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Clean Up Your Messy Dorm Room

By Peter Walsh

Step 4: Create and Maintain Zones for Your Dorm Room

Dorm rooms are always used for different purposes at the same time. In order to decide what should stay and where, you need to identify the different activities that take place within each room and divide them into zones. Once you begin organizing, these zones become the center for specific items related to the designated activity. Then, it becomes immediately clear where things belong, where to find things and where to return them.

Sample Zones for Dorm Rooms
Sleeping
Relaxation
Storage
Entertaining
Dining
Studying

Quick Tips for Your Dorm Room
1. If you can, find out what furniture is included with your room. Many dorms have suggested floor plans to maximize space; some schools won't let you bring your own furniture.

2. Use a footlocker-style trunk and stackable, interlocking plastic crates to transport your things to school. The crates can serve as storage unites, and the trunk can double as a coffee table or an end table. Suitcases can store clothing and extra linens.

3. Bring only the clothes you'll wear for the next few months if you plan to go home on breaks. Fill in gaps and adjust for the seasons in spurts.