30 gadgets for dorm living you'll be so happy to own

This article was originally posted September 4, 2018 and was updated August 28, 2019.

Whether it's your very first semester or you're headed back to campus for your fourth year of university, there are about a billion things you need for school. Besides the very long list of required textbooks and the usual checklist of absolute essentials (please pick up a mattress protector, because otherwise, gross), there are a bunch of gadgets out there just waiting to make dorm life a little easier. Not only are these finds absolute lifesavers, they make life on campus a little more fun, too.

From the must-haves to the splurges, to the devices to keep you well caffeinated in that tiny, tiny room, here are our picks.

Space savers

The more storage space you can create in that small room, the better. Placing these risers in your shopping cart will help you fit even more under your bed, but the true beauty of these is that they add 2 extra electrical and USB plug ports to your space.

4-Piece USB Bed Lift Set, $49.99, Bed Bath & Beyond

Simple but ingenious! This doubles your hanging space, and any extra storage space in that tiny dorm room closet is a beautiful thing.​

Neatfreak Expandable Hanging MaxBar, $11.97, Walmart

If you're one of the lucky few to have a kitchenette in your suite, well then this adorable lavender mini waffle maker is a must! Who knew waffle makers could be cute? It's perfect for when you miss breakfast at meal hall, or you just can't wait for waffle day. Plus, look at that price!

Mini Waffle Maker, $22, Urban Outfitters

You've got to do something with those sad, beige walls. So why not adorn your room with pics of your new bffs, memories from frosh week... or your dog! Your campus printing card doesn't exactly cover photos, so this compact printer is the answer. It's super portable so you can create stickable pics anywhere on campus and save all that desk space that is usually stolen by traditional printers.

HP Sprocket Photo Printer, $159.95, Indigo

This is basically a closet to hang onto your closet, and it's a little intense but awesome. If keeping all of your jewelry, accessories and cosmetics in just one place helps you sleep in an extra ten minutes before lecture, it'll be a welcome addition to your space. Plus it's lit from within, so you can get ready without turning on the overhead lights and annoying your roommate.

Over-the-Door Mirror Jewelry and Accessory Organizer, $219.99, Bed Bath & Beyond

Just plain practical

This essential oil diffuser + alarm clock hybrid will help keep your room smelling nice. And if you're thinking that you've got your phone, so who needs an actual alarm clock anymore, you must not be the student who falls asleep listening to comedy podcasts only to wake to your dead phone, having slept in halfway through your seminar for your class on cult cinema where attendance is very, very important. Just a thought.

Aromatherapy Essential Oil Diffuser and Alarm Clock, $51.99, Amazon

This wireless phone charger will help you give up that never-ending hunt for your phone cord. Simply place this on your desk or nightstand and start charging. It's sleek, it's pretty and it will help keep cord clutter under control.

Aluminum Wireless Phone Charger, $17.46, Indigo

The lighting in your dorm is most likely going to be awful. Work some better lighting (and music) into your beauty routine with this LED mirror Bluetooth speaker. It's got three brightness levels and you can stream your music, or use the speakerphone function, for multi-tasking mid-mascara application.  

iHome 7" Vanity Mirror Bluetooth Speaker, $99.99, Best Buy

If your dorm doesn't provide you with a desk lamp, may we suggest this one. It doubles as a wireless charger so you can end that constant search for a phone cord, and it won an international design award for being oh so appealing.

LED Work Lamp With Wireless Charging, $79.99, Ikea

You're inevitably going to end up leaving your dorm room for class with a low-charge phone, I promise. But throwing this very compact power bank in your backpack will help save the day. Just remember that profs can 100% tell if you're texting during class.

Marble Printed Power Bank, $13.96, Indigo

Neat and tidy

Is your suite inhabited by other long-haired humans? Save yourself from disgusting shower-clogged water pooling up to your calves. Trust me on this one.

UMBRA Flex Drain Stop/Hair Catcher, $7.50, Hudson's Bay

OK, you have a kettle on your list (because instant noodles!) but this is worth adding to the cart, too. If you're going to use your kettle constantly, it's gonna get a little gross and this tiny little tool prevents the buildup of lime scale.

Kettle Fur Remover and Protector, $4, Cookery

Be warned: flu season coincides with midterms, so this UV air purifier may help ward off those unwanted cold-causing germs and save your whole semester. With no need for filters, the one-time fee is all you'll pay.

Pluggable UV-C Air Sanitizer And Deodorizer, $41.98, Walmart

OK, you new students may be living away from home for the first time, but you're not monsters. There's no need to walk into lecture with a wrinkled shirt picked up off of your floor. You could at least steam it! Or, if you are going to a university like the one I attended, you may be required to wear dress robes for certain lecturers (v. Hogwarts/ridiculous, I know) and a simple steam will help you look even more fancy. At about the price of an iron, it's worth adding to your list — no ironing board required.

ROWENTA Dr5020 Ultrasteam Steambrush, $42.49, Hudson's Bay

Keeping caffeinated, and yes, this requires a whole section

The meal hall may have coffee, but if you're after a latte, this is the perfect gadget. At less than $100 it's basically a steal of an espresso maker, and it even comes with the steaming wand. Americanos, lattes, cappuccinos are all within reach without leaving your dorm.

