Walking into your very first dorm room can be overwhelming, especially if the room your name is on isn’t quite as big as the showroom you saw on your tour. If you find that you’ve packed too much, there are ways to make a lot of items fit into a small area, while making those plain walls a little less boring.
Before You Leave…
If you will have a roommate, try to contact him or her before move-in day. Even something as simple as a Facebook message can help. You can cooperate to decide who brings what. This will prevent having too much stuff, such as two refrigerators and two microwaves. Also, if you’re roomed with a returning student, he or she may already know the size and layout of your room, which can definitely help in your packing and planning.
Make a Quick Plan and Organize Furniture.
Bunking beds is always a good option to create floorspace, but not everyone is game for bunks. Decide how you can best organize furniture to suit your needs (and your roommate’s needs, if you are sharing.) For example, some unused furniture could be placed in storage if your university allows. You might also consider lofting or raising your bed for extra storage space below. Shift your remaining furniture into areas that are convenient and make space for the rest of your things.
Place Big Items First.
Next, you’ll probably want to bring in any larger items: television, refrigerator, microwave, plastic storage drawers, etc. Find space for these items. (Don’t neglect using them as storage if you run out of flat surfaces. If you don’t have room for a television stand, the mini fridge would probably make a decent replacement. Moving these items in first will ensure that they have space. Smaller items will be easier to place later.
Utilize All Surfaces and Drawers.
There is actually quite a bit of space in even a small room, even if it’s not horizontal. Command hooks are amazing. They don’t mark up most surfaces and they’ll hold quite a bit of stuff: jewelry, book bags, jackets, etc. These are all things that could take up wardrobe or drawer space. Stick them everywhere to take up that boring space on your walls and leave room for your other things.
If you can get the majority of your clothing to hang in the wardrobe and you have an extra dresser drawer, use it for small items that might normally junk up your workspace.
Never downplay the importance of storage devices. From totes under the bed to stacking crates for your books, there are a variety of reasonably priced options to your storage dilemma. I personally keep all my books in stacked crates on a shelf. This means I can utilize the shelf and expand its usefulness by moving items upward rather than simply across. If you have items that you rarely use but still need, you might consider putting them in totes under your bed. They won’t sit on tabletops or take up drawer space, but you’ll still have them handy when the time comes.
Pack Seasonally.
If you plan to go home every now and then, pack only seasonal clothes. Or, keep out-of-season clothing stored in totes if you don’t get home much. Leaving out-of-season clothes and footwear at home, especially bulky cold weather items, can save a ton of hanger or drawer space.
Get Rid of Unnecessary Items ASAP.
If you realize that you’ve brought things that you really don’t need, send them home or donate them. It’s very easy to over plan, and it’s okay if you do. If you find yourself with a lot of unnecessary items, just pack them up to mail home or take back on your next visit. If you don’t think you’ll even use this stuff, go ahead and donate it, either to another student or to an organization that can find it a good home. If it’s just junk, don’t be afraid to trash it.