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Small Spaces 101: Getting Organized for Dorm Life

It’s no secret--dorm rooms are notoriously small. There are many challenges to living in a tiny space. And sharing that tiny space with a perfect stranger makes day-to-day college life even more challenging! In order to embrace your itty-bitty home-away-from-home, it’s important to arrive organized and create an organized space for yourself.

Here are some ‘pre-dorm life’ organizing tips for the college-bound student:

De-clutter Before Leaving Home

Mom and Dad are having a tough time watching you ‘leave the nest.’ It won’t help matters if you leave that nest a mess before you leave. Go through your belongings and decide what you’d like to take with you to college and what you’d like to have in your room when you come home for vacations. All items left over, consider boxing up in a storage space for sentimental reasons or donating to a charitable organization. You’re going to want to come back to an uncluttered room—please don’t leave the de-cluttering to your parents. They may throw something out that you’ll be looking for later. Or, find something you didn’t want them to see...

Call Residential Life

Most dorm rooms come equipped with a bed, desk, dresser and closet—maybe a bookshelf. Give the Residential Life office a call to ask about what you’ll find when you walk in the door such as furniture, size of room and storage options. They may even have pictures on their website you can view. Another good question to ask is what’s NOT allowed in a dorm room. Many colleges and universities prohibit microwave ovens, coffee makers, hot pots. and candles. No hiding contraband items! They might be discovered during a 3am fire drill...

Call Prospective Roommate(s)

Once you find out who you’re roommate is, contact them—not only to introduce you’re self but more importantly—to discuss who will bring what! You don’t want to stuff two DVD players, two TV’s and two fridges in your small, shared space. You need all the square footage you can get!

Shop at Home

Don’t wait to get all of your stuff at the Wal-Mart down the road from campus. Everyone else had the same idea and has already bought out the coolest looking comforter sets and memo boards. Now that you’ve spoken to Residential Life and your roomie-to-be, start looking online and in brick & mortar stores for dorm room organizers and other needed items. Involve Mom and Dad in the process and let them help out. They want to know you’ll be OK when you’re away...

How will you know which products you’ll need to set up an organized dorm room? Start by asking older friends and relatives what they use to maximize space in their dorm rooms. Also, many stores offer checklists for college bound students to refer to when shopping. Don’t forget to check out discount stores, too—the cost of these items add up! Before you head out to the stores, here’s a list of some popular and functional storage products to turn your dorm room into an organized oasis:

Bed Risers
Bed Risers elevate a bed to provide more storage space underneath. Why use them? Under the bed space is what many professional organizers refer to as ‘prime real estate.’ It’s a great place for storing off-season clothes and rarely used items.

Under Bed Boxes w/Wheels
And this is the perfect container for storing those off-season clothes and rarely used items discussed above. Wheels make getting the piece easier to pull out from under the bed.

Bed Organizer
Think of this as an instant nightstand. A Bed Organizer or ‘bed pocket’ tucks under a mattress, hangs over the side, and contains multiple pockets that are good for little things that can easily create clutter in a small space. Great for holding remote controls, lip balm, hand cream or whatever a college student needs by their bedside.

Hanging Hamper
What if you have no room for a laundry basket? Use a Hanging Hamper! This type of hamper is equipped with a hanger at the top--hang it from a doorknob or closet rod. Some models have a carry strap—great if the laundry room isn’t close to your own room.

Closet Organizers
For an organized closet consider using a Canvas Hanging Sweater Organizer and/or Shoe Organizer. These closet organizers have mini shelves that are designed to store sweaters, shoes and much more. These pieces usually wrap around a closet rod with Velcro or it hangs from two hangers. Canvas is breathable which helps to keep your clothes fresh.

Folding Bookcase
A folding bookcase is the perfect solution to a shelf-less dorm room. It can be used as a freestanding bookshelf or as a hutch on a desk. Often, there is no assembly required and it folds for easy moving and storage during vacation time.

With just a few phone calls, some fun shopping, and a bunch of cool products, you’re on your way to getting a 4.0 in Small Spaces 101!

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Article by Stacey Agin Murray, professional organizer and owner of Organized Artistry, LLC. Visit http://www.organizedartistry.com for your FREE e-list of 'Top Ten Tips for Organized Living.'

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