There are hundreds of options for ‘things to buy’ for your college home. When making these decisions, here are a few things you should buy contrary to popular belief.

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Buy a French Press, Not a Keurig

One of my biggest regrets is buying a Keurig. They take up a ton of space, I only drink hot coffee in the dead of winter, and they can produce a TON of waste. Op for a more sustainable and small coffee maker such as a French Press. French Presses make a cup or two of coffee, they have zero waste AND CAN BREW ICED COFFEE. Once you perfect your perfect French Press cup of coffee, there is ~no~ turning back.

Buy Decomposable K cups, Not non-decomposable

If you already have a Keurig [hi, me too], try to minimize that waste by buying compostable K cups. I get mine at Costco but Amazon has them too [same brand] and I’m sure with a bit of searching you can find your favorite blend of roast and save the planet at the same time.

Buy a Reusable Water Bottle, not a Brita Filter

I bought a Brita for my freshman year of college and used it once. Then, I discovered the water bottle filler station on my floor and just used my reusable water bottle for the rest of the year. Then, that Brita sat on my fridge for the final 9 months of my time in San Diego. Before you buy things that are ~optional~ wait until you’ve moved into your dorm // wherever you’re living to see what luxuries you have. Then, you’ll save some money and space and will still be hydrated.

Buy Tide Pods,  not Liquid Detergent

In high school [and today still] I watch hundreds of college dorm tour videos where YouTubers boast their new rooms. In every one of these videos, these girls had Tide Pods. Being 17 and very persuadable [and wanting to be trendy] I knew I had to have them. I love Tide Pods and I still use them today. They are quick and easy to throw right into the washer when you’re in a rush!

Buy a Wired Printer, not a Wireless Printer

Both years in my dorm I had no printer for the first few weeks of my Fall Semesters. The reason for this, a wireless printer. Wireless printers need wifi to work, however, you cannot connect them to dorm wifi for some reason unbeknownst to me. So, until the USB cord came in the mail, my roommates and I were paying for printing. Just think ahead and get a wired printer to start, so you aren’t stuck without a printer for weeks like I was.

Buy a Mesh Shower Caddy, not a Plastic One

This is something that a lot of people overlook. Shower caddies are necessities for communal showers and saved my butt during my first two years. The problem my freshman year, the plastic shower caddy took up so much space in my dorm and got everything wet. My sophomore year I decided to size down [about half the size] and opted for the mesh caddy. Not only can a mesh caddy be folded to fit wherever you need, but it is also full of holes that get most of the water out before you leave the shower so that you don’t have puddles in your room and aren’t slipping and falling in your room.

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Obviously, to each their own, but these six things, while minor, greatly improved my dorm life and I would recommend them to everyone! What are some college item you would buy in replace of traditionally popular items.

❤ Alicia ❤