Don't Send Your Kid Off to College Without These IKEA Pieces
They'll last FAR beyond freshman year.
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Sending your 18-year-old "baby" off to college is inevitably bittersweet. You're thrilled about the years of growth ahead, but the excitement is often met with worrying. Who's going to make sure they don't eat pizza for every meal? Who will recover the dorm room floor from the massive layer of clothes thrown on it?
One way to ease your (and your kid's) nerves is to make sure they're well-prepared for the next four years. The best place to start? IKEA.
Whether your kid is moving into the dorms or snagged coveted off-campus housing, the interior dreamland is stocked with all the items they'll need, including these five staples for stylish, yet durable living.
No college student's room is complete without a lamp to flick on for late-night study sessions. This one can be easily directed to focus on a single spot, too, so roommates won't be bothered.
Bonus: The platform charges smartphones wirelessly.
If a full desk isn't at the top of your kid's priority list for their room, then a laptop stand is the perfect alternative. Having a surface to work on (i.e., not under the covers in bed) helps stay organized and focused. It can also double as a nightstand!
Between course syllabi, homework, and photos of family and pets back home, students have all kinds of papers and small items to keep track of.
A pegboard helps add some method to the madness. Plus, they can hang their keys on it to avoid a last-minute panic on the way out to an exam.
To avoid clothes piling in different parts of their room (floor, chair, bed, etc.), invest in a nice, durable wardrobe where your kid can actually keep their belongings like the almost-adult they are.
This two-tiered piece will easily house football jerseys for game day, dress pants for interviews, and more.
This bed frame and headboard combo features plenty of hidden storage for your kid's college clutter (let's be honest, it's going to happen).
The color is a plus, too—black will mask some of the wear and tear of moving from off-campus housing to first apartment when the time comes.
Maya McDowell is a Chicago-based writer and editor who covers lifestyle, beauty, and entertainment. When she’s not writing, you can find her reading memoirs, at improv class, or planning her next adventure.
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