dorm organization

Ready for Fall? 5 Decorating Tips to Spice Up Your Dorm Room

One of the best and worst things about going to college is the dorms. On one hand, you have acquired an entirely new sense of freedom, you meet hundreds of new people, and every night is a slumber party. On the other hand, dorms are a far cry from what most students are used to, which is their own room, with plenty of closet space, and a semi-private bathroom. Moving away to college removes a lot of the comforts of living at home, such as home cooked meals, too.

Luckily, you can completely personalize your room to make you feel like you have more of your own space! Although it's important to make sure you're not infringing on your roommate's territory, there are a plethora of ways you can make yourself feel more at home.

1. Buy Fun Bedding

Since your bed is going to be one of the biggest objects in your new room, make it pretty! Beds in dorm rooms are always singles, the least expensive size you can buy, which makes the possibilities for your new bed endless! Stores like Target and Bed Bath and Beyond have deals for college students, and it's easier to match your bed to the rest of your room if you buy everything in the same place.

This fun bright bedding was from Target, while the great canopy inspiration comes from blogger Lovely Undergrad.

2. Get Organized

Because dorm rooms are so small, they get messy really easily, and keeping your things neatly stored in drawers is a great way to keep everything organized. You can even buy closet-insert hanging shoe pockets, so your shoes don't end up all over the floor. You can get great containers to match any décor at a variety of stores. As stated previously, Target and Bed Bath and Beyond are great for this sort of thing, and they match, but there are other stores like The Container Store and Ikea, which are also inexpensive and helpful! These purple organizers are from Bed, Bath and Beyond.

3. Cover the Walls

Plain white walls beg to be covered in fun colors, but unfortunately, you won't be able to paint the walls in your dorm. On the bright side, you can cover the walls with corkboards, magazine clippings, art, and photographs. The great thing about a corkboard is the fact that you can pin anything to it without the walls looking like you've had a woodpecker infestation. Also, you can change what it looks like whenever you want! This vintage-inspired design is from Sarah Thomas.

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Moving Into College: 6 Steps For A Quick, Relaxed Move-In

Move-in day is stressful no matter who you are. Here are six tips for staying calm, getting set up fast, and leaving the rest of the day to relax and enjoy college life.Move-in day is stressful no matter what year you are. Here are six steps to staying calm, getting set up fast, and leaving the rest of the day to relax and enjoy college life. When you're ready to leave at the end of the year, be sure to read our article about moving out of college.

1. Wake up early

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The College Life: Upgrade Your Dorm Room With These Essentials

Like the middle seat on an airplane, it's axiomatic that your college dorm room is cramped, without a lot of storage space. (Hopefully, there's no sleeping, fat guy drooling on you, who's also blocking you from the aisle and that all-too-needed restroom.) Still, life in a university dorm room doesn't have to be messy, confined and disorganized—in other words, economy class. Using the following items can help cut down on your new home having that cluttered feel, and save you lots of anguish. Of course, we can only help with your organizational skills inside your room: once you leave, you're on your own.By Paul Holstein

Like the middle seat on an airplane, it's axiomatic that your college dorm room is cramped, without a lot of storage space. (Hopefully, there's no sleeping, fat guy drooling on you, who's also blocking you from the aisle and that all-too-needed restroom.)

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College Bound: The Organized Dorm

I can still remember my shopping list for my first dorm room. Years ago we kept it simple -- the must have storage staple was the old dairy crate and that was pretty much it. Those dairy crates organized everything from sweaters and sweatshirts to books. Today the storage choices are almost unlimited (although the budget may not be...), so outfitting a dorm room or first apartment can be a bit overwhelming. I have asked our summer intern (a college student) to share some organizing challenges she has experienced first hand. We have divided the typical college living space into 5 areas.By Bridget Messino and Emily Steinecker

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