Maximize Space in Your College Dorm Room
Edited by Andrea Jaenen, Alma, Eng, Maria Quinney
College dorm rooms are notorious for having very little space for all your items especially if you share your space with a roommate. You will be living in this space for an extended period of time and it is important to feel at home. This is a new and exciting time in your life, so making your college dorm room into a home will make the transition much easier. Whether your budget is tight or expendable, here is how to utilize all of the space in your college dorm room so you have extra wiggle room.
Tips And Guidelines To Help You
- 1Hooks are your new best friend. You can hang anything from your walls, whether you chose to hang clothes or a hanging storage bag is up to you. If you are unable to pierce the walls in your dorm, try out hooks with adhesive pads.Utilize the Walls.
- 2Use Space Beneath the Bed.There is space beneath your bed for a reason, be sure to use it! Tuck away unused textbooks, clothing, or boxes filled to the brim with old research papers. If you are looking for further organization you can purchase a storage box that wheels under the bed.
- 3Hang More than One Thing on the Hanger.Double up on your hangers! Hang more than one pair of jeans from the same hanger. Sweaters can overlap each other, or share the same hanger as a pair of trousers. You can attach two hangers together by hooking the tab of a soda can onto the hanger. With this method, you'll have twice the room in your closet!
- 4Pack your closet with only the current season's clothes, and vacuum pack your winter clothes to conserve space. You can tuck your vacuum-packed clothes in the back of your closet or beneath your bed.Vacuum Pack Your Clothes.
- 5Hanging Organizer.These hanging organizers are super cheap, and can be found at your nearest dollar store or Walmart. With the ability to be hung anywhere, you can further utilize the wall space in your college dorm. Hang up your shoes to save valuable floor space or reorganize your makeup bag into these handy pockets.
- 6Invest in a Multi-Use Furniture.Pick furniture with multiple uses. Whether you're buying furniture to utilize as a surface, a chair, or even a stool, storage ottomans can go a long way. You can tuck away anything inside these pieces of furniture. Some chairs can come with built-in shelves if you are lucky.
- 7If you're living with a roommate inside your college dorm, chances are there is very little privacy. A simple solution would be to coordinate with your roommate and purchase a room divider with shelves. This way you can have a little extra privacy and have more storage space.Room Divider.
- 8A lot of college dorm rooms allow for the beds to be lofted in order to conserve more space. If you are able, do so and shuffle another piece of furniture under your bed to allow for more floor space.Loft the Bed.
- 9Bed risers or furniture feet are relatively low cost and allow for extra space beneath your bed. These can be purchased at almost any furniture store or online.If You Can't, Raise Your Bed Instead.
- 10Hanging shelves are very similar to hanging organizers, however these take up more space. Hanging shelves can be hung from the rack in your closet, and can be used to store much larger items.Try Hanging Shelves.
- 11If you are fortunate enough to have your own private washroom, purchase a shower caddy. You only have so much room in your shower, so conserve it by placing all of your toiletries and shampoos in a shower caddy.Hang a Shower Caddy.
- 12If you can't afford a dresser, plastic drawers are a cheap and smaller alternative. Unlike most types of furniture, these drawers can be stacked easily. Place your clothes, makeup, shoes, or even cleaning supplies in these plastic drawers.Buy Cheap Plastic Drawers.
- 13At the end of the year all provided furniture in dorm rooms are reorganized back to where everything had been initially placed, so feel free to move around your furniture! Is there a way to better organize your bed and desk to free up valuable space? If so, do it! Rearranging your furniture can also allow for a refreshing change to your environment.Rearrange the Furniture.
- 14Has it been a while since you tidied up? How about those old assignments laying around? Have you done laundry in a while? Do you really need all those collectible toys from that event you went to? Clutter can fill up the corners of your dorm room easily over time. Look around your room and see if there's anything you no longer want hanging around. Throw those piles of dirty clothes in the hamper. If you plan on keeping those collectibles, put them in a place out of the way. Try placing them on your windowsill or on that stack of books you promised to read ages ago.Contain Your Clutter.
