The Anatomy of the Comfiest Dorm Bed Ever (for Sleeping, Studying, and More!)

When I was a freshman and first moved into my college dorm, I had no idea what to expect. I had meticulously studied the website’s dorm photos and repeatedly watched previous RAs’ tours, but I was still unprepared for the reality of living in a small shoebox. 

One of the things I quickly learned was how to make my bed as comfortable as possible on my limited college budget. In my 80-square-foot single, my bed acted like the couch when friends came over, my lounge area when I needed to change study positions, and of course, it was where I slept. 

Every dorm seems to be equipped with the same navy blue or black vinyl mattress that’s only six inches thick. You can’t be picky about the mattress you get, but you can make sure that what you bring to your college bed are the right items to make it super cozy and adaptable for the many uses it has. 

“Layering, colors, and textures all go hand in hand, and you need all of those to create a very livable and comfortable environment that can act as both a sanctuary and your primary living space,” says Celena Browning, an LA-based interior decorator.

I kept these factors in mind when looking for products that would maximize a dorm bed for all the time college students spend in it. 

The most obvious and important purpose of your dorm bed is, you know, for sleep, but it’s hard to find comfort on the standard-issued vinyl mattress. “There are certain areas that you kind of need to invest in for your bed to be comfortable,” Celena says. “Investing in a good memory foam mattress topper is super essential.”

My freshman year, I put a Twin XL memory foam topper on my mattress and layered a padded mattress cover on top. The memory foam is what made it comfortable, but the mattress cover acted as a thicker fitted sheet to keep the foam from moving. Twin XL dimensions (38” x 80”) are slightly larger than a standard twin (38” x 75”), so it’s key to choose a mattress topper that fits your bed just right.

Arguably, the most important part of any bed is the comforter. Personally, I think the fluffier the better, and any comforter that makes me feel like I’m staying at a hotel is an immediate “yes.” 

Sarah Lambert, lead interior designer at Lambert Home, suggests pairing your comforter with a machine-washable duvet cover that expresses your personality. “You’re going to be sitting on it, someone’s shoes are going to be on it — be able to throw everything in the washer and go to town,” she says.

Whether you sleep with one pillow or three, the right pillows enhance anyone’s sleeping space. Like my comforters, I love a big, fluffy pillow when I sleep. But whatever your preference, invest in a pillow that won’t get lumpy halfway through the school year. 

When I study, I need to change my position at least twice throughout the whole session. In my dorm room, I would always start studying at my desk, get up and stretch after an hour, and then switch to studying on my bed. Lambert says having a lap desk for those moments makes studying on your bed so much easier, and, looking back, I wish I had thought of that. 

You also need the right back support when studying on your bed — otherwise, you’re going to quickly get sore. A chic way to prop yourself up is by getting a headboard. It elevates the look of your dorm bed while creating a comfortable place to study. Plus, Lambert says a headboard can prevent your pillows from sliding off the bed, which is a great bonus. 

I don’t know about you, but I feel like I always need a ton of extra things when I study — it’s never as simple as just my laptop. I need my emotional support water bottle, my planner, a snack, eventually my charger, and so many other items that a bedside caddy becomes essential. A bedside caddy not only makes studying more organized, but it also makes your bed comfier by reducing the clutter that would’ve been all over it otherwise. 

My favorite thing to have on my bed is one or two body pillows. They create an adorable daybed-style setup, and they make it easy to hang out with friends when your bed turns into your living room. Plus, if you don’t want a headboard, a body pillow wedge is a great alternative!

Lambert suggests only having one or two pillows on your bed because having more can take up space you may not have. But Browning recommends having as many as possible since she says making any bed comfortable is all about having layers. Decorating your dorm bed is all up to you and your style. For me, when I was hosting friends in my dorm, I loved to have pillows to make my bed-turned-couch more comfortable. 

“I personally love getting funky with the pillows,” says Browning. “I like to put different colors in the pillows. But it doesn’t stop there, because you need another layer. So that’s where you start adding textures, like fur pillows.”

Another great layer to add to your college bed, according to both Browning and Lambert, is a soft, chunky throw blanket. A great throw blanket is of course ideal if you and your roommate can’t agree on a temperature for the thermostat, but it’s also a perfect addition for when you host a movie night. 

A throw blanket acts as a “protective layer” on top of your comforter and helps with cleanup if you end up eating snacks while hanging out with friends and getting crumbs everywhere, says Lambert. “You [can] bundle it up, take it outside, [and] shake the crumbs out.”

Whatever you decide to bring for your college bed, make sure it’s as comfortable as possible for every way you use your space. “I would really like the things you have to have,” says Lambert. “Make those personal.”