Leaving your home for university is the biggest step in every person’s life. It’s partly so because you’re losing that safe social background of your family and friends, but this change is so big due to the new conditions you’re going to live in, too. Instead of your comfortable room at home, now you will have to squeeze all your belongings into a tiny dorm room. This is why we’ve prepared a set of handy ideas for practical dorm space optimization.
Measure the Space
Before you bring your things from home, take a measuring tape, check the dimensions of the room and measure every single piece of furniture in it. This is the crucial step in optimizing the storage space in that room. When you get back home, sit down and calculate how much free space you can count on. After that, draw a plan that will contain all the belongings and additional items you want to place into that room. This might sound like too detailed a plan over such a simple thing, but freshmen are sensitive about their personal space, so it’s important to deal with the storage issues at the very beginning of your dorm life.
Under the Bed
The space under your bed can accommodate much more than dust. You can start with plastic boxes, which can serve as a great shoe storage space. In addition to shoes, this area can be filled with other items that don’t require strict hygienic storage, such as books, comic strips and DVDs. Moreover, since clutter is the last thing you need as a freshman living in a dorm, you should think about getting an e-book reader and a portable hard disk. Those two items can store gigabytes, even terabytes of data and free a lot of precious space in your room. Here you can read more about the most affordable e-readers.
Desk Space
Since the top of the desk will probably be taken by your desktop computer, you will not be able to do too much with that area. On the other hand, you can free more space if you opt for a laptop. The rest of the desk could be used for keeping the items you need every day, such as your keys and gadgets. As for the above-the-desk wall area, this is a perfect spot for durable shelving storage solutions. However, you shouldn’t do any drilling or similar works before asking the dorm authorities for permission.
In-the-Closet Options
The closet that welcomes you in your room will probably not suffice for all your clothes-related needs. This is why you have to introduce some space-saving additions to it. First of all, you can add a few plastic shelves, just like the ones recommended for the area under the bed. Secondly, make a weekly plan in terms of clothes and stick with it. That way, you can put away the clothes you will not be wearing during that week or take it to the laundry room. Finally, store the clothes you won’t be need during the current season by following those DIY vacuuming packing tips. This wise method will save you a lot of closet space and preserve your clothes, making it last longer.
When you have insufficient room, it’s hard to accommodate too many things. This is why a new college student has to apply a blend of space-organizing and clothes-rationing moves. Such a clever approach to your life in a dorm room will make the entire experience less stressful. Finally, your college productivity will be higher, leading to long-term educational success.
