- I'm a professional declutterer, and I know dorm rooms can get messy.
- College students should take advantage of vertical space for organization.
- Students should also practice tidiness and routine decluttering.
Dorm rooms aren't really known for being roomy. Plus, you're (or your kid is) probably sharing with someone who also thought bringing a microwave, a TV, and a bean bag chair was a good idea.
Living in a pile of clutter makes it harder to get your schoolwork done and harder to have fun. I'm a professional declutterer specializing in clearing out spaces and ensuring they're being utilized properly.
So here are four tips to better manage your dorm room this school year — at least your side of it.
Go vertical whenever possible
Some dorm room beds can be raised to create storage space underneath, so take advantage of it.
If your bed goes really high, increase your floor space by putting your desk or a comfy chair below. If it doesn't rise, put your suitcases underneath and fill them with out-of-season clothing, extra bedding, or anything you don't need to use very often.
Use command hooks or other non-invasive hanging tools to get your gear off the floor. Hanging your jacket, backpack, keys, and chargers will keep them accessible and reduce the general clutter.
If you're allowed to use screws or nails, put up a couple of shelves to hold lightweight items.
A little organization goes a long way
Having very specific places for your belongings will keep your space tidy and save you hours of searching for something that's slipped out of sight— like glasses, ID, or a phone charger.
When you get home, designate a place to put your wallet, sunglasses, and keys. Try to stay consistent about putting them where they belong. You'll be grateful to yourself on those rushed mornings when you don't have to scour the room for the things you need.
Putting dividers into drawers will help you organize your stuff and make it easier to see what's what. You don't have to get fancy; use Amazon cardboard boxes to separate your socks from your scarves in your dresser drawers.
Got a new phone or pair of earbuds? Smaller boxes are perfect for your desk drawers, too.
It's not just about tidiness
One way to make a small space seem larger is to keep the surfaces clear. The bonus is that it also allows your eye to rest as it roams around the room, which can calm your anxiety. Research conducted at Princeton University indicates that having more objects in your visual field makes your brain work harder. Keeping your stuff out of sight may allow you to concentrate better.
Some claim that clutter helps with creativity, but for most of us, it just leads to distraction and procrastination. Your simple aesthetic choices can lead to better nervous system regulation while also impressing your peers with your fabulous sense of style.
Get good at decluttering
We live in a world that teaches us from a young age how to acquire things but never really trains us to let it go when we're done with it. Developing this skill in your dorm will set you up for living in a streamlined home throughout your life.
Try using the "one in, one out" method. Every time you bring something new into your room, see if you can find something to throw away, recycle, or donate.
You could also set yourself a decluttering goal for the week: Try finding 10 things to get rid of every Sunday. That could mean finally recycling the soda cans or purging your desk of scraps of paper.
Every spring there are dumpsters full of junk students throw away when they move out of their dorms. Make life easier for yourself by ditching extraneous junk whenever you notice it instead of waiting until the end of the year.
