This Dorm Storage Gem Is “Great for Organizing” and Perfect for Small Spaces (It’s So Versatile!)

See all the dorm must-haves — from mattress toppers to storage — that real college students swear by for making your space cozy and functional. Check out the full list of Dorm Therapy Awards 2025 winners!

Finding versatile storage options that are functional and affordable is not an easy feat. Some of the best dorm storage pieces are usually something that’s tall, skinny, and easy to move around. Bonus points if it’s easy to assemble! 

Of course, there are so many different types of containers and storage boxes, but the college students we surveyed recommended different types of rolling carts again and again. We heard from students who used these for a variety of purposes from a snack cart to a nightstand and even as extra clothing storage. Check out their top picks to see which one might make your dorm living a little more organized.

Dorm Therapy is dedicated to helping students at every point of their college experience, and that includes shopping for their dorms! We’re a website powered by real college student contributors (who have recently experienced dorm living) and experienced editors, creating service-first content about navigating life at school and sharing vetted product recommendations for dorms and college apartments.

We went straight to the source to determine our winners for the Dorm Therapy Awards 2025, surveying more than 360 college students and recent grads to learn about their absolute favorite products they used in their dorms. 

For the winning storage piece, we first looked at how many students recommended specific models, and we chose the top four most popular picks. We then took into account the average ratings of the respective storage pieces; students rated their recommendations on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being a product they loved and would “definitely recommend.” You’ll notice that the winning product has a similar average rating to some of the runners-up, but it had more overall recommendations than the others, which made it the top pick, combined with its glowing reviews.  

According to college students, this rectangular cart is extremely durable. Students say that at $40, this is more affordable than some of the other storage options out there, which makes it our winner with a 9.6 average rating. It comes in four colors — white, gray, blue, and black — and has wheels, which you can also lock, for easily moving it around. 

This metal cart is 31.3 inches tall, 17.72 inches wide, and 13.78 inches deep. The bottom of the shelves are a mesh metal, and the cart appears to be easy to assemble, according to reviews on the Target website. 

• “Easy to use, used as a snack cart, durable, and affordable.” —Rachel V., Grand Valley State University, Class of 2026
• “Great for organizing, space-saving and durable and not expensive.” —Emma F., The George Washington University, Class of 2027

Students say this IKEA rolling cart, which comes in a smaller and a larger size, is a college staple. The smaller size is $27.99, while the larger variation is $39.99 and very similar to the Target version. Students rated the smaller cart an average of 9.5, and the larger got a 9 average rating. Both carts have three tiers and come in three different colors: beige-yellow, gray-green, and white. Just like the winner, both of these carts have lockable wheels and mesh shelves. 

• “They are very necessary. My only complaint is that I wish I had more of them. They especially help with moving in and out of your dorms as you can stack things in and on them and roll them to your car.” —Camille O., Viterbo University, Class of 2026
• “Provided storage space next to my bed, and it didn’t take up much room.” —Danielle M., Western Carolina University, Class of 2028

• “So convenient, big enough shelves to store all my stuff but didn’t take up too much space in my room/bathroom.” —Lucy W., Brigham Young University, Class of 2025
• “I saw almost every college student have one of these. They were used for almost everything you could imagine. Including cooking utensils, as a pantry, or even to hold clothes. I loved mine as a bedside table to have my nighttime essentials inside of it! No negatives on this one!” —Camille P., University of South Florida, Class of 2024

If you don’t live near an IKEA or are looking for a similar option to the Target cart in a different color, this metal Michaels storage cart with mesh trays is $49.99 and loved by students. It measures about 30 inches tall, 16.8 inches deep, and 13.9 inches wide. It averaged a rating of 9.5 and comes in 16 colors. Plus, Michaels also offers coupons frequently, so you might be able to snag a deal on it.

• “I picked this rolling cart since it was the only variation that fit under the dorm room desk. It was a great size to hold art supplies and snacks. My desk didn’t have any drawers so this was a great solution.” —Abigail C., Savannah College of Art and Design, Class of 2024
• “I love it! So convenient. I keep all my art supplies and books on it.” —Nita S., Paul Smith’s College, Class of 2026