Whether it is adjusting to dorm life or navigating life off campus, keeping your space organized can be overwhelming. It can be hard to even know where to begin but Lexington junior Wyatt Ingram, Hardinsburg freshman Cassidy McDaniel and Horse Cave freshman Katie Gibson have a few tricks for staying organized.
These three students were asked a series of questions and offered their personal tips for keeping their space organized. Ingram currently resides in a multi-roommate house off campus, while McDaniel resides in Pearce Ford Tower and Gibson in Minton Hall on campus.
Here are their responses, edited for length and clarity.
1. How did you make the transition from living at home to where you live now?
Ingram: I thought my room was a lot smaller than it was, so I thought I’d only need a bed, a chair and a dresser. When I moved in I had to buy so much more.
McDaniel: I had more space than I thought I was going to have so I had to buy more hangers and storage bins.
Gibson: I tried to make it as home-y as possible; I really like decorating and making it all look nice.
2. What are specific organization tips you have discovered?
Ingram: Be familiar with the space before you move into it. Do not buy a lot before you move in or anything that’s not a basic need before you’re settled into your space. My mom tried to give me a bunch of kitchen items, and I was really overwhelmed because I didn’t know what I was going to need, and I had never lived in a space like this before.
McDaniel: I’ll put different items in different storage bins such as socks in one and snacks in another. I also keep my stepstool under my bed and throw blankets in the cabinets so they’re not visible.
Gibson: You can only do so much with cement walls and furniture that’s all one color. I want to make sure everything has a space, and I try to use every inch of space I have. For example, I saw I had a gap between my closet and my desk about 8 inches so I found a rolling cart that fit there perfectly.
4. What is your biggest piece of advice?
Ingram: Make use of every square inch you’re given. I have storage under my bed and stuff in drawers as well as night stands. Be creative with your storage. You can make it aesthetic!
McDaniel: The dorms aren’t nearly as bad as people say! I enjoy living at the dorm — it’s really not that bad. I don’t mind the community bathroom because that means I don’t have to clean it!
Gibson: What I found most helpful was raising my bed up to where there was a little gap between my dresser and the end of my bed. That’s where I could put bins I found from Target. I could fit almost 10 bins under there! I also hang my shower caddy, keys and masks with command hooks. Use vertical space because there’s not much floor. Go up because you can’t go out!
4. What is your biggest piece of advice?
Ingram: Make use of every square inch you’re given. I have storage under my bed and stuff in drawers as well as night stands. Be creative with your storage. You can make it aesthetic!
McDaniel: The dorms aren’t nearly as bad as people say! I enjoy living at the dorm — it’s really not that bad. I don’t mind the community bathroom because that means I don’t have to clean it!
Gibson: What I found most helpful was raising my bed up to where there was a little gap between my dresser and the end of my bed. That’s where I could put bins I found from Target. I could fit almost 10 bins under there! I also hang my shower caddy, keys and masks with command hooks. Use vertical space because there’s not much floor. Go up because you can’t go out!