by Jennifer Swanson
Spring is the perfect time to start thinking about preparations for moving to college. Dorm life poses unique organizing challenges due to the limited space that must serve a variety of functions. With a little planning and creativity, however, you can maximize even the smallest space and make your new surroundings feel like home.
Start Now
Find out in advance as much as you can about the dorm you'll be moving into. Many colleges have "residence life" web pages that provide floor plans, detailed room descriptions, and lists of amenities. A couple phone calls or e-mails should get you the rest of the information you need.
Plan clearly defined areas for studying, sleeping, dressing, grooming, and entertaining. This will make maintaining order much easier.
Start organizing for college with a closet purge at home. Sort your belongings and decide what to take to campus. Only after you establish the volume of your items can you properly determine your storage needs.
Maximize Your Space
Look for organizing solutions that are both decorative and functional. Choose furniture that doubles as storage space. Use a storage trunk or wicker chest as a table--and hide out-of-season clothing inside. Loft your bed to create more floor space, or use wheeled under-bed storage boxes or drawers. Futons are great space savers, too.
Group your stuff in baskets or small bins to reduce visual clutter. By the way, there's a good chance that you'll have to walk down the hall to use the bathroom. Portable shower caddies are especially handy for toting your stuff back and forth.
Invest in versatile organizing systems that you can arrange into multiple configurations--especially if you expect to move each year. Stackable crates will help maximize the storage space at the top of your closet. Clear stackable drawers also provide neat, convenient access to items.
To double your space for hanging clothes, add an extra closet rod. Choose a tension rod that spans the entire closet, or hang a short, space-doubling rod from the existing rod. There are a number of other closet organizers on the market to organize sweaters, shoes, etc.
One of my favorite closet space-saving tricks is to use 1-inch key rings (see my March 2005 e-zine on closet organization). Slip one ring over the neck of the first hanger. Hang a second hanger from the first ring. Add more rings and hangers for a cascading effect. Just be sure the rod can handle the weight.
You're usually limited in what you can do to a room, so get permission before nailing into the walls. Before moving in, take pictures and detailed notes of the condition of your room. This will help your case at move-out if fines are unfairly assessed for damages. (Yes, they can tell if you use toothpaste to fill nail holes.)
Organizing products designed to hang on the backs of doors (pocket organizers, hooks, racks, etc.) can often hang from lofts as well. With a little imagination and a trip to the hardware store, you'll discover many other alternatives to nails (e.g., clamps and s-hooks). Look creatively at every cubic foot--floors, walls, ceilings, and doors--for potential storage.
College Economics
Campus life in itself is a study in frugality. Fortunately, spring is prime garage sale season, where bargains abound. Church rummage sales tend to have the best selection--I've seen entire rooms dedicated to baskets at these sales. Check the "thrifty" section of your local newspaper for great deals on just about everything to furnish your space.
|
You can also visit college campuses at the end of the school year when upperclassmen sell or give away their furniture, carpets, and mini-refrigerators. Secondhand shops are another option, although prices may be higher. When you shop for new items, look for organizing solutions in the craft, bath, kitchen, and home office departments.
Here's another money-saving tip, speaking from experience. Don't let the campus bookstore rip you off; buy and sell your used textbooks at Half.com  or eBay.
Final Thoughts
Remember, you're the one who has to enjoy the space and systems. Have fun, and be creative and flexible. Adapt your systems as necessary. Before packing up to move out of the dorm at the end of the year, take photos of your room and closet set-ups. Use these as a guide to remind you of how you organized your things, making next year's move-in an easy one.
|
|
