Now that I finally have graduated from college dorms and apartments, I have finally learned to make the most of a small space. I will be the first to admit that the size of my freshman dorm room was rather generous. Although, sophomore year while living on my sorority hall the space was half the size and we even shared a closet with our roommate. This was not the biggest deal since when you live with your sorority sisters it already feels like everyone’s closet is shared. So, despite the small space there were certainly some perks. Junior and senior year I lived in an on campus apartment with my friends and while it was great to have our own rooms, storage was constantly an issue. Under our beds was not pretty which made bed skirts that much more essentials. There were a number of other things that became essential when maximizing my small space. One thing in particular was finding certain organizers to utilize every inch. I am so thrilled to have the opportunity to partner with PB Teen again to share some of the organizers they make that I use in my space to maximize every inch.
As many of you already living in dorms may know, every inch of those small rooms is valuable, and when used strategically can remain functional, organized, and even look cute. When I moved into the apartment I live in now, I realized that the storage I had been given on campus that included dressers and spacious desk drawers was going to be my own responsibility in this new space. As with anything, there are positive and negative did not come in this new space. Since I am still in graduate school, my space is still relatively small although it is roomier than what I had in the past. This led me to find clever ways to store all of my things. One often underutilized space is the back of your door. Since I have my own bathroom attached to my room, I am fortunate enough to be able to use both sides of that door as well as the door I enter in and out of. For those of you dealing with the same struggle in small spaces when you are trying to find storage, I am sharing three different solutions with you below.
Since I cannot contain my excitement when it comes to this Over the Door Jewelry and Mirror Organizer, I am going to start with it. I don’t know about you, but when I was in dorm rooms I always had communal style bathrooms down the hall from my room. When you live with up to 40 other girls, mirror space can become limited especially when you are all headed to the same sorority formal at one time. I quickly learned the value of having a mirror of my own. This mirror serves two purposes however, and perfectly stores and displays my growing collection of statement earrings and necklaces. I especially like how the hooks for necklaces are on the side of the mirror and spread out since that leaves them less likely to become tangled. If there are any necklaces in your collection that are particularly delicate, the hooks at the very bottom of the organizer are a great place for those. I’ve also started to store any sunglasses I am not currently wearing along the bottom hooks of the organizer. Doing this has made it so easy to grab any accessories I may want for the day while displaying them in a way that add interests to my space.
Next up is a product I’ve been using since the first time I went to sleep away camp in 5th grade. Over time, I have upgraded to different versions of this same product, and I am particularly partial to the navy color of this Over the Door Shoe Rack. I would not consider shoes to be “my thing” like some girls claim although judging by my expanding collection others may disagree. Nothing would drive me crazier than having to search for a specific shoe’s pair in the morning. I know some people are ok with lining their shoes up across their closet floor or having a bucket to toss them in that would leave me frustrated when getting dressed and would not be an efficient use of the small space I have. Instead, organizing my shoes into the pockets of this shoe rack makes it easy for me to get ready without frustration and without taking up valuable closet floor space. With many of my pairs of sandals, I can fit both shoes in one pocket of the organizer. Since that takes up less space, I can also store awkward items such as belts or hair tools in the empty pockets at the bottom. A definite win-win.
Lastly, I have a solution for any of you who have a tendency to be like a fungus when you study and prefer to spread out all over the place. For me, that means that the prime real estate on my desk is used for books, notes, and my laptop. This leaves little room for me to take notes on my desk. I learn best when I rewrite my information, so until my most recent discovery that led me to spread out on the floor. Not the most comfortable of study spots. PB Teen just came out with a Dry Erase Peel and Stick NuWallpaper that is perfect for notes. Depending on your living space, you can put this just about anywhere since it easily can be removed (perfect for those dorm walls you don’t want to be fined for damaging). In our apartment, we’ve started using this to write notes, lists, or even reminders to one another. It can be hard to keep up with your own schedule, let alone 2 other people’s so this is such an easy solution. How fun would it be to put this on the outside of the door in your dorm to have friends leave you notes as well?
If you’re graduating or looking for the perfect gift to give a soon to be grad, organizational items like these would be the perfect practical gift. While I wish I had these items in college, I am so glad that they have served an equally useful purchase as I’ve continued to attempt to maximize the space I have.
Thank you to PB Dorm for collaborating with me on this post. As always, all opinions are my own. Thanks for supporting the brands that make Prep In Your Step possible.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.