How to Use Spring Cleaning to Maximize Your Dorm Space

By Francine Fluetsch on April 5, 2017

This article is brought to you by Kaplan, the leader in test prep for over 90 standardized tests, including the GRE, GMAT, LSAT, and MCAT.

While you and your roommates have no control over the square footage of your dorm when you move in, you can do your best to maximize your space and keep it clean. I know, I know, keeping the space organized and clean is a challenge when you have the stress of homework, studying, and classes, not to mention the stress of trying to clean with your roommates.

So, here are some ways that you can use the spring-cleaning time to organize your space and maximize it so you will be a little more stress-free and clutter free this spring quarter/semester.

Kill the clutter

Something that makes an already tight space nudge into the realm of being claustrophobic is when you and your roommates have too much clutter out and about. Clutter is that nuisance that multiplies at night, expanding over your dressers and desktops and finding its way to the floor.

To make your space feel more open, you need to kill the clutter. Start by going through your drawers and wardrobe and making piles of things you want to sell, give away, and toss. This way, you free up some space so you will not have clutter, but you can also make a buck or two, or deduct from your taxes by donating.

You slowly start to accumulate a bunch of stuff in your dorm that you honestly don’t need, so if you and your roommates can take a weekend to get rid of the clutter, the space will already feel a lot better.

Hidden storage

If you have gotten rid of everything that you can think of in the realm of clutter but still find yourself with more stuff than you have space for, it’s time to invest in some storage. I would recommend those collapsible canvas zip-up bags made to go under the bed. Even if you have bunk beds, you and your roommates can share the space under the bed with these zip-up bags that will keep everything organized and separate from each other.

I had two of these my freshman year and they were great! In one, I kept things like extra bedding, winter jackets that were no longer needed in spring, and extra towels, while the other one held all my shoes that couldn’t fit into my tiny dresser.

You can also get cheap little canvas boxes at IKEA that can hold things, and place them either under the bed or up high on a dresser or shelf. This way, even if the organization bins can be seen, they look neat and nice and keep your place clutter free. Try and get the same brand that your roommates want to get so the storage looks uniform and it won’t call too much attention to the bins.

Clean the room once a week

I don’t know how, but vacuuming your room magically makes it feel bigger, and honestly, you’ll feel better living in a place that feels clean. If you and your roommates split up the cleaning chores and stick to getting them done once a week, the place will feel so much better and it will give you an incentive to keep everything organized for easy vacuuming access.

Have one person vacuum, one person take out the trash, and one go around with Febreze and Lysol wipes to make everything feel and smell nice.

Organize appliances

Most dorm rooms have a mini fridge and a microwave for you all to make food, so try to optimize the space by giving your dorm a little cooking “nook,” where you can organize the appliances and keep them clean. Make sure to clean out the fridge every other week to keep it smelling good and to give you optimal space for all of your snacks.

One of my friends left a vanilla milkshake in her fridge for so long that it turned brown and made the whole thing smell pretty bad, and you don’t want that to happen to you. If you keep up with taking out the trash, cleaning out the fridge shouldn’t be a big burden on top of it.

Make your beds

This may seem silly, but keeping up with making the beds will make your room feel bigger and more organized. The beds take up most of your space, so if they look organized, everything else will as well. It is a little hard to always do this before class, but once you get into the habit, you’ll be able to make your bed in a pinch.

These are just a few ways that you can maximize your dorm space by keeping it tidy. Happy spring cleaning!

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