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Living Large in a Small Space: Tips for Your College Dorm Room

Living in a dorm room on campus is a rite of passage. New friends. Late-night pizza. Group study sessions. Feeling claustrophobic because your roommate brought waaay too much stuff. Hey, nobody said dorm life is easy. But, with a few clever dorm room storage ideas, you can give yourself more room to enjoy the college experience.

If you’ll be among the thousands of students moving into a college dorm this summer, you won’t want to miss these super-simple—and super-smart—dorm organization tips. Ready. Set. Scroll!

Tip 1: Use Tension Rods

Reduce space-related tension with a few well-placed, inexpensive tension rods. Tension rods are dirt-cheap and can be used in a variety of surprising ways. For dorm dwellers, they can be used inside closets or small, awkward spaces to create additional storage space perfect for hanging clothing, belts, charging cables or even high-heeled shoes.

Tip 2: Utilize Loose Binder Clips

Use binder clips to keep your cords out of a bind. Ahh, the humble binder clip. Found scattered across desktops the world over, these little guys aren’t just for clamping your papers together anymore. Try placing a few of these on the edge of your desk with the arms facing outward. Now, thread your phone, Ethernet, USB and headphone cords through the openings to help prevent your cables from getting tangled up or from falling behind your desk, never to be seen again.

Tip 3: Maximize Vertical Space with a Bed Riser

Rise above the clutter with bed risers that double as power outlets. It’s amazing how much extra storage space you can gain with just a few more inches of clearance under your bed. Combine this dorm room organization tip with inexpensive, low-profile plastic storage bins and you’ll have plenty of room for seasonal clothing, extra school supplies, dry food items, or anything you don’t need to access on a regular basis.

Tip 4: Get Creative with your Belongings

Get double the use out of your stuff in half the space. Here’s a prime example: an ironing board is an essential piece of gear for any fashion-forward student. But, beyond providing a flat surface for your clothing, there’s not much else you can do with it. On the other hand, an old TV tray can pull double duty as an ironing surface AND a portable work area that you can use to relocate to the lounge or even the great outdoors.

Tip 5: Self-Storage

College student self storage space: the final frontier. At the end of the day, there’s only so much you can do with limited space in your dorm. But, all is not lost! Look for a self storage facility close to your campus and consider renting an affordable 5×5 self storage unit. This size is perfect for most college students, and you’d be surprised how much stuff you can fit if you pack it right. Best of all, you can use your self storage unit when you go home for the summer, which not only saves space at home but also makes moving back to school easier in the fall.

StorageMart Makes Dorm Life Better

We hope you found these tips useful. If you’re thinking about using a storage unit for college, check out our packing suggestions for getting the most out of your rental. Or find a StorageMart location near your school today. Got questions? Contact our friendly staff for answers!