Organization
Some tips on getting organized and staying organized. With such a small space, any mess looks huge and can cause some problems when you want your friends to come in or when you’re looking for your homework.
Under-the-Bed Storage
Depending on how high your bed naturally is, you may need to get some bed risers, but having space under the bed is a great way to clear up space elsewhere in the room. I use a storage bin to keep extra shampoo, ChapStick, batteries, printer ink – you name it. I also have a box under the bed to store my extra towels, and my roommate even has a small refrigerator under her bed. We also keep our luggage there when we aren’t using it, and then it’s right there when we need to get it out to go home for the holidays. Depending on how high your bed can go (its probably not safe to stack a dozen bed risers, but some beds are made so they are high), you could even fit your whole desk or dresser under the bed. Talk about utilizing space effectively. Although I cannot do that in my room, I have seen friends’ dorms set up like that, and it is a huge space saver. Under-the-bed storage is a great way to maximize your space.
Hanging Storage
One great way to stay organized is to use some kind of shelving unit, such as a hanging shelf (for example, this 6-shelf hanging organizer available at Target.com). A friend of mine had one of these, and it was a really great solution to keeping stuff neat and accessible. She kept all kinds of things in it, from snacks to tissues to laundry supplies. It was really useful, and I wished I had one for myself!
The Almighty Clothes Hamper
Don’t throw your clothes all over the floor when you’re done wearing them. Put them in a collapsible clothes hamper! When it’s time to do laundry, instead of scooping up all your clothes off the floor, everything you need to wash is right there in the hamper, and you can just carry it to the laundry room. It’s great to have a collapsible hamper so that when it’s empty, it’s easy to carry to and from the laundry room while your clothes are being washed. It’s also easier to store when you’re packing up the car to move in or out. If you’re a lazy bum like me, you can even buy one with wheels on the bottom, so that you can simply drag your hamper down the hall, onto the elevator, and not break a sweat lifting all those clothes on the way to the laundry room.
Hooks, Hooks, and more Hooks
Hanging stuff up is a great way to keep your important stuff easily accessible as well as out of the way. I personally utilize a set of over-the-door hooks to hang up my scarves, hats, bags, and pretty much everything I need to grab-and-go when leaving the room. You can buy these kinds of things almost anywhere, and they slip right over your door with no hassle at all.
My roommate also makes use of wall hooks. She has several of those Command wall hooks that easily come on and off the wall.
Crates and Boxes
I recently decided to purchase some Yaffa crates to organize my stuff. If you’re like me, then you want everything to be easily accessible, or else you won’t make use of your organization devices. Before, I used to throw my books on the floor when I was done with them, creating an academic mess all around my desk. I also would just kick off my shoes when I was done wearing them, making an ever bigger mess. Then I decided to invest in some crates so I could easily toss my things in a place where they belonged. Now, there is a lot more space around my desk, and it’s so much easier for me to navigate my own room. What’s great about crates is that they can interlock and stack so that you have a whole unit of storage space.
Shoe Racks
If you’ve got a lot of shoes, a shoe rack can be essential. I think the best bet is to have a hanging shoe rack, such as the one my roommate has (see left). They are slim and space-saving, and you can store a lot of shoes in them. Although you may not be able to tell, she has heels and boots in them, so despite the thin size, you can fit more than just flats and flip-flops in the slots.
In addition to hanging shoe racks, shoe shelves are also available (see right). I have a 3-tier shoe shelf, but its space is limited, and it’s bulkier than the hanging shoe solution. I can only fit about nine or ten pairs of shoes on it, and it’s kind of big. It was even slightly difficult to put together properly. I would not recommend these as much as I would recommend a hanging shoe rack. However, if you really have no place to hang anything, and you think a shelf would fit better in your space and your style, then go for it. It does work, and it’s not bad if you don’t have a lot of shoes. But I immediately realized that I had more shoes than that which would fit, so that’s why I had to throw a lot into one of my green crates.
Shower Caddies
Keep all of your essential toiletries in one place by getting a shower caddy. You will want something that will dry easily and will hold everything you need when you go to take a shower. I used to have a shower caddy that was not plastic but was a cute cloth bag with drainage holes – but it didn’t last long. Things get wet in the bathroom, and it absorbed water and was starting to get moldy before I got my plastic pink basket. You can buy shower caddies with slots of different items, like a place for your soap, and another for your shampoos, etc. Or you can get a simple one like mine, a basket where I can just put everything. It’s easy to grab and go when I run into the shower in the morning before class, and everything I need is there. It’s got a handle on the other side so that it’s easy to carry along with my other things that I need to bring, such as a towel and my key and ID case.
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