No matter what the size or layout of a dorm room – organization is a must! With small spaces, there is no room for disorganization. Here are some organizing tips for dorm rooms.
If you are planning to visit home after the start of the school year, bring summer clothes home and take winter clothes back to college. Taking just the clothing suited to the current season will help save space. Contact your roommate before arriving to avoid possible duplication of larger items such as a television, fridge, microwave, iron, ironing board, etc.- which take up a lot of space.
Bunk or loft your beds to create more living space. Bed risers also work great to maximize storage underneath your bed. Increase your space by utilizing back of doors, inside closet doors and wall space. Most colleges do not want their walls damaged by new holes so remember to bring lots of sticky tack and Rubbermaid’s line of wall adhesive hooks.
Late night snacks are inevitable at college. Ziploc bags and sealable containers go a long way. Keep all crackers, snacks, etc. in these to prevent ants or other bugs from invading your dorm room. A plastic tote is a great way to store and carry items to and from the communal showers. This keeps all items in one place and prevents leaving items behind. Do not forget a pair of flips flops for the showers and your robe!
With new friends and new experiences, comes much memorabilia. Think ahead and plan on one memorabilia box per school year. This limits all the paper and knick knacks you save- start off with a large shoe box, and if you must grow to a larger container, ok, but remember to limit it to one container.
Keeping track of classes, assignments, and campus events/dates seems daunting. Some colleges offer pocket calendars with preprinted campus dates. Definitely purchase one either from the college or a generic one from an office supplies store. After getting syllabuses from your professors, take time to enter in all assignment due dates.
Paper during college will soon pile up if it is not contained. Here are two ideas- create a labeled binder for each course which would contain pockets, sheet protectors, and blank paper. Three-hole punch incoming paper and add it to the corresponding course. OR get one 2 inch binder that will contain all courses. Separate courses by insertable labeled index dividers. Include blank paper and sheet protectors as well.
Christmas lights are a fun, yet cheap way to dress up and decorate a dorm room. Do not forget a strand of two while packing, along with adhesive hooks to hang them.
