The Dorm Budget Planner for Moms

Where should you spend your money when outfitting a dorm — and where can you save?

One of the most common questions we hear from moms is: "How much is this actually going to cost me?" And honestly, that question is harder to answer than it sounds — because every family's budget looks different.

So we're not going to give you a number. What we're going to give you is something more useful: a clear, honest breakdown of every major dorm shopping category — what's worth spending on and what isn't, regardless of your budget. Because dorm shopping isn't about spending the most or the least. It's about spending in the right places.

The Save vs. Splurge framework does exactly that — for every category, we tell you where quality genuinely matters and where an affordable option works just as well. Both verdicts are based on real purchase data and feedback from our community of over 100,000 dorm-shopping families. Whatever your budget looks like, you'll know exactly where to put your money. 

Before We Start: The Most Important Rule

The number one way moms overspend on dorm shopping isn't buying the wrong products — it's buying too much of the right ones. The rule before the budget: needs first, wants second. Essentials establish the foundation — everything else builds on top of it. 

With that said — here's what to plan for.

Bedding

Bedding is one of the first things moms buy and one of the easiest places to either overspend on things that don't matter or underspend on things that do. The key is knowing which is which.

✓ Save On This 

Sheets. Twin XL sheets do not need to be expensive to be good. Our community consistently loves Beckham Hotel Collection, Bare Home, and CGK Unlimited — all available on Amazon at accessible price points. What matters is thread count and Twin XL sizing. Buy two sets so she's never stuck waiting on laundry.

★ Splurge On This

The mattress topper. Dorm mattresses are notoriously uncomfortable — thin, worn, and designed for practicality rather than sleep quality. A quality mattress topper is the single purchase that will most impact how she feels every single day of freshman year. Sleepyhead is our top community recommendation. It comes at a higher price point, but few investments will have a bigger return on her daily wellbeing. This is not the place to go cheap.

✓ Save On This

Comforter and pillows. A mid-range comforter from Target's Room Essentials line or Amazon is completely sufficient. She'll likely want to upgrade eventually when she has her own place — for now, functional and cozy is the goal. Same with pillows. Two is enough. Decorative pillows can be a nice touch, but do not go overboard.

Storage & Organization

Storage is the most underestimated category in dorm shopping — and the one that has the biggest impact on whether the room functions or becomes chaos. The good news: you do not need to spend a lot to solve this problem well.

✓ Save On This 

Almost everything in this category. Storage is a save across the board — but shop it strategically. Cover the basics: under-bed bins, a bedside nightstand or caddy, a closet doubler, shelf risers, an ottoman with storage, and over-door organizers. Affordability is fine for all of it. What matters isn't how much you spend — it's thinking vertically. In a dorm room, every door, wall, and inch of vertical height is storage waiting to happen. Prioritize pieces that go up before anything that takes up floor space. 

★ Splurge On This 

Closet organization — ONLY IF her closet is particularly small. If the dorm closet is genuinely tiny, a quality closet doubler and a well-designed shoe rack make a significant difference. The Container Store's options are pricier but genuinely more durable and better designed than budget alternatives. Worth it if closet space is the primary challenge.

Bathroom Supplies

Bathroom supplies are one of the easiest categories to overbuy. She doesn't need a fully stocked spa caddy — she needs the essentials done well.

✓ Save On This

The caddy itself, flip flops, and basic toiletry organizers. A $15-25 shower caddy from Amazon or Target does everything a $60 one does. Shower flip flops can be the cheapest pair you find. Toiletry baskets and organizers don't need to be expensive — function over form here.

★ Splurge On This

Towels. Cheap towels don't dry well, wear out fast, and feel rough — which matters when you're washing them weekly in a shared laundry room. Invest in 3-4 quality microfiber or Turkish cotton towels that will actually last the year. She'll use them every single day.

✓ Save On This

Toiletries and personal care products. She'll develop her own preferences quickly once she's on her own. Don't stock her with a semester's worth of products before she moves in — send her with a one-month supply and let her decide what she actually likes and needs.

Desk & School Supplies

The desk is where she'll spend a significant portion of her time — making it functional is worth investing in. 

★ Splurge On This

The desk lamp. Dorm overhead lighting is universally harsh and unflattering. A quality desk lamp with adjustable brightness and a built-in USB port transforms the entire workspace. This is a daily-use item she'll rely on for years — don't cheap out.

