The Dorm Room Guide: The Complete Handbook for Preparing, Packing, and Living Well in College

The ultimate reference for dorm room planning and living, featuring research-backed, trusted strategies for a functional, comfortable, and affordable college dorm room



When Lara Becker helped her oldest child move into college in 2021, she searched online for reliable tips about dorm life, only to find unrealistic and misleading information. So she turned herself into the expert. As founder of The Dorm Guide, an online platform trusted by thousands of college-ready families, Lara offers practical and timeless advice for parents and students alike. She even built a "dorm lab" in her home to test products and find solutions for the questions that both parents and students are asking today.



The Dorm Room Guide is a modern, step-by-step framework for affordable and stress-free dorm living. Spanning senior year of high school through college move-in day and beyond, Lara provides calm, friendly advice with clear checklists, illustrated setup strategies, and money-saving insights you won’t find anywhere else.



This thoughtfully detailed guide is perfect for traditional dorm rooms and apartment-style suites alike, for local or cross-country moves, and for first-timers or those with experience. With a focus on reusability and limiting waste, The Dorm Room Guide is organized chronologically with quick-reference chapter titles, covering:



Before You Arrive: How to properly research dorm rooms, understand layouts, collaborate with roommates, budget and shop, and pack the car efficiently—and realistically.

Move-In & Setup: How to optimize dorm study spaces, master the bed layers for comfort, and learn the best laundry and cleaning strategies.

Living Well All Year: How to affordably decorate, maximize underbed storage, organize the closet, and create the perfect dorm mini kitchen.



Full of illustrations, tested solutions, and reassuring guidance, The Dorm Room Guide brings together years of Lara’s expertise, her dorm lab discoveries, and insights from thousands of families across the country. Armed with this invaluable resource, parents and students can set up a comfortable, functional, and stylish living space with confidence.