College and University Blog

Ikea for College: The Answer to the Dreary Dorm Room

It is not easy to make the transition from a cozy, spacious bedroom to a confined and tiny dorm room. Space, privacy, and the comforts of home become a precious commodity, not easily attained. It is also not a simple task to gauge how to pack appropriately—what to bring, what will be excessive, what is necessary, what is it that you just cannot live without, and how will you STORE it all when you get there!?

After a recent trip to Ikea, I determined that there is not one store that has college dorm ideas and products nailed down like this company. A triumvirate of low cost, convenience, and style is what sets it apart, not to mention the 99¢ Swedish pancake breakfasts.

Optimal dorm living based upon:

Budget

At Ikea, you can create a dorm room living space that measures from above decent, in aspects of look and efficiency, to sensational, dependent upon any budget. Even if your quota is sitting a token 50 bucks, you still have options.

Convenience

I confess that so much of my frustrations with Ikea is that every furniture item purchased requires construction. For someone like myself who never understands how anything works or is put together, this dynamic has never facilitated my needs. However, for the college student, furniture in a box is a perfect concept for convenience. Lugging heavy bookcases, bed frames, and desks up multiple flights of stairs into and throughout narrow hallways and door passages is not the most ideal stratagem. Carrying boxes and constructing furniture in the room sounds much more appealing.

Style

One thing that Ikea has is its European flair. It is uniquely generic and minimalist. Their typical designer colors are bright, bold and basic which transfers into new trend cycles, and their usage of modern lines and retro panache is charming and attractive. Even the smallest of Ikea purchases can brighten a room.

Top Product Recommendations:

After perusing, I noted a basic list of Ikea products that I felt were completely ideal for the college student’s budget and capacity needs:

Grankulla/Massum Futon Sofa White $169.00

Tolga Organizer/Wardrobe $69.00

Ikea PS Laptop Workstation $59.99

Lerberg Shelf Unit $19.99

Flarke TV Unit $17.99

Bits Magnetic White Board $9.99