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The anticipation of the shining college life starts even before you enter high school. The idea of moving out and having freedom of your time and space comes with its own limitations. After spending your life in a 12×12 feet bedroom, suddenly moving into a new dorm room that is probably smaller and has to be shared with someone else doesn’t sound fascinating. How do you adjust to that? Personally, I’ve had nightmares about a cramped dorm room filled with the excessive consumerist culture that we’ve indulged in; the clothes, the shoes, the stationeries, the toiletries. And truth be told, there are high chances of that nightmare becoming a reality.
Don’t you worry though! This article will only make your new life easier, providing you with 31 dorm room storage ideas that will give you the space to enjoy your solitary dance routines to keep you sane through assignments and what-not.
31 Dorm Room Storage Ideas to Maximize your Space
1. Mattress Caddy
This mattress caddy is a highly functional storage caddy. Its different compartments of all sizes allow you to fit different gadgets and books. It can hold anything from diaries and thick novels to iPads and pens. But what is most amazing about a mattress caddy is that it replaces a typical bedside table and demands no space at all. This way you will have full functionality and no regrets about not moving your bedside table to your dorm room!
2. Over-the-door Storage Rack
It’s always better when you’ve stored your belongings in something that’s suspended onto a door, like an over-the-door storage cabinet that doesn’t take up any floor space in your dorm room. This is the best alternative to a dressing table or a cabinet – just hang it on the door and keep your hygiene care, cosmetics, or your towels and bathrobes.
3. Ottoman Chairs
If you’re thinking of buying any new furniture, the smart option is to buy one that serves multiple purposes. This ottoman chair can act as a chair and a storage system all the time. In fact, we would suggest you enjoy the benefits of an ottoman chair in your house as well, you won’t be disappointed! For your dorm room, ottoman chairs can serve as desk chairs too.
4. Bed Lifts
Your bed occupies most of the space in your dorm room, so why not utilize it to its full potential? These lifts are amazing solutions to beds that restrict any storage space beneath them. Once you place them, you can store all your excess items or off-season clothes underneath your bed. Make sure to make use of all the space. They also come with inbuilt electrical sockets which is utilitarianism at its best. Pro tip: You can also hide your snacks under the bed so your roommate won’t have a chance to steal them!
5. Utility Cart
Utility carts are perfect for when you don’t want to move around searching for those little things that tend to get lost in the blink of an eye. You can literally store anything in this cart like books, stationeries, chargers, laptops, alarm clocks, or other such supplies. The ones that come with wheels are better to use since they are mobile, