine is a great thing to put in a dorm room. It provides white, pink, and brown noise variations in addition to various fan and ocean noises. The LectroFan Micro2 even doubles as a Bluetooth speaker so you can stream your favorite music, audiobooks, and podcasts on the go.

The relaxing background sounds are the perfect way to drown out noise pollution and dial down stress so you can get some quality sleep. All in all, a super helpful device for light sleepers!

11. A Portable Projector

Limited space is a big struggle of dorm life.

Space is at a premium and a TV can be bulky. However, a pocket-sized projector is the best of both worlds. It doesn’t take up much space and you still get to play your shows on the big screen.

Using a projector will transform your room into a cinema hangout spot for movies and gaming. It’s sure to be popular with your roommates and if you leave your door open, other college students will be drawn like moths to a flame! Think of a projector as an investment not only in your personal recharging time but also in your social life.

12. An Outlet Extender so You Have Plenty of Sockets

If there’s one thing a college dorm room never has enough of, it’s outlets! Well that, and storage space of course.

Luckily, an outlet extender is an easy way to fix that problem.

This particular one is cool because it splits one outlet into 8 sockets and 3 USB fast-charging ports. Plus, it’s surge protected and has a shelf on top to create a little extra space. It’s kinda wild how one simple addition to your dorm can improve your life so much!

13. A 3-in-1 Charging Station

We all have things to charge, so why not make it aesthetically pleasing?

With a docking station, you’ll decrease cord clutter on your desk or nightstand without sacrificing function. You’ll have easy access to charge your phone, smartwatch, and earbuds all at the same time, making untangling cables a thing of the past.

This wooden charging station will add a particularly nice touch to your space at college. Being practical to the max in the most stylish way, this idea definitely ticks all the boxes for a cool dorm room gadget. It’s a stellar combination of design, ingenuity, and usability – I can’t recommend it enough!