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Giant retail chain Bed Bath & Beyond's sheer volume and enormous depth of inventory runs counter to most diminutive city dwellings. Where to store all the alluring Wamsutta sheets, Frette duvet covers, and Jonathan Adler ceramic bathroom accessories, not to mention the KitchenAid mixer, DeLonghi toaster, and razor-sharp Wusthof knives leaves aside the critical question of how to get all that cool loot into a cab. (Fortunately, BB&B delivers anywhere in Manhattan with summertime delivery to the Fire Island ferry and Hamptons.) True to its name, the store stocks everything you could ever need for your loo or your boudoir. And then there's the "Beyond." They're not kidding. Simple Human and Umbra trashcans, California Closets organizing systems, hundreds of empty frames and framed artworks, along with window treatments, vacuums, and candles galore beckon shoppers. Seasonal items vary from beach and barbecue things in summer, dorm-room accoutrements in August and September, and holiday décor October through December. Amazingly, that's really just the tip of the iceberg. Do ask for help early and often: The store can be a zoo, and the soaring shelves and narrow, labyrinthine aisles (often thick with SUV-scale shopping carts) don't help. — Andrew Sessa

Register here for the necessities: kitchen goods, tableware, and a good selection of towels and linens.

Seasonal merchandise goes on sale after the holidays; dorm supplies are steeply marked down once the school year begins.