5 Cheap(ish) Dorm Essentials to Make College Life Easier

Lofting a bed absurdly high is the first step in maximizing dorm storage space, but neatly stashing everything under it requires creativity. A collapsible ottoman, such as the Seville Classics Storage Bench Ottoman—which also comes in a smaller cube shape—is an aesthetically pleasing, multifunctional storage option for your new tiny living situation.

Wirecutter's Hana Stepnick used her storage ottoman to keep extra shoes out of sight and as an aid to climb onto her lofted bed (according to Seville Classics, the storage ottoman can withstand up to 500 pounds on the lid when closed and can hold up to 50 pounds inside). When friends come over, you can also use it as an extra seat.

On the off chance your phone dies or gets lost, having an old school alarm clock will help you keep track of the time so you don’t miss class. We like the DreamSky Compact Digital Alarm Clock because it’s inexpensive, intuitive to use, comes with two USB ports that you can use to charge other devices, and has a large digital display—each number is 2 inches tall—so you can see it easily no matter where you are in your room.

Having proper food storage makes it easier to save your leftovers, and the Rubbermaid TakeAlongs Food Storage Containers are a solid budget option for your dorm needs. They can handle a few falls without breaking or leaking, so they’ll likely survive a busy college lifestyle pretty well, and they’re designed to stack so they’re easier to store. You may want to ditch them after graduation, but they’re a better food storage option than to-go coffee cups from the dining hall (a method I tested and don’t recommend).

No matter if you have linoleum, carpet, or wood flooring, having a handheld vacuum cleaner helps keep your space clean (and there’s a good chance you’ll end up loaning it out to neighbors and friends). For a budget-friendly option, we like the Black+Decker Dustbuster AdvancedClean CHV1410L. We found it captures most common household debris and is good for quick tidying, but it’s a bit louder and takes longer to charge than more-expensive models.

A surge protector not only gives you more outlets to work with (so you can plug in, say, your floor lamp, phone charger, and even your laptop charger at once), but it also protects you from fires and your items from power surges. We like the Tripp Lite Protect It 3-Outlet Surge Protector SK30USB as a budget-friendly, compact option that offers top-tier protection. It has an auto-shutoff feature and a small light to indicate that your electronics are still protected.

This article was edited by Annemarie Conte and Alexander Aciman.