MP

Small Apartment Ideas | Organization | Conversations that Matter

  • Apartment
    • Living Room
    • Bedroom
    • Bathroom
    • Kitchen
    • Entry
  • Decor
  • Organization
  • Holidays
    • 4th of July
    • Christmas
    • Easter
    • Halloween
    • Thanksgiving
  • How to Start a Blog
    • Blogging Resources I Use & Recommend

Explore

  • About
  • Contact

Connect

Apartment · May 21, 2021

College Apartment Furniture | The 26 Best Affordable Furniture Ideas For The Cutest Apartment

This site contains affiliate links. I may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you.

This post is all about the best cheap college apartment furniture!

dorm furniture ikea

College apartment furniture needs to be cute AND functional! Sometimes it can be a challenge to find cute furniture that’s affordable and of good quality.

I’ve done a lot of research regarding the cheapest and best furniture. This list is the result of that research!

Whether you’re moving into a college apartment or your first apartment, these furniture ideas will be super helpful in furnishing and decorating your apartment on a budget.

Best dresser for college apartment

dresser
amazon image
college apartment furniture cheap

College Apartment Furniture Bedroom:

1. Bedframe

First things first, you need a bed!! I’I’mretty specific with my bed frame because I want to maximize space as much as possible.

If you’re moving into a college apartment, you probably already know that space is limited.

ThThat’shy having a bed frame with a lot of free space underneath is perfect for extra storage. This bedframe has precisely that, lots of storage space!!

amazon image

2. Headboard

Next up is a headboard. The prices for headboards vary greatly, but luckily there are plenty of excellent affordable options too!!

Remember that you don’t want your headboard to be too overwhelming in small spaces. Pick a neutral color and go for a headboard that isn’t very tall, taking up a lot of vertical space in the room.

amazon image

3. Nightstand

Realistically you’ll probably be putting your bed against a wall in your college apartment. So you will only need one nightstand.

If you want to save space, go for a nightstand with some drawer space. I don’t like having things lying around in a small bedroom because it makes the room look cluttered and way smaller than it is.

I found this one below for under $100, which is very reasonable for a good quality nightstand.

amazon image

4. Tiny desk

Having a desk in your bedroom is a must in a college apartment. At least, for me, it was!! When your roommates have friends over, there’s no way you can study in the living room.

Go for a desk with thin legs, so it doesn’t use much optical space. ItIt’slso helpful to keep in mind that you’ll want your desk colors to match your nightstand and other furniture.

So if your nightstand is a light-colored wood with metal, then you’ll want your desk to be the same!! My experience is that different wood colors don’t go together in small spaces.

amazon image

5. Desk chair

I usually find desk chairs with wheels ugly, plus it doesn’t work great in a small bedroom!

For some reason, these white curved chairs are just super comfy (at least I think so), and they work very nicely as desk chairs. Plus, they’re CHEAP!

They’re pretty simple, so you can always add more comfort or charm with a blanket. I like the look of faux sheep fur on a chair.

These chairs come in a ton of different colors, so whatever aesthetic you’re going for, you’ll be able to find the perfect desk chair color.

amazon image

College Apartment Furniture Living Room:

6. Couch

For a college apartment, it’s super clever to go for multipurpose furniture. Not only are futons cheaper than a couch, but you can also use them as a bed if you have guests.

Also, a big plus: futons are super cozy for a girls’ night in movie night!!

amazon image

7. TV Stand

If you don’t want to go through the trouble of mounting your TV, getting a simple small TV stand will do the job. Preferably get one that has a little bit of storage space underneath. Because… #maximizespace.

This one below is under $50, which I believe is a super GREAT price for a TV stand!!

amazon image

8. Tiny Coffee table

In a small college apartment living room, you don’t want to use a huge coffee table taking up all the space. Consider a more petite side table as a coffee table instead.

amazon image

9. Standing lamp

Standing lamps like an arc floor lamp look super chic, save space, and are insanely affordable!!

Place your lamp behind the couch as the ultimate space-saving hack.

amazon image

10. Bar cart

Every college apartment needs a bar cart, am I right? Bar carts are a fun way to store your alcohol and decorate it for holidays like Halloween.

The price range of bar carts is super wide, but there are some amazing inexpensive options!

By far, my favorite one is the bar cart below. The mix of wood + metal does the trick and looks super stylish.

amazon image

11. Area rug

Area rugs instantly cozy up your living room, and I’m a big fan. Although rugs have a reputation for being insanely expensive, Amazon has some incredible well-priced options.

The rug below comes in a ton of different color options. Although that might not be the smartest idea for a college apartment, I adore the white one.

amazon image

College Apartment Furniture Dining Room:

12. Dining table

There usually isn’t much space for a large dining table in college apartments. ThThat’shy a vertical shape table can save a ton of space.

