So maybe you just moved in to your new dorm or small apartment. After the excitement fades, you start to realize just how little space you’re working with… At first, you maybe brushed off the lack of storage space by telling yourself that not everyone needs a pantry, or a linen closet, or fully functional cupboards. But then there comes a time when you realize that it’s not that you have too much stuff, it’s that you don’t have enough place to put it all. Here’s a blog post with 7 organization ideas for your dorm or small apartment designed to help you out and organize all of your stuff in your new bedroom. Hopefully it will make your space feel less cluttered and your mind less distracted.
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The Closet
Starting out with the closet… You can do so much with a closet. It’s great for organizing clothes and bulky items you just want to throw up on top.
You’re going to need a shoe rack and a hanging organizer. The hanging organizer works great for bulky clothes like sweaters.
I also love these stacked hangers for closet organization because they just save so much space! Color coding the closet makes the mess look a bit prettier too…
For larger bulky items like winter blankets or sleeping bags, try to store them in a large basket or container. It will help everything look more put together even if they’re full of your stuff.
Your Books
A bookshelf is an obvious piece of organization furniture, especially if you’re a student or avid reader and need a place to fit all your books.Â
To make it look a little more put together, you can color code your books so it looks intentionally organized and pleasing to the eye.Â
You can place larger books in storage cubes and miscellaneous items in a wicker basket.
For Your Desk
The desk is another organizational haven. I could write an entire post just on desk organization. If you’re like me, you have pens and pencils, makeup, jewelery, and random items like birthday cards and postage stamps all stored at the desk.Â
For pens and pencils, only leave out the ones you actually use and place them in a desk organizer.Â
For makeup, use a makeup organizer, and be sure to throw away anything you don’t need or no longer use.
If you don’t have drawers on your desk to organize your items, get a small shelf or cart and put some wicker baskets or small bins on the cart or shelves to place your miscellaneous items.Â
For Your Dresser
Dresser organization is actually relatively straightforward.Â
I would recommend these drawer organizers to fit your clothes in. They’re especially helpful for smaller items like socks, underwear, bras, and swimsuits that often get pushed around and make drawers look unorganized.Â
I would also recommend folding your clothes the Marie Kondo style so you can see everything in your drawers more easily.Â
For the top of your dresser, you can add these little baskets or something similar. You can use them to put your wallet and keys in, masks, etc.
For Bags, Belts, and Scarves
This wall mount works great for hanging items. You can secure it to your wall with a 16 lb Command Strip for a dorm and renter friendly option.Â
For Under the Bed Storage
Clear plastic bins work great for under the bed and are a great addition to the organization ideas for your dorm or small apartment! You may need bed risers if you think they won’t fit.
Mesh bins allow you to store miscellaneous items or spare clothes and make it easy to see what exactly is where. If you’re looking for a plastic-free option, open wicker baskets also work great!
Nightstand
Your nightstand should be streamlined so it includes only what you need each night. You can add a nightstand organizer or a little basket to hold your phone, chapstick, glasses, and anything else you use nightly.
