One day you’ll want to be sophisticated. One day you’ll pay hundreds of dollars for Tommy Hilfiger bedding or thousands for Aninachi bedspreads. For now though, you want machine washable college bedding that’s colorful, decorative and inspirational, as well as spill/puke friendly. After all, there will be a lot of parties and a lot of stuffing your face with leftover Chinese food (in bed) while cramming for that exam. Space and stylistic options are both limited in dorms, so what is a confined college student to do? Well, choose the most interesting comforter set he or she can find!
Here are a few helpful tips for you when you go shopping for dorm bedding. First, buy extra-long twin sheets. Normal sheets won’t fit the beds properly. Secondly, don’t get white. You’ll be pretty much living in your room and the last thing you want is something that’s boring and will show stains. Buy more than one set of sheets because, regardless of your intentions, you’re going to put off doing laundry. You should change your sheets every week, ideally, so keep that in mind. Lastly, buy a mattress pad! Whether it’s memory foam, feather down or egg crate, you’ll need some sort of defense against the rock solid, one-inch-thick dorm room mattress.
Next, you’ll need to consider choosing a college bedding style. Girls generally choose brighter colors, modern or contemporary patterns. They usually have an idea of exactly what they’re looking for and have many options to choose from. For guys, there are some comforter sets that come with two pillowcases and two fitted sheets (one for the bed and one for the wash) for guys who don’t use top sheets. They like dark colors like navy, crimson, mocha and dark sage, experts say. Extra-long twin sheets in denim and white sell well, as do down comforters with cotton duvet covers, which add comfort that even bare-bones basic guys can appreciate.
So how do most people shop for college bedding? A 2007 survey revealed that 33.6% of male consumers said they shopped for comforters at specialty stores, like Bed Bath and Beyond. Internet shopping, however, is also on the rise. “In many cases the mother does the legwork but consults with the son, and they will often look online together. She’ll make the purchase after she knows what he wants,” explains Jeff Gawronski, manager at www.dormbuys.com. Last year, parents shelled out an average of $1,200 on electronics, bedding accessories and dorm furnishings.