I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but if you’re an incoming freshman, you’re gonna need to get rid of…a lot. Unfortunately, your entire collection of high heels and white sneakers can’t make it with you to college. (They wouldn’t survive, TBH.) And that jewelry collection you’ve been curating since you were 10 years old? It’s gotta hang back too.

I’m not saying you’ve got to give up everything to adjust to college living. But I am saying your dorm room is about to be the size of a shoebox, and your closet will certainly not be large enough for all those stylish (and unnecessary) backpacks you impulsively bought one night at 3 a.m. You’re gonna need useful and practical things like a mini fridge, bed sheets that’ll fit your new twin XL-sized dorm bed, and some wall art!

Prepare to hear words like “bed risers” and “shower caddy” for the first time in your life. Yeah, we know it’s going to be overwhelming. If you have no idea where to start, we gotchu. It’s all about maximizing the space you have, minimizing the potential clutter in the room, and enhancing the ambiance in your drab space. Take a look at exactly how it’s done and discover a list of all the college dorm room essentials you’ll need, below.