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August 22, 2001
Expert offers tips to ease transition to college
Use wall space for vertical filing systems, under beds for storage
In the next few weeks thousands of local students will trade family life for dorm life as they pack their bags and leave for college. While many students eagerly anticipate the new found freedom, friends and experiences that dorm life provides, some underestimate how difficult the transition can be. From packing all belongings into a small dorm room, to developing good study habits, there is a lot for a college-bound student to adjust to.
According to Stephanie Denton, one of the country's leading experts on organization and time management and the president of the National Association of Professional Organizers, starting the school year with an organized dorm room is one of the first steps to college academic success.
"Half of the battle is deciding what you really need in your dorm," Denton says. "The other is having the right tools to design an effective system for storage and organization."
Retail stores that specialize in organization and storage solutions offer many products to tackle even the toughest dorm room organization problems.
"For many college-bound students this will be the first time they are solely responsible for managing their time and activities," Denton says. "Students who are organized are more likely to study and get good grades. They are also less likely to feel stressed and overwhelmed by the transition to college life."
Residential life experts have found that college students seem to arrive at school with more and more personal belongings each year. Because a dorm room has to serve as bedroom, kitchen, living room and study area, it can be difficult for college students and their parents to know how to begin organizing the limited space.
When working with small spaces like dorm rooms, Denton encourages people to think vertically and maximize unused spaces.
"Use the space up and down the walls for storage," Denton says. "Vertical filing systems keep notebooks and folders organized and free up shelf space. Under-the-bed storage containers are great for storing towels, toiletries and off-season clothing."
Although closet space is typically at a premium in dorm rooms Denton has several tips to make the most of the space that is available.
"Using an over-the-door shoe rack frees up space on the closet floor," she says. "This space can then be used for a mobile drawer system, a filing cabinet or stackable crates and shelves."
Another trick to making the most of a small space is finding products that serve more than one purpose. "Items such as storage trunks are great because they not only provide a convenient way to store items, they double as additional seating for friends," Denton says.
Organizing a dorm room does not have to be expensive. Denton recommends that parents invest in a few key items to help their college student feel at-home and comfortable in the dorm.
"It's a small investment that really pays off," Denton says. "Helping your child get organized for college is one of the greatest gifts you can give."
Stephanie Denton authors the nationally syndicated column "Getting Organized." Denton is the founder and president of Denton & Company, a Cincinnati-based consulting and training firm.
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