College Preparation and Organization

It’s a big transition that first year of college! Being sure you have the right stuff makes that transition easier. College preparation and organization make this transition easier.  It’s important to get started with the right stuff.

Preview

Take advantage of  your first peek at college life while  you are registering for classes during the summer.  Look over your space with an honest appraisal. It’s much smaller than  you think!  See what is built in to your room and what storage exists.  If needed, use a tape measure too.

Less is more

For most college bound, the big items to take are clothes and technology.  It’s tempting to try to bring it all.  But that can lead to chaos.  Decide on clothes by deciding on a number to take. You can can 10, 14 or or a specific number of items. Shoes and accessories are harder to store so think about practicality too.

Here are favorite college clothes storage items.

Shoe organizer, not just for shoes.

Command hooks

hanging shelves

Three Drawer Rolling Cart

For technology, bring your game system and other goodies grouped together.  It may not be possible to install a 52 inch screen, but you can consolidate your games.  Use a notebook for all the CDs, a bin for the controllers, and a crate for anything else.

Media Storage

Shoe box for organizing your media

More than clothes

Remember, you need to be prepared for more than just partying.   Prepare for studying, room decorating, laundry, bathroom, and other room stuff.

• For academics, you will need one spiral notebook for each class, a planner, flash drives, and folders for handouts.
• For laundry be sure to bring a laundry basket to tote your clothes to and from the laundry room.
• Find out where your bath and shower are.  A caddy is a handy tote for your shampoo, soap and more.
• Coordinate with your roommate who will have a  mini refrigerator, microwave, and printer. Tiny spaces need just one of each of these.

College prep time line

• Start after your orientation week in June/July
• Break your preparation and purchases into baby steps with clothes, organizing, study stuff, and more
• Create a spot to keep it in while organizing
• Set a time to give away extra clothes
• Group items together and label your boxes for organized packing