Moving Into College the ‘Horderly Way’

Back-to-School season is rapidly approaching and it’s time to think about what to pack and what organizational systems to implement in your college-bound child’s dorm room.

Dorms are notoriously small – especially when you’re sharing space with a roommate. But – don’t be too nervous, Horderly has some tips and tricks to help your child feel comfortable in his or her “home away from home” (and have the coolest dorm room at school).

A dorm room will be your child’s home base during college. Not just for sleeping, your child’s dorm room will be a study room, a cafeteria and movie theater, at times.

It’s important to set your child up with the tools to easily transition his or her space from a tranquil sleeping area to a perfectly-equipped study cube.

Bed & Under Bed Storage

Stackers Bedside Storage Caddies are perfect for tall beds – especially when nightstands can’t fit in a dorm. These bedside caddies slip under the mattress and feature pockets for holding and organizing everything from your cell phone and reading glasses to iPads and books.

Use Bed Risers to increase storage space under your child’s bed. Then stack Under Bed Drawers to store anything from shoes to snacks to school supplies!

Closet

Maximizing limited dorm closet space is crucial when setting up your child. Use Slim Velvet Hangers to keep hanging items neat and tidy. The slim design of these hangers allows you to fit more hanging items in your closet without the hangers taking up too much space.

If drawer space is limited but there’s extra room in the closet, use Stackable Drawers to create a makeshift drawer system! Remember, you can use under bed bins for clothes, too!

Use Anywhere Stick On Lights to make sometimes-dim dorm closets lighter and brighter! You can even stick these near your child’s bed as a nightlight!

Desk

Use a Square Linen Bulletin Board and/or Square Cork Bulletin Board to create a wall system where your child can pin photos, reminders, flyers and takeout menus.

Laundry & Cleaning

Let’s face it, most children are not cleaning connoisseurs like mom. However, with the right systems in place, yes, even your child can do his or her laundry and tidy up their dorm room.

We love using rolling carts to create Laundry and Cleaning Stations (and even Snack Stations) for our clients. We love even more that the Container Store has suggestions for rolling cart stations on their website, thanks, Container Store)!

Don’t forget to get a Laundry Hamper with Lid so your child can contain (sometimes lots of) dirty clothes! Getting a hamper with a lid can reduce smells (and keep your child’s roommate happy).

Hanging

Command General Purpose Variety Kit is great because they help hook everything from frames to bathrobes, towels or mirrors. These are perfect for dorm rooms because they peel off easily and don’t damage walls. Most colleges don’t allow students to drill or hammer decor into walls, which is where Command Hooks save the day!

Finishing Touches

Once your child is all set up and (almost) ready to go – don’t forget to label! Horderly loves using Brother’s P-Touch Cube Plus Label Maker. Complete with Bluetooth connectivity to an app on your iPhone, creating and printing labels is super easy with the P-Touch. You can even gift one to your child so he or she can label things like books, folders and notepads once school has started.

For more information on all things Horderly – including lots of great tips, tricks and other #HorderlyHabits – check out our blog or reach out for more information!

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