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When I moved into my college dorm as a freshman, I remember wishing there was a simple way to send friends and family a list of everything I still needed — similar to the registries people create for weddings and baby showers. Between bedding, storage, laundry supplies, toiletries and all the little things I didn’t realize I’d need until move-in day, the shopping added up quickly. I wanted a way to make a cohesive list that everyone could shop while avoiding bad communication that resulted in duplicates and deficits.
Since then, I’ve led the back-to-school shopping for my family. I handled my own college shopping and helped my brother, who’s now a senior in college, with his move in. Next up is my sister, who’s a senior in high school, and I’m already thinking about what she’ll need when it’s her turn to move into a dorm. This time, though, I’m making a registry.
A dorm registry can serve two purposes: It keeps your college shopping organized in one place, and it gives friends and family who want to support you an easy way to buy something you’ll actually use. Most if not all retailers keep track of what requests have been fulfilled so there won’t be any duplicate purchases and, depending on the retailer, you may also be able to have items shipped or picked up at a store near your college, which can be particularly helpful if you’re moving far from home or need to fly to school.
As someone who worked for her campus Residential Life office throughout all four years of college and helped support countless move ins and move outs, I know which dorm essentials students actually use (and which ones they probably don’t need). So below, I’ve rounded up places where you can create a dorm registry or shareable wishlist, along with the essentials I’d recommend adding before move-in day.
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Not every retailer offers a dedicated dorm registry, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make one. Many stores offer shareable wishlists that accomplish essentially the same thing: You can add the dorm essentials you need, send the list to friends and family and keep everything organized in one place. Below are the retailers I recommend for creating a dorm registry or wishlist, including options that offer shipping or pickup near campus.Note that all these retailers require an account, but the wishlist creation tools are free.
Why I like it for college: Amazon is probably one of the easiest options for a dorm registry because you can put a wide variety of dorm essentials (bedding, storage, school supplies, tech accessories, toiletries and more) in one place. You can also assign priorities to items, which I like for distinguishing between the things you need before move-in and the things that would simply be nice to have.
Amazon doesn’t have a registry specifically for dorm rooms, but you can create a Gift List or Wish List and use it like one. To make a Gift List, go to Amazon’s Registry & Gifting page, select “Create” and choose the occasion you’re celebrating; you can also create a List through “Account & Lists” or directly from a product page. Once it’s set up, add dorm essentials as you shop.
How friends and family shop it: You can make an Amazon Gift List public and searchable or keep it shareable and send the link directly to who you want to have it. Amazon also tracks purchases, which helps prevent loved ones from buying the same items.
Shipping/pickup: You can assign a shipping address to an Amazon List, which makes this particularly useful if you want gifts sent to the address you’ll use while at college or mail room once your mailing ID is assigned. Items can be sent directly to your home address which is nice if you want to have safely, securely packaged boxes ready to go for move-in day.
Why I like it for college: Target has nearly everything you might need for a dorm, but its large store footprint is what makes it particularly convenient. If you’re attending college away from home, you can shop before you leave and potentially pick up things closer to school instead of packing every pillow, storage bin and bottle of detergent into the car. Target has almost 2,000 locations across the U.S.
Target is one of my favorite options for this because it actually offers a College Wish List specifically designed for school planning. You can create one on Target.com or in the Target app, then add products online or by scanning items in a Target store. Target also offers college-focused checklists to help you figure out what you might be missing.
How friends and family shop it: You can send friends and family a direct link — including a customized URL — or make your list searchable on target.com and in Target stores. When someone buys an item directly through the list, Target updates it to help keep track of what’s already been purchased.
Shipping/pickup: This is where I think Target really shines for college students. Gifts can be shipped to the address attached to your list, and shoppers can also purchase registry and wishlist items online for order pickup. Target also offers drive-up pickup and same day delivery, depending on the order and location.
