Your mom’s Subaru Forester has only so much trunk space. Before even arriving on campus, you are already learning a lesson that will prove invaluable for navigating college with thrifty grace:the value of economic decision-making.
This is your guide to economic living, or as some call it, the art of dorm-and-apartment-space maximization.
Do: Invest in a memory foam mattress cover. The dastardly aches and pains induced by an unprotected dormitory mattress cannot be understated. Early classes are daunting, but they are nearly impossible when accompanied by these unwelcome guests.
Don’t: Bring too many random decorations. After arranging your TV and desk there is not much room for lava lamps nor other knick-knacks.
Do: Adorn your walls with something. Unlike shelves, there is an excess of real estate on your walls. The ugliness of an undecorated dorm or apartment wall is unbearable. The only wall more frustrating is one covered with hastily-bought posters that don’t reflect your true interests. Tapestries, dart boards and posters from home are more than mere decoration – they give your room character.
Don’t: Overestimate the usefulness of niche items. The claustrophobic madness of a dorm stuffed with dusty pasta-making kits and idle fishing gear might drive you completely insane. I will never forgive myself for hauling a heavy mini pingpong table up three flights of stairs in the August heat and then never unboxing it. Unless you will get weekly use out of an item, you probably shouldn’t pack it.
Do: Buy totes. Totes, totes, totes. Actually, around three shorttotes will do. Three totes tucked under the bed opens up every seemingly insignificant crevice you would otherwise pollute with your belongings. The value of organization should not be taken for granted!
Don’t: Over-prepare. There won’t be four occasions so different that they each warrant a different color of the same shoe. You won’t use five reams of printer paper, nor will you need a backup shower caddy.
Do: Remember you will want to have fun with friends at some point. Hacky Sacks and vintage gaming consoles and board games and old movies will constitute a large portion of your good memories in college. However, recalling the previous “Don’t,” one can over-prepare for fun as easily as one can over-prepare for anything. Stick to the essentials: I recommend sports balls, a deck of cards and your favorite video game console.
Don’t: Be afraid to purge your nonessential belongings. College forces many people to strip down to the bare necessities. Learning to be thrifty will save you avoidable headaches about your stuff because nothing you own will be purely disposable. The character of any living space is defined by which possessions it is home to. The key to creating your ideal college home is to give it personality with your stuff but not too much.