- 15For certain colleges, there is a way to contact your roommate before moving day. If you are able try to coordinate with your roommate beforehand so you both don't double up on appliances or furniture. You can also use this opportunity to plan collectively for larger purchases that you may need such as a mini-fridge or microwave.Coordinate with Your Roommate.
- 16Purchase Combination Cookware and Appliances Instead.Fortunately, there are some pretty cool appliances that double in their uses. Coffee makers can occasionally come with a toaster or an attached water filter. Sadly these items can be costly for the amount of space they save. If the price is a problem, consider teaming up with your roommate or place these items on your Christmas list. These appliances can be easily found and ordered online.
- 17From laundry baskets to sitting spaces, furniture can come collapsible. If you've just finished up on laundry day you can swiftly tuck those items below your bed or up against the wall. Collapsible furniture allows you to conserve space by being easily stored away until needed.Collapsible Furniture.
- 18Similar to a shower caddy or a hanging organizer, a mattress caddy is simply a pocket that hangs from your mattress. This item is especially useful if you have a loft bed and no plans to leave the comfort of your mattress. A mattress caddy allows you to keep the remote tucked safely near your bed. If you're feeling particularly lazy, you can tuck away late night snacks to munch on while in the comfort of your bed.Hang a Mattress Caddy.
- 19Hanging a mirror from a wall gives the appearance of a larger room. While this method doesn't actually save you space, hanging a mirror can trick the eye and can cast the illusion of having more space.Utilize a Mirror.
- 20Speak to your college's residence assistant about re-painting your room. A lot of colleges won't turn down the opportunity to save money by letting their boarders paint their rooms. If you're allowed, stay away from darker colours as it can make a room feel smaller. Instead stick to lighter colours like a sky blue (a color which can help promote restful sleep) or a creamy color.Paint Your Walls Light Colours.
- 21If you're looking for something soft beneath your feet, opt for a rug with vertical or horizontal stripes. Bold stripes can catch your eye and can seem to elongate your living space. If you can, try to purchase more than one rug and place it in different areas of the room. This gives a look of separating one area of space from another.Throw Down a Striped Rug.
- 22If you can't ditch the drapes altogether, opt for some drapes with light-weight fabrics. Airy drapes can promote the image of a open and breezy bedroom. Try to stick to lighter coloured drapes, as darker shades absorb light and ruin the open-air feel.Use Breezy Fabrics.
- 23Hang Loud Artwork.When you get around to personalizing your dorm room, try for large and vibrantly coloured pieces of artwork. Loud artwork attracts the eye away from the size of the room and provides contrast for lightly coloured walls.
- 24If you are really having difficulty finding enough space for all of your things in your college dorm, perhaps you should attempt minimize what you have in your possession. Sort through the clutter gathered up in the corners of your room and in your closet and start throwing away things. Shuffle through your clothes and see if everything fits. If you find that some items in your wardrobe no longer fit or you no longer wear it and donate it! This is a quick and easy method of getting rid of anything you no longer need.Minimize Your Lifestyle.
- 25College dorm life should be fun and exciting. At the end of a long day of classes, this is the place you are coming home to. You should feel comfortable and at home in your college dorm room. So feel free to utilize any or all of these guidelines.Have Fun With It.
- 26Plastic bins make for an easier move. But they also make for extra storage. Before you throw away or stuff those bins into a corner, consider how they can be incorporated into your living space. They make for excellent surface spaces as well. Here's how to Pack for College with These 20 Tips.Recycle and Reuse.
If you have problems with any of the steps in this article, please ask a question for more help, or post in the comments section below.
Comments
Article Info
Categories : Communications & Education
Recent edits by: Eng, Alma, Andrea Jaenen
