Courtesy Jeinny Solis S./SXC

Minimize clutter with containers

• Vertical storage drawers are great for keeping makeup, jewelry and small items organized. Place them on top of dressers or desks to use your space efficiently.
• Plastic tubs that fit underneath your bed are perfect for storing seasonal clothes that you don’t need to access often.
• Drawer dividers are a great way to keep underwear and socks separate in your dresser, so you can grab and go in the mornings.

Create more space

• Put your bed on risers to increase storage space underneath. You won’t notice the effect, but you’ll be able to fit much more.
• Use shelves and bookcases to increase the room’s surface area. Vertical space can be hard to use efficiently, so divide it up. Shelves are also more accessible than stacks and piles of things.

Use existing space creatively

• Fill nooks and crannies efficiently. For example, a non-functional fireplace can’t store much, but is the perfect size for a shoe rack.
• Clothes don’t have to hang only in the closet. Tie scarves to the bed frame, hang belts and bags on door racks, and mount additional hooks throughout the room.

Make it work with the roomies

• Agree upon a fair division of space. You may have to compromise the size of your wardrobe for intra-room peace, but that is way more valuable in the long run.
• Decide ahead of time who will be responsible for specific storage items. You don’t want to end up with five (or zero) bookcases on move-in day. Or agree on a roommate shopping trip after you arrive so you don’t overlap.
• Check dimensions before move-in. Determine how much you can bring and what type of storage containers and furniture the room can accommodate—before you get there.

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It’s finally here: College move-in day. The lack of parental supervision can only mean one thing – freedom. But upon arrival to the dorm it hits you that you will be sharing your newly found freedom your roommate. It’s natural if you feel any anxiety towards meeting this new person. But to prepare yourself, begin by evaluating the following types of roommates you could possibly have to deal with.

The Roommate Who Refuses To Clean Up After Herself

Unless cleaning is your favorite pastime, the solution is not to constantly clean up after your roommate who leaves everything everywhere. Sooner or later, you may become resentful of having to do so, and when you assume all the responsibility, your roommate will simply have it too easy.

The key to the dilemma is to have your roommate clean a little bit every day. That way, there won’t be an accumulated mass of mess to take care of. By setting simple rules such as throwing away her bottle as soon as she’s done drinking or hanging up her clothes as soon as they come out of the wash, the details of cleaning can slowly become habits as opposed to chores. As with most situations in life, it’s important to take things in stride and give habits time to form.

“The Roommate Who Only Studies” vs. “The Roommate Who Never Studies”

Let’s say you made new friends and start inviting them to hang out in your room. The problem, however, is that your roommate needs absolute peace and quiet while she studies.

Here is where we turn to the art of compromise. You can set up a “room plan” in which your roommate can alternate days where she will study in the room and those that she can study in the library. Let her know ahead of time when you’ve arranged for your friends to come over. But also know that you and your friends can hang out in the dorm’s recreational room or even outside on days before your roommates midterms or finals.

“The Morning Person” vs. “The Night Owl”

Because a person’s sleep schedule usually reflects their lifestyle such that being a “morning person” or “night owl” is embedded within their characteristics, instead of trying to change that person, one can turn to practical appliances to make her life a bit easier.

Let’s say your roommate is one those abnormal college students who actually enjoys waking up early, whereas you never even consider opening your eyes before noon. Being the chipper morning girl that she is, she’ll blow dry her hair, shuffle around, and listen to music in the room while you, disgruntled, use your bed covers as a shield for your sensitive ears and eyes in the morning.

Or, perhaps your roommate is the “night owl,” staying up until the wee-hours of the night and disrupting your highly-valued beauty sleep.

To overcome this problem, you and your roommate can invest in some electronics. These appliances include the silent hairdryer, desk lamps with twistable necks, and headphones.

The best solution to most any problem involves two things: communication and compromise. Try to work out some sort of plan with your roommate where you meet each other half way. Now that you are equipped with better tools to handle roommate situations…freedom awaits.

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