Ask
a guy what he's packing for his dorm and he'll say
the Xbox. Ask a girl, and she'll tell you about all
the "cute" stuff. They'll both tell you how awesome
it will be away from home, eating Easy Mac at three
a.m. and cranking the tunes.
Soon
they will be singing the song, "I have too much stuff.
I don't have a home for this stuff. I don't have time
to deal with it." If you are joining the ranks
of those heading off to college, what you really need
to pack is organization.
Pack
a Plan
As
you pack, visualize the item's storage spot. If you
can't picture it, don't take it. Face it; you've got
very few choices: bed, desk, closet and dresser.
Maximize storage by using hidden and vertical spaces.
(Check your dorm's rules.) Bunk, loft, or elevate
beds onto cement blocks or bed risers. Then place
or stack storage tubs underneath for sports equipment,
off-season clothing, extra bedding and your food stash.
In
the closet, place seldom-needed items at the very
top. Get a second bar to hang from the main bar to
give you two rows for clothing. Add a shoe storage
rack to the bottom.
Top
your dresser with a small bookshelf to holds stacks
of books, CDs and videos. Use over the door hooks
or organizers on both sides of every door for wet
towels, backpacks, jackets etc. On your desk,
add another bookshelf or one made with boards and
bricks to allow you to stack computer components and
still have study room.
Keep
Sane With These Tips
1)
Just for Now! The
Just for Now mistake is the failure to make a permanent
storage decision. All the things you set down, "just
for now" become tomorrow's messy clutter.
2)
Organize Your Clutter? You
CANNOT organize clutter. If you don't love it, use
it or need it, then ditch it. Now go get organized.
3)
It's Not Math Class, Still Apply Some Logic.
When
you store away your belongings, put similar items
together, such as all your school supplies. Then put
things as close as you can to where you will use them.
4)
Avoid Drama. Stubbornly
refusing to label things gets you a year of searching
and don't you have better things to do? Like live
peacefully? Solve the drama of where is it and whose
is it with labels, labels, labels. Label everything
from clothing to CDs, DVDs, books, video equipment,
shoes, towels, and tubs - right down to the shampoo
bottle.
5)
Keep on Keepin' On. Organizing
is not a one-time deal. You have to keep it up. Anticipate
change and change things as you need.
Lea
Schneider is
a professional organizer and member of the National
Association of Professional Organizers. She
has hauled things up nine flights of stairs and organized
dorm rooms at Ball State University, University of
Kansas and Florida State University. Her company,
Organize Right Now provides solutions for home, office
and life through consultation and hands-on organizing.
Visit her website, which includes a free complete
dorm packing list, at Organize
Right Now LLC
or call 850-477-2582
More
College Survival Tips
Real
World Tips
