5 Dorm Hacks That Will Make You Never Want to Leave Your Room

It may still be hot out there, but summer is quickly coming to an end. While we’ve enjoyed the sunshine, time off, summer travel and days by the pool, nothing beats the start of a new school year. Interesting classes, new friends, football games and more are giving us so much to look forward to as we head into another fall semester, but if you’re an incoming freshman (or transfer student) you’re probably experiencing some nerves too, especially when it comes to dorm life. We’ve put together a list of some of our favorite tips for making the most of on-campus living!

1. All about that space, ‘bout that space.
   Let’s face it – dorm living can get cramped pretty quickly if you’re not careful. Thankfully, there are some great space-saving hacks to help your room stay free of clutter. Most dorm rooms come with height adjustable beds. Raise your bed enough to open up storage space underneath– you can fit an entire dresser under there if you want! When shopping for dorm essentials, be sure to look into multi-functional furniture as well. Looking for extra seating? An ottoman with hidden storage is the perfect chair substitute and provides extra storage space.
2. Command hooks and strips will have you hooked.
   Pardon the pun; we couldn’t help it. All jokes aside, command hooks and strips are life changers in a dorm room. Obviously, it’s against dorm rules to hammer nails into the walls, but that doesn’t mean you can’t hang decorations with these handy adhesives! Pro tip: Make your bed a private oasis with a homemade bed canopy. Simply run a string through some curtains and hang them by Command hooks placed on the ceiling around your bed.
3. Don’t forget the snacks!
   You’re going to be busy between classes, exams, student organizations and more. Make sure to keep a supply of your favorite snacks to get you through those times. On days when you’re running too late to class to stop for breakfast, you’ll be glad you brought along that pack of granola bars! Pro tip: Use a door-hanging shoe organizer to store your snack items without taking up space!
4. Skip the frames.
   You’ll probably want to print photos of your family, pets, high school friends and more, but in a dorm, there just isn’t enough space for all those frames. We say skip the photo frames and go for something a little more creative! Some of our favorite photo display ideas include hanging photos on a string of yarn with clothespins or pinning them to a decorative cork board.
   
5. Make a small space feel bigger.
   We all know dorm rooms aren’t huge, but sometimes it’s more about how big it looks and feels than how big it actually is. Skip the overhead lights and bring in a few lamps instead to draw the eye around the room. Bringing in a full-length mirror? Place it across from the window to reflect light and make the room feel more spacious. Use rugs to create the illusion of different areas in the room – one rug for the study area under your desk, one for the resting area by your bed, etc. It’s all about being creative!

Move-in day is just around the corner (August 23 and 24) and we can’t wait to see you – we’ll be there to help you with all your move-in needs!

For more information on residence life and move-in day, give the Office of Campus Engagement and Residence Life a call at (210) 829-6034!