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Living in a dorm room can already be cramped, uncomfortable, and a all around stressful experience. Now imagine an already confined dorm room, and cut that space in half: that’s living in an economy triple at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. This dorm room obviously doesn’t seem too comfortable at first, but there are a lot of things that helped me make this small space feel more like home!
These are the five things in my economy triple dorm room that I absolutely could not live without.
- Heated blanket
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If I could recommend only one item for your dorm room, it would be a heated blanket! The winters in Massachusetts are freezing. Having a cozy and warm blanket in my room is my favorite thing to come home to after a long day of classes and work.
- Bedside storage
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My roommate, who unfortunately has the top bunk, swears by any storage compartment that doesn’t take up space on the floor. A little caddy that hangs off the side of a bed is the item we’ve found to be most useful for our storage. There is already barely any room to walk around in the dorm, let alone room to put drawers and shelves. Bedside storage is 100% the way to go if you want to save space in your room!
- Shoe Rack
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One great way to ensure that your room isn’t messy and cluttered all of the time is to get a shoe rack. Your floor will start to look so messy so quickly if you’re throwing off your shoes when you get home. Doing something as simple as putting your shoes away can make the biggest difference. Getting a shoe rack will remind you to do that small task that will save you in the long run!
- Wax melt warmer
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Living with a lot of other people on your floor can be overwhelming, and I know that candles can help make a space feel so much more warm and cozy. Not being able to have a candle in the dorm has been a struggle, but wax melts have saved my life. The aroma substitutes candles perfectly!
- sunset lamp
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The last suggestion I have is to get some mood lighting. My personal favorite is a sunset lamp, which I always have on in my room. The dorm lighting is harsh and intense! It can really start to hurt my eyes if I have it on for a while! A sunset lamp is perfect for soft lighting that will help you relax.
If you’re homesick at college and your dorm is feeling uncomfortable and crowded, there are always little things you can do to make it feel a little more homey. Those little things, like buying a new blanket or cleaning up the floor, can make your transition from home to college that much less stressful.
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