Like the majority of university and college students at the beginning of fall, I am currently preparing to move back into my rental apartment. Student rentals are generally smaller and more compact than most family homes, so organizing your place can be a bit more difficult.
After four years and five different apartments, I have developed some tips for how to make the most of your space.
Bedroom
If you’re like me, you probably spend the majority of your time at home in your bedroom. It is a lot easier to function in a well laid-out space. So, it is a good idea to put some time and effort into how you organize your bedroom.
Your bed is one opportunity you have to use as extra storage space. Beds with room underneath them are a great spot organize things.
One option is drawers. You can add drawers to some beds, in addition to the frame, for extra storage. A more financially-accessible option for drawers is to buy some long, narrow plastic containers and store off-season clothes in them.
After some scouring on Pinterest a few weeks ago, I found an interesting way to use your bed to make extra storage space. You can buy a headboard for your bed that has built-in bookshelves at IKEA or other furniture stores. This is an awesome way to store your books and keep your books near your bed for some evening reading.
Other than my bed, my favourite organizational tool in my bedroom is my pegboard. I painted the pegboard to fit my room’s aesthetic and then added a bunch of hooks to hang a variety of hair accessories, makeup tools, and other small personal items. In addition to hooks, there are also containers you can buy that attach to pegboards. Last year, I hung my pegboard on the back of my door, but it can be hung on any surface in your room.
Kitchen
The kitchen is another space where keeping yourself organized can make your life much easier.
If you’re lacking cupboard space, a good option is to purchase a stand-up pantry or another sort of shelving unit to put on an empty wall or corner to hold your non-perishable foods. You can buy a cabinet with cupboards on it so that your food is not visible to anyone who walks through the kitchen—it provides a more simplistic look.
Another option is to buy a microwave stand that has shelves or a cupboard underneath. This is a way to make use of vertical space in a small kitchen.
Depending on the number of people you live with, you can experiment with options that work best for you.
Bathroom
Another room where we might not have enough space is in the bathroom. First, check behind your mirror to see if there is a medicine cabinet in the wall.
My best advice for the bathroom is to buy a hanging shower caddy to hang over the waterspout. This allows you to keep soap, shampoo, and razors directly in the shower. Don’t forget to add hooks on the wall for towels and washcloths.
Whether you are into home decorating or not, organizing your living space will save you time and keep you more productive when at school. Finding space-saving hacks that work for you will keep you more organized and allow you to work more efficiently. If you hack your room really well, it’ll look a lot bigger than the small space it is.
Featured graphic by Etta Gerrits.
