“I was hoping you could help me. My daughter is moving into her dorm room and we need ways to fit things into a small space. We can’t hang things on the wall because they are cement so we can’t go up with ways to organize. If you could help us that would be AWESOME!!!”
Answer:
This is such an exciting time of year for many students! Packing up, buying new bedding and moving away to college is a fun time in our lives. Here are a few dorm room organization tips that will get your student organized for dorm life!
Even if you can’t hang things on the walls there are still great ways to maximize your storage space vertically. Target has stackable baskets, in all different colors, that are great for hiding items.
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I have a bunch of them in my closet and bathroom; they are sturdy and cute. Fill them, stack them up and then use a label maker to mark what items are in each basket.
Target also has a tiered set of baskets that would be perfect for storing clothes, toiletries, etc.
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I also recommend under-shelf baskets, like this one from Amazon, for quick and easy storage. Normally under-shelf baskets are used for storage in kitchens but they are great for storing toiletries, washcloths, etc. in a dorm room bathroom. They could also be used in the closet for storing scarves, socks, etc.
Don’t forget about using the space under the bed! Target also has great storage containers for maximizing that space including collapsible and sturdy plastic containers (which could be stacked on a closet shelf as well as under the bed).
Dorm rooms are all so different, it really just depends on what your student needs to store. When you get to the dorm room, look around, take measurements, and then head out to the nearest Target. Get creative. Just because something is meant to store food or paper goods doesn’t mean it can’t hold socks or school supplies; always remember to think outside the box when it comes to finding the best storage solutions.
One last thing I recommend: buy your college student and their roommates a plant. My freshman year my dad bought me a plant and hung it from the ceiling with a hook. It made my dorm room feel so much homier. It went with me to each of my dorm rooms and then eventually even into our home. It’s an easy way to make your child feel at home even if they are far away and surrounded by concrete walls.
If you want to send your college student out with some cleaning tips here is a link to a post I wrote about how to keep your dorm room clean.
You can hang things on cement walls with hot glue! All college students do it; it peels right off.
Such great tips! Wish I had known this when I was in college! 🙂
Could you use the command hooks on the wall? I have never tried them, just see alot of people rave about them.
Yes you could use the command hooks, I actually wrote a post on that but forgot to mention it here. They work great, that's what I used when I was in college!Annawww.askannamoseley.com
These are great ideas!!
I had a VERY small dorm room and one closet that I shared with 2 other girls and keeping things in the bathrrom was not an option so you can only imagine the stress of staying organized (which is not my thing). My dad and I bought a colapsable wooded shelf at Target that matched our furniture perfectly and that allowed us to have a TV shelf and each one of us “a shelf”. I also used my desk and desk drawers as my vanity and the space under my desk to my laundry basket. Keep the visible things at the very least stacked up that way it at least looks more organized until they find the time to clean it. Also learn to share certain things there’s no use in having 2 irons or coffee makers in one room. With a new school year starting good luck to everyone with staying calm and organized!!! I promise if I can do it do can you!