The dining table below is officially a desk, but it works just fine as a small dining table!!

amazon image

13. Chairs

I’m a fan of these chairs, so I’ll recommend them repeatedly. I still have these chairs, and I love them!! They are super comfy and look much more expensive than they are.

amazon image

14. Chic light

The light fixtures in a living room can make or break the space. A plugin pendant light is an easy and cheap way to elevate your ceiling lights.

I love the industrial-chic light, as seen below!

amazon image

15. Buffet

A buffet comes in handy for apartments with little pantry space. Here you can store food items, dishes you don’t always need, and maybe even appliances.

amazon image

16. Dishes

Not much explanation is needed here, but you need dishes when moving into your college apartment. I’d recommend going for an affordable set of dishes with bowls, small plates, and big plates.

You can always purchase more dishes as you go. Especially when you first move in, I’I’decommend sticking to the basics and staying under budget when possible.

amazon image

College Apartment Furniture Kitchen:

17. Pantry

Not every college apartment has a built-in pantry or enough cabinet space. The solution: a pantry!

Pantries don’t have to be super-pricey. This one isisn’tThe great thing about this pantry is that it gives. You have a little extra kitchen counter space.

amazon image

18. Barstools

Got a kitchen island in your college apartment? Lucky!! Because it easily creates extra seating space, plus a nice little spot to have your morning coffee.

amazon image

19. Canisters

A canister set always comes in useful, and they’re so affordable!! I love using these and a few glass jars to store ingredients I use daily—things like coffee, nuts, healthy toppings for oats, and so on.

amazon image

20. Knife set

A good knife set is a must in every apartment. You don’t have to get the most expensive knife set for a college apartment, but you want something that works!

This simple 12-piece knife set does the trick and comes with a sharpener. YoYou’rell set with this knife + cutting board set.

amazon image

College Apartment Furniture Bathroom:

21. Over-the-toilet storage

Not your most exciting apartment purchase, but creating extra space in a small college apartment bathroom is a must!!

This over-toilet storage is simple, affordable, and gives you lots of shelf and storage space to keep everything you need.

amazon image

22. Mirror

Most bathrooms have a mirror, but sometimes it’s nice to add an extra one in your college apartment. I’I’mlways annoyed that many apartments come with such ugly mirrors.

If you can easily take it off, why not replace it with a better-looking one instead? It will elevate the space.

amazon image

23. Towel rack

A towel rack in the bathroom is a must for me. Why? Because I HATE towels taking up precious space in my already tiny closet, haha.

This towel rack from Amazon with 6 levels has plenty of space to store your towels, AND it’s affordable!

amazon image

24. Shower curtain

I’m a sucker for anything herringbone, so I was instantly sold on this shower curtain. I’I’mefinitely not someone who is into all those funny, bright-colored, weird printed shower curtains. Give me the classic stuff.

This one is super CHEAP and will make your bathroom look luxurious.

amazon image

25. Shower liner

One of the more practical things in a bathroom: a shower liner. This one doesn’t need much explanation yet is essential for any bathroom!

Not to worry, shower liners don’t break the bank, so don’t be afraid of having to purchase yet another thing for your college apartment.

amazon image

26. Make-up and jewelry storage

This is by far the most affordable make-up storage I’I’veeen able to find. For some reason, most storage bins are d*mn expensive, and I don’t know why.

If you have lots of make-up, this storage is a good purchase for your college apartment.

amazon image
college apartment furniture essentials

This post was all about the best college apartment furniture.

You may also like:

  • 25 Best College Apartment Bedroom Ideas That Don’t Break The Bank
  • 24 Best College Apartment Living Room Ideas On A Budget
  • First Apartment Checklist: Everything You Absolutely Need
  • 21 Best Dorm Room Kitchen Essentials Every College Student Needs In 2022
  • 48 College Dorm Room Essentials For Guys (List With All the Necessities)

Posted By: Malena · In: Apartment

24 Best College Apartment Living Room Ideas On A Budget
15 Elegant Small Living Room Ideas That Are Truly Genius (And Affordable)

You’ll Also Love

entry table decor ideas18 Best Entry Table Decor Ideas You Can Recreate On A Budget
small living roomsThe Best Modern Small Living Rooms To Copy Right Now
small living room decorating ideas on a budget16 Best Small Living Room Decorating Ideas on a Budget

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Welcome to Malena Permentier, the lifestyle site about apartment, decor, organization & productivity.

Get on the List

FREE 7-Day Blogging Crash Course

Categories

  • Privacy Policy

This website is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

Copyright © 2025 MP · Theme by 17th Avenue