The average dorm room is about 110 square feet. Assuming it’s a shared space too, that’s not a huge footprint in which to spend time studying, sleeping and getting ready for the party down the hall!
Dorm rooms, as they come, are pretty bare. A bed, maybe a desk and a closet. That’s about it. The same can be said for a room for rent in a house that is leased to students. We’re not talking the expansive spaces of Mom and Dad’s house!
A few excellent ways to MAXIMIZE the space in a dorm room
- Get rid of clutter! It’s your enemy. Clutter will make any small space seem even smaller. Find ways to store all the bits and bobs that you have laying around—stackable clear plastic bins, for example—are ideal. Make sure every item you bring into your dorm room has a ‘home’.
- To keep important papers and reminders handy, put up a magnetic board on the wall near your bed. This way, anything that you need to have at the ready is right there for the taking, but isn’t in the way. Keep it small, as too many things all over the wall CAN make a small space look even smaller.
- If you have a small desk, a wall organizer is a perfect way to keep all of your studying and snacking essentials handy but off the flat surface of your desk. Keep that important desk space free for a lamp, books and your computer, with all your other needs in easy reach.
- It’s easier to keep all your papers and notes organized with a rolling file cart. You can roll it under your desk when you’re not sitting there, so it’s out of the way, and roll it out when it’s time to get down to hitting the books!
- If you’re allowed to make additions to your closet space, a well designed, easy to install DIY closet system is just the perfect way to ensure that you can find each accessory, bag, belt and sock, quickly and easily.
- Outside of the closet itself, extra shelving is a good idea to keep books and papers, as well as those clear plastic bins mentioned in the first point, tidy but still accessible.