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When you’re heading off to college, it’s fun to imagine how funky (and functional) your dorm will be, but the reality hits you the moment you walk in for the first time: It’s small. It’s really small. Dreams of a clutter-free, ultra-chic living space disappear as you realize that you’re expected to live out of this tiny room for the next year. Where will your clothes go? Your school supplies? Your body? There are solutions, and here are some of my favorites.
What to keep in mind when planning dorm storage
In a cramped space, things get get cluttered fast, so you have to go into this with a plan. I recommend committing to the rules of the Organizational Triangle: Store all your similar items together in one place and make sure every single thing you own has a designated spot. There are a lot of different decluttering and organizational techniques out there, but one thing most of them have in common is a reliance on physical storage containers. You’re going to need compartments, boxes, and individual holders for every category of your possessions.
Buying specialty storage vessels one time isn’t going to cut it, either. Create a cleaning schedule and stick to it. I recommend setting aside 15 minutes per day for the task, only working on cleaning for those 15 minutes, stopping when the time is up, then returning to it at the same time the next day. That will build a cleaning habit, keep you focused and motivated, and stop you from getting overwhelmed. The good news here is it’s a small space; you really don’t need more than 15 minutes to tackle any given portion.
The best storage and organizational tools for your dorm
With those guidelines in mind, try these tools, which fit into unused spaces and provide plenty of compartments for your various items.
Over-the-door storage
The back of your door is going to be a major storage solution for you, if you plan this right. Instead of a standard over-door storage contraption designed with pockets for shoes, try the VICTORICH all-in-one organizer ($23.99), which has pockets of varying sizes and even some sturdy compartments that function like deep shelves. Designate one compartment to each category you need storage for, like tech, school supplies, or accessories.
Collapsible, movable bins
You’ll probably get some kind of dresser, sure, but you’ll need more drawers than that. Try a lightweight, movable, collapsible storage bin center, like the BirdRock four-cube fabric shelving unit ($54.99).
This will help you keep your clothes and accessories extra organized. Instead of one dresser drawer for all your shirts, try categorizing them even more, putting hoodies in one drawer, t-shirts in another, sweaters in another, and so on. The more you break down the categories you need to organize, the easier it will be to find things when you need them. As for the standard-issue dresser the school provides, make sure you look into drawer dividers so you can maintain your categories in there, too.
Vertical hangers
When you hang all your clothes horizontally across the bar in your closet, you fill it up fast. Get a hanger rod that collapses downward to store all your pants, scarves, or bags. The MORALVE pants hanger ($24.99), for example, has space for five pairs of pants. I have a lot of opinions on the best tiered storage hangers, which I’ve shared before, but the main point I like to emphasize is that plastic ones warp under the weight of your clothes over time, so whatever you choose to get, make sure it’s made of metal.
Creative shelving
There might be rules against putting shelving up on your walls (or there might not be!) but you can always attach a little shelf next to your bed for easy access to your phone, book, or drink, even if you’re lounging in the top bunk. Try the BedShelfie bedside shelf ($39.99), which clips onto the bed frame.
Just keep in mind some of this has to be ordered after you move in. You can show up with an over-the-door organizer and bet that it’ll fit, but you won’t know the dimensions of your bed frame until you see it in real life, so only order what you are positive you’ll be able to use before you get there and save the rest for move-in week.
Fridge storage
Whether you have access to a kitchenette or not, you’ll need to eat, so you’ll probably have a mini fridge. Grab an over-fridge storage mat ($16.99) with side pockets to house your cups, snacks, flatware, or other kitchen supplies to save precious space. This is especially helpful because it doesn’t take up vertical space on top of the fridge itself, so you can still store other things up there, too.
Desk storage
One thing dorms almost always provide is a desk, so use the space above it for even more storage. The DormCo College Cube desk bookshelf ($86.33) goes above your desk to provide plenty of storage for books and pictures. Again, this one is great because of the build-in dividers that help you categorize your stuff, but you’ll need to measure to make sure it actually fits on the desk provided.
Under-bed carts
Finally, use the space under your bed to store shoes, coats, or large items. You don’t want them right on the floor, though, so pick up two rolling organizers ($33.98 for both) to keep your items within easy reach. My dorm in college had built-in shelving underneath, so again, your actual bed frame may not accommodate something like this. Make sure to check it out before purchasing.
