Calling all parents! This time of year, one certainty can be counted upon each year like clockwork - back to school. Whether you’ve got kids in preschool, elementary, middle, high school or college, this reality is inevitable.
Every year in July and August, our showrooms are flooded by customers looking for budget-friendly back to school furniture solutions. Most of these shoppers are parents looking for affordable furniture or mattresses for their college students and teenage kids. We all know that back to school is already a stressful time as it is. Especially if you’ve got college-age kids to move! Why make it any harder than it has to be?
Whether you need to furnish your kid’s dorm room, their first apartment, or your teenager just needs some extra workspace in their bedroom for classes this fall, we want to make your back-to-school season a breeze. That’s exactly why we’re highlighting some of our favorite back to school furniture pieces for college kids, teens and young adults!
But First, A Few Ground Rules
Obviously, dorms and student apartments are generally tight on space. Your kid’s new living space isn’t really the realm of large sectionals, king-size beds, or grandiose dining tables. That’s why you’ll want to specifically look for pieces that are a bit more streamlined, efficient, or have a smaller footprint.
Additionally, most shoppers furnishing their child’s dorm or first apartment aren’t necessarily looking for heirloom quality furniture that will last decades and decades. This furniture is likely going to be transitional in nature – something they will use for a few years but may want to replace once they venture out on their own. As a result, it helps to focus on more affordable to mid-grade furniture options.
Lastly, it’s important to keep in mind that there’s likely going to be a lot of moving involved. It’s quite possible that you’ll be moving this furniture in and out of dorms and apartments for the next 4 years. This makes the furniture’s weight, ease of assembly, and ease of transport a consideration too.
[Editor’s Note: For more relevant tips, we suggest checking out our previous article on decorating small spaces. Be sure to give it a quick read as it definitely applies to furnishing and decorating dorm rooms and small apartments!]
Our Favorite Back-to-School Furniture for Dorms & College Apartments
Our Picks for Bedroom
Taking all this into consideration, one of our go-to tips for dorms and small bedrooms is to go with just a headboard and no-frills standard bed frame. When space really matters, hefty footboards and side rails take up unnecessary real estate. You'll likely want to go with a Twin, Twin XL, or Full size at the very largest. As a bonus, this also means less hassle on moving day!
Alternatively, you may prefer something like the Nashburg Black Metal Bed from Signature Design by Ashley. Beds like this mimic the classic wrought-iron beds of the past and share their slim, minimal footprint. One final alternative to consider would be a storage bed with functional underbed drawers. Whether looking at a storage bed or only a headboard, the Hyanna, Cambeck or Drystan bedroom collections from Signature Design by Ashley, or the Derekson bedroom from Benchcraft are all great, affordable places to start.
To round out the bedroom without taking up too much space, you’ll likely want a chest rather than a dresser. This is because chests are taller and narrower than dressers and efficiently use space vertically instead of taking up valuable floor space. Each of the same collections above include your choice of either a 5-drawer chest, a narrow lingerie-style chest, and/or a dresser and mirror. Remember, if you like the look, you can find the entire bedroom collection and tons of other similar bedroom sets at Woodstock Furniture & Mattress Outlet. Just remember to be mindful of your space.
Lastly, if you’re looking for a supremely comfy and affordable mattress to go with that new bedroom, we highly recommend our very own Woodstock Select Cloudland gel memory foam mattress or Woodstock Select Providence hybrid mattress for quality comfort at a great value. We also have a full lineup of innerspring, hybrid and memory foam mattresses from Sierra Sleep by Ashley that won’t break the bank. Is it super important to you to be able to easily transport your child’s new mattress on moving day? A mattress-in-a-box like a Dreamcloud mattress may be right up your alley – just unbox when you get there!
Our Picks for the Living & Study Space
If your new dorm space has a common area or living room, we already know that large sectional sofas are out. However, a smaller sofa, loveseat, or armchair might be a great fit for a small living area. Well, have you seen the Bixler Collection from Ashley? Available in either navy blue or olive green, this mid-century modern inspired collection has plenty of straight lines that will help you make the most of your space. Choose from any combination of sofa, loveseat, accent chair, or corner sofa chaise.
Perhaps most important of all, we can’t forget about the desks! If your dorm or college apartment doesn’t come furnished with a desk already, we recommend something simple and streamlined – like the Tanners Creek Graystone Writing Desk from Liberty Furniture! If you’ve got a tad bit of extra space, don’t forget the free-standing Tanners Creek Graystone Bookcase or the Tanners Creek Graystone 2-Piece Home Office Set with Desk and Bookcase. We love that these pieces are space-saving and relatively light for moving day.
Woodstock Furniture & Mattress Outlet is North Georgia’s Source for Back-to-School Furniture
Now that you have our essential tips and a few back-to-school furniture recommendations, the choice is up to you! Remember, everything we discussed today is just the tip of the iceberg.
Come by any of our North Georgia furniture showrooms to see our full lineup of affordable pieces perfect for teenage and/or dorm living. Whether your little one is finally ready for a real desk, or if your “little one” isn’t so little anymore and is moving away to school, we have exactly what you’re looking for! Hope to see you soon!
