If you’re a certain type of student, there’s nothing quite like showing back up on campus after an invigorating summer’s break; the quad to your left, your new dorm to your right, and a sweet late August wind blowing through your newly cut hair (that you desperately hope people will notice, and comment on).
In the last three months, you’ve got a new lease on life, including, but not limited to: new clothes, new perspectives, a new twin bed to look forward to curling up in, and plenty of ideas for new fields of study. The only thing that isn’t new is your dorm storage.
You ruined your hanging closet organizer with a pair of muddy shoes, and accidentally broke your hamper when you stepped on it, bleary-eyed, attempting to make your 8:30 AM last semester, a mistake you’ll never make again.
Lucky for you, to start your new year off right, we’ve rounded up our list of the 11 best dorm storage and organization solutions for college students (and parents of college-aged students) on a budget.
Read on to find our wallet-friendly organization options, courtesy of Amazon, Target, and more, all priced at $25 or less.
1. HEYHOUSE Pack of 6 Multifunctional Closet Organizers
Maximize your closet storage space with this Pack of 6 Multifunctional Closet Organizers from Heyhouse. Use them vertically, horizontally, or whichever way strikes your fancy, all yours today for less than $15 from Amazon.
2. 10-foot Extension Cord and Power Strip Surge Protector
In college, as in life, chargers add up. Laptop, phone, Xbox, monitor, guitar amp…Whatever needs plugging, handle it with this 10-foot Extension Cord and Power Strip, with eight outlets, and three USB ports.
3. Aiduy Bedside Caddy
Keep everything handy from the comfort of your dorm bed with this Aiduy Bedside Caddy, perfectly able to fit a laptop, iPad, textbook, and whatever else you may need, for less that $14.
4. UUJOLY Plastic Storage Basket with Handles
Some people spend too much time thinking about their dorm room, and not quite enough about the showers. Pro tip: you’re going to need a shower caddy, and this one, from UUJOLY, is the perfect shower solution.
5. Wayfair Basics Blazek Vertical File Sorter
Keep your studies organized, and hanging in a place you can see them, with this Wayfair Basics Blazek Vertical File Sorter, available today for a smart $5.00 off from Wayfair.
6. Wayfair Basics Plastic 2.5 Gallon Waste Basket
Up late essay writing, there’s going to be a fair few false starts. When you wad up a piece of paper in frustration, you’re going to need somewhere to put it, like this Wayfair Basics Plastic 2.5 Gallon Waste Basket, available for under $10 today.
7. Wayfair Basics 6 Compartment Hanging Organizer
Add a hanging dresser to your closet without having to sacrifice the space with this Wayfair Basics 6 Compartment Hanging Organizer, available for under $13 today from Wayfair.
8. Wayfair Basics Osblek 4 Piece Bathroom Accessory Set
If you’re lucky enough to live in a suite, or some other place where you have access to your own bathroom, you’d do well to personalize what’s yours. Try doing so via this 4-Piece Bathroom Accessory Set, available for just $15 from Wayfair.
9. 3 Drawer Medium Cart White
Keep your clothes, school supplies, textbooks, or keepsakes right where you can see when with this simple, effective 3-Drawer Cart, available for just $15 today from Target.
10. Juvale Large Collapsible Woven Jute Fabric Round Laundry Hamper
In your dorm room, you’re going to need somewhere to store your laundry. And if you’d like to keep your laundry, you’re going to need something eye-catching to put it in, like this Juvale Collapsible Laundry Hamper, available now for just $17.
11. Black + Decker 3-in-1 Lightweight Corded Upright and Handheld Multi-Surface Vacuum
No, this Black + Decker 3-in-1 Lightweight Corded Upright and Handheld Vacuum isn’t technically a “storage solution,” but it breaks down so small, and will clear up so much of your space, it might as well be. Plus, it’s just under $23 today from Walmart.
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