I don’t know about you, but if my space is a mess, I’m a mess. If this last year has taught me anything, it’s that your space will impact you and your mindset. Every time I let my space get dirty or cluttered, I seem to feel more stressed or lazy. When my room and living area is clean, I feel like I can relax and even be more productive. Personally, I have always been an organized person, but, as a college student, things can get busy and your space can easily become cluttered. So, just in time to keep you productive and relieve some stress as schoolwork starts to pick up, here are a few quick and affordable tips and tricks to keep your space clean and organized.
Make your Bed
I know, I know, you’re probably thinking: What does making your bed have to do with organization? Well, I’m here to tell you, EVERYTHING. When your bed is not made, or your pillows, comforter and sheets are all over the place, it can quickly become a dumping ground. Clothes are thrown on it when getting ready in the morning, bags and purses when you come back from somewhere, etc. If you make your bed, it’s more pleasing to the eye, and you’ll likely want it to stay that way. It also makes for another spot to sit, study, or relax, especially if you are in a smaller space, like a dorm. Overall, if your bed is not made, your room is going to look messier than it is. I understand it might be annoying, but it’s only five minutes that will make a world of difference on your busy day.
Utilize space with a closet organizer
The hardest thing for me to organize is my clothes because I have too many (but a girl can never have too many right?). With sweater weather quickly approaching, soon enough we’ll be scrambling to find a place for our chunky sweaters and sweatshirts. There is a simple solution, and it is a hanging closet organizer that you can find easily on Amazon! It has hangers to easily hang up and has good-sized cubbies that you can put anything in. I found that this was perfect for my sweaters! This way the clothes are not taking up extra space in my drawers, and the organizer takes barely any space in my closet. The possibilities are endless with this as you do not have to use it for sweaters but maybe towels, sheets or even blankets!
Baskets
I think a basket is a must-have when it comes to organizing your room. Not only are they practical, but they’re also so cute to add another element in your space. Just like the organizer, you can use it for many different things. For me personally, I use it for my sweatshirts, as again I have a lot and they take up quite a bit of space other places. For my living room at my apartment, however, my roommates and I have a bigger one, which we use for blankets and yoga mats. Having these items in a basket also makes it easier to grab and go while giving those items a home.
Small Containers for Drawers
Organization trays, small containers, organizers, whatever you want to call it, will change your life. You would be surprised how fast a drawer can become messy with no sort of dividers or containers in it. You can get clear plastic ones anywhere from Walmart, Amazon, Target or TJmaxx for cheap. I love how with these nothing is jumbled together and there is a separate place for everything. I use them for all my beauty products. One will have my makeup items while another will have hair ties and scarfs and another will have earrings, etc. I also did the same for my school things in another drawer such as highlighters, pens, pencils, sticky notes, etc. This ultimately saves you time as you do not have to go searching for something and it is all laid out in front of you.
Sunglasses Mug
There are so many ways to organize sunglasses, but my personal preference is a mug. I do not recommend this tip if you have lots for sunglasses, however for about five pairs, this will do the trick. I know this may sound silly but it really does help utilize space and looks cute while doing so. It’s as simple and taking a mug, putting sunglasses in it and leaving it on your desk or bedside table. They’re all contained and easy to grab, and you can choose any cute mug that fits your aesthetic to compliment your space, which is an added perk.
command strips
Good old command strips; what would we do without them? Most of the time you think of command strips as just a decoration tool, but they can be very useful when it comes to organizing your space. One thing this could be used for is necklaces. I personally do not have a jewelry box at school, so I ended up using command hooks to display them on my wall. The tiny clear ones will do the trick, and you can display them however you would like. It is so easy and serves as another wall decoration. You could also use them to hang up hats, purses, or sometimes jackets.
I know organization can be sometimes time consuming and a lot of work, but small changes to your space can make a world of difference. Coming back to a messy bed and a pile of clothes on the ground that you have no idea what to do with could make a stressful school day even more stressful. It’s finally time to take care of your space and now is the perfect time to do it!