Capresso Steam PRO 4-Cup Espresso & Cappuccino Machine, $79.99, Bed Bath & Beyond

Easy to use and easy to clean, craft your very own cold brew and keep it in that mini fridge for a much-needed afternoon jolt.

ASOBU 40 oz. Stainless Steel Cold Brew Coffee Maker, $39.95, Bed Bath & Beyond

Cold coffee is a bummer (unless you've crafted a cold brew). Prevent cooled-down beverages and keep your coffee, tea or hot chocolate at the perfect temp while you write endless papers this semester.

Mr. Coffee Mug Warmer, $27.25, Amazon

A kettle is an absolute must. Step it up a little with this one's variable temperature function to expertly steep different types of teas or warm up water for your drip coffee. It's got auto shut-off and a boil dry prevention features so you can heat your water, worry free, however distracted you may be. And, it's on sale right now!

Variable Temperature Kettle, $69.99, Oster

Cramming for midterms is made more tolerable with tea. It's just a fact. This over-the-cup steeper is so easy to use, makes 18 oz of tea and you won't need to deal with adding loose leaf tea into those tiny tea bags anymore. Plus, it's neat!

Steeper, $20, DAVIDsTEA

I've got one more coffee gadget for you. This is so minimal, it's a must. It's brass (pretty!), collapsible (saves you space!) and fits over any mug, so you can make your morning coffee right into your travel mug and head to the lab.

Brass Collapsible Coffee Dripper, about $22.58, Kikkerland

Just for fun

You're about to spend a ton of time in a tiny room; here's a bit of a splurge to make studying a little more interesting. Just pop your Philips Hue bulbs into a lamp or the ceiling fixture, sync it with the bridge component and wirelessly control your space's colour scheme with an app on your phone. You can use various hues of white for optimal daylight or cozy lighting even if you don't get much natural sunlight. You can even sync it with the Sleep Cycle app which will wake you up with a gentle glow during the optimal part of your sleep cycle. We also love this system because wireless lighting means you can turn your lights on without leaving your bed. The bulb offers up to 25,000 hours of light. It will also sync to movies and music for the perfect ambience, because the most fun feature is turning your room tons of fun colours. And while you're at it, make reading about Dante's fifth cornice of hell a little more thematic with an appropriate colour scheme — whatever that may be.

Philips Hue Bridge 2.0, $63.98, and Philips Hue A19 Smart Personal Wireless Light Bulb - White & Colour Ambiance, $58.98, Best Buy

Make communal showers a little more tolerable with this waterproof bluetooth speaker. Sing along to your fave songs or finish up that audio book that you're supposed to be able to discuss in this morning's lecture. Plus, since it's connected to your phone, you can use it to take any important shower calls you may receive.

Marble Shower Speaker, $10.50, Indigo

Excellent for dorm room movie nights with your new bffs, or making that required list of screenings for film theory a little more tolerable. It's affordable and tiny, so it won't eat up that limited storage space.

Mini Portable LCD Pocket Projector, $80.99, Amazon

If you're allowed to have a microwave, then this super easy, super convenient popcorn maker is a must. It's got a kernel measuring guide built into the design and you don't even need to use butter or oil. Oh and it comes in a set of two, so you can share with your roommate… or make it a double portion, just for you. No judgment.

Joseph Joseph Single Portion Microwave Popcorn Maker, $26.99, Neat Space

This heat wave is about to come to an end and then come those cool autumn days. Snuggle up with these USB heat-up slippers and pick up one of the 15 readings you're behind on. Also, look how cute they are! Can you even have a bad day in them?

Smoko Corgi USB Heat-Up Slipper, $44, Urban Outfitters

These super cute USB handwarmers are perfect for dorms that aren't quite as "toasty" as you need them to be. Plus, they make typing away on that philosophy paper a little more interesting.

Smoko Toast USB Wired Handwarmer, $37.99, Amazon

Gadgets for your gadgets

You need a shower caddy, no question. Trying to carry 8 items to the shower early in the morning a couple of times and you'll agree. When I first saw this, I thought "Kids these days! Can't they shower without their phones?" But then the genius of this product hit me. It's a safe, waterproof place to keep your phone, plus now you can keep track of how much time you have left before your first class.

Mesh Shower Tote, $14.99, Bed Bath & Beyond

This felt pocket simply tucks under your mattress, then hangs over the side of your bed. It's the best for when you're up late studying and don't want to walk across your room to put your book or gadgets back on your desk. And if you don't have a nightstand, it'll serve as the optimal place to put your phone every night; close at hand and not falling in the crack between your twin bed and the wall.

Kikkerland Bedside Pocket, $24.50, Indigo

This is a gadget — let me have this one. This foldable hamper saves space when (miraculously) you have no dirty laundry. Plus, it's got a divider, so you can sort your laundry before you battle it out at the communal laundry room. It hold three loads of laundry and it's easy to carry. It's also a little nicer that those shapeless laundry bags, so you won't be seen lugging a giant bag of clothing down the hall that's taller than you.

CleverMade SnapBasket Hamper, $39.99, Bed Bath & Beyond

Welcome to college. Your desk is now overrun with textbooks and tons of wires for all of the tech that you're using to write up those last-minute lab reports. Use these colourful cable tags to keep all of those wires straight.

Bobino Cable Tag 10 pcs/Pack, $9.99, neatspace.ca