How to Choose College Dorm Room Bedding
1. Determine What You Will Need: Not everyone has the same preferences for types of sheet sets and blankets or pillows. The basics include a foam mattress pad (those school issued beds are not the most comfortable!), a fitted sheet (has elastic in the corners to stay attached to the mattress), a flat sheet, and a comforter or duvet cover. You will also need pillows and pillowcases. It is good to have at least two pillows, though if you are accustomed to having more to help you sleep, you should certainly bring as many as you feel comfortable with. You will also need to take into consideration that you will likely need a back up set, just in case your set needs washed. (Even if you’re not “planning” on needing it – you never know if your roommate will accidentally dump coffee all over your bed at 2 a.m.!)
2. Get the Right Size: For some reason, most school issued beds come in an extra long twin size mattress. This means that most standard sized sheets may not always fit the way they are supposed to. Fortunately, most retailers and bedding manufacturers have realized this, and so they offer a wide selection of different types and patterns for you to choose from.
3. Choose a Comfortable Material: It won’t matter what type of design or colors or pattern you choose if the material the fabric is made out of is not comfortable. It’s very difficult to fall asleep in scratchy sheets! We love jersey knit sheet sets because they feel like a t-shirt, though you may have your own personal preferences. You may think it will be softer after washing, but that is not always the case.
4. Coordinate Colors: If you haven’t talked to your room mate yet, you will probably want to do this before you purchase a set. While it’s likely you and your room mate will have different personal styles, you’ll want to make sure that at least the choices you make don’t completely clash with one another. Try to go for similar colors or ones that compliment each other. For example, you can choose to stick to the colors red and blue, and then it won’t matter if you have blue sheets or red sheets.
5. Pillows, Pillows, Pillows: Pillows are a great way to transform your bed into a seating area. You’ll want to make sure you have enough pillows to sleep comfortably as we mentioned earlier. You may also want to invest in a body sized pillow or other decorative large pillows to help you with making your bed a comfortable place to sit and lounge and relax. Don’t forget the pillowcases – having pillowcases that compliment the rest of your dorm bedding selections can greatly help with giving your room a uniform look and unique style.
6. Extra Blankets: Having an extra blanket can be a great help for having something to snuggle up under or to provide extra warmth on cold nights. While it’s nice to think you’ll have proper temperature control in your room, the truth is there are times where your room will feel like a freezer and other times it seems like a sauna. Having extra blankets available will be a big help if you have to wait for maintenance to fix the heating or if you and your room mate disagree on proper room temperature.
Choosing college dorm bedding doesn’t have to be a difficult process – simply following these simple tips will help you find something that will be great for the next upcoming semester. You may also want to check out our articles on college dorm comforters and college dorm sheets for more tips and ideas.
Category: Dorm Room Decorations
