By Ali Barone, SUNY New Paltz class of 1995

So the spring semester is here with over six months of clutter collecting behind you. If you are anything like I used to be when I was at New Paltz (a.k.a. the best years of my life) then you know what I am talking about! The countless research papers, outdated textbooks, ancient art renderings, dried up supplies, and stacks of plastic cups all seemed to make it into "neat piles" month after month without any hope of being recycled, traded in for extra $, or discarded. If I didn't have roommates that threatened to throw my stuff out the windows on occasion my piles probably would have grown to mythic, fire hazard proportions. . . that would NOT have been good!

Creating a well organized dorm room will improve the energy flow of the space and will have positive effects on the well being of both you and your roommate. Here are a few tips to help you spring clean your dorm room, clear the clutter and your mind.

1) Toss the excess!
The first and most important step is to get rid of as much as possible. Pick a pile, any pile, and go. This is the hardest part but I promise you it feels great! A feeling of relief will wash over you and you will experience a lightness of being. This is also a great time to call in reinforcement a.k.a. your best friend to talk you through this process and remind you that that shirt really is ugly and that paper is useless to you now. Recycle whatever you can, give away clothes that don't fit and throw away all of the extra little things that clutter up your space and mind. IF YOU DON'T NEED IT, LOVE IT, AND ABSOLUTLEY MUST HAVE IT THEN TOSS IT!!!!

2) Optimize Your Storage and Floor Space
It is no secret that most college rooms are cramped and small. The key to living in these conditions comfortably is by maximizing your space as much as possible. One way to do this is by raising your bed slightly. If you're in a residence hall this could mean adjusting your loft bed to a higher setting. If you live off campus, place the legs up on strong weight bearing cinder blocks. Now I am sure many of you have already done this but how well have you organized all the extra storage space you created by doing so? Buying inexpensive plastic bins with lids can provide excellent storage for anything you can't seem to part with. Make a separate bin for books, papers, and art supplies, bulky sweaters etc and label the contents on a piece of masking tape. Make sure to neatly place the tape on the surface facing out. This way you can readily identify the contents and not have to dig through all of the bins to find that fascinating English paper you wrote on War and Peace. It looks cleaner and is more efficient than stacking open crates.

3) Get Things Off The Floor!
If it's not a necessary piece of furniture or a rug, get it up. Off campus students, find out if it is ok to drill holes into the walls to place inexpensive plank shelving found at your local home improvement stores. If not, Rubbermaid is just one brand that sells strong plastic stackable shelving. Place your hot water maker, hot chocolate, ramon noodles, often used school/art supplies, toiletry totes etc. up onto them. This will help keep your work surfaces from getting cluttered up.

If you live off campus, TV wall mounts are great as well and can often be purchased for around $30 at an electronics store. However, they must be anchored well and should installed by a skilled handyperson.

4) Maximize Your Closet Capacity
Purchase a shoe rack that can hang on the back of your closet door. Use the extra floor space in your closet to place small storage bins for your seasonal accessories like gloves, hats, scarves, sweaters etc.

Invest in a few good multiple hangers. They are strong and can hold several pairs of pants laterally, which saves a lot of space.

Wire shelving and closet organizers can help you redesign your closet to best fit your needs and add extra drawer/bin space if needed.

Place hooks on the sidewalls for baseball caps, purses, etc.

 

Before implementing any of these tips, be sure to check with your residence life staff or landlord for housing rules and regulations. I hope these few simple tips and tricks help you have an amazingly clear, successful and creative semester!