★ Splurge On This

Headphones. If she'll be studying in shared spaces — which she will — good headphones are a genuine quality-of-life investment. Noise-cancelling if budget allows. She will use these constantly.

✓ Save On This

Desk organizers, planners, and supplies. A $10 desk organizer from Target does the same job as a $40 one. Same with notebooks, planners, and general school supplies. Don't over-buy school supplies before the semester starts — she'll know what she needs once classes begin.

✓ Save On This

A printer. Skip it entirely. The library has one. Most professors accept digital submissions. A printer is one of the most consistently regretted dorm purchases in our community.

Mini Appliances

Mini appliances are where moms often over-invest — buying things that sound useful but don't get used. Here's the honest breakdown.

★ Splurge On This

A mini Keurig. IF your daughter is a coffee lover, the Keurig Mini is consistently one of the best-selling and most-loved dorm appliances in our community. A quality one will last all four years. This is worth spending on.

✓ Save On This

Everything else. A basic minifridge, a simple power strip, an affordable air purifier. Unless she has a specific need, resist the urge to buy every gadget that seems dorm-relevant. Wait and see what she actually asks for after the first month.

Pro Tip: Before buying any appliance, have your daughter reach out to her roommate. A mini fridge, microwave, air purifier, Keurig, and even a trash can — only one of each is needed in a shared space. A quick conversation before anyone buys anything saves both families real money and the room valuable space.

Floor, Lighting & Décor

This is the category where moms spend too much too fast. Décor feels satisfying to shop for — it's visual, it's exciting, and it makes the room feel personal. But it's also the category that generates the most regret and the most clutter.

★ Splurge On This

The rug. A rug transforms a dorm room more than almost anything else. It adds warmth, absorbs sound, and gives the space a sense of home. Measure the room before buying. A rug that's too small looks like a bath mat. One caveat — if you invest in a quality rug, protect it. Shoes off at the door is a simple rule that makes a real difference. 

✓ Save On This

LED strip lights and wall décor. LED strips are wildly popular in dorm rooms and you can get excellent ones on Amazon for very little. Same with most wall décor — Command Strips, removable wallpaper, and photo displays are all highly affordable. Don't buy expensive art or heavy frames for a dorm room.

✓ Save On This

Most décor in general — and buy less than you think. The most common décor mistake is buying too much before she sees the room. Wait until she's moved in and knows what the space actually needs before you overdo it.

Laundry, Cleaning & Well Being

This is the category daughters ignore and moms pack perfectly. Pack it anyway — she'll thank you the first time she gets sick and needs cold medicine at 11pm.

✓ Save On This

Almost everything here. Detergent pods, dryer sheets, Clorox wipes, a basic laundry hamper, a stain remover pen — all of this can be sourced affordably from Walmart, Target, or Amazon. There is no meaningful quality difference between premium and basic cleaning supplies for a dorm room.

★ Splurge On This

The first aid kit and medicine supply. Cold medicine, pain reliever, antacids, allergy medication, a thermometer, and bandages — stock her well for the first semester. This is the one area where going comprehensive upfront genuinely pays off. When she's sick, the last thing she should be doing is going to a campus pharmacy. Spend the $40-60 and do it right.

The Budget Line Nobody Remembers

Every dorm budget spreadsheet covers the obvious categories. Here's the one line that almost never makes it in — and consistently does:

The "after she's in the room" fund.

No matter how thoroughly you shop before move-in, there will be things she discovers she needs once she's living there. A specific type of hook that works on her particular door. A fan because the room runs hot. A second lamp because the desk one doesn't reach far enough. A specific storage solution for her particular closet configuration.

Build in a buffer — even a modest one — for the first month after move-in. The families who do this spend it wisely on exactly what she needs. The families who don't end up making frantic Target runs or sending packages that may or may not contain the right thing.

For a thoughtfully outfitted dorm room that covers every essential category, what moves the number up isn't buying better products — it's buying more products than she needs. Shop intentionally, buy the essentials first, and let the room tell you the rest.

One last thought: The moms in our community who feel best about what they spent aren't the ones who spent the least or the most. They're the ones who spent deliberately — who knew why they were buying each thing and what it would do for their daughter's daily life. That's the real goal of any dorm budget. Not a number. A decision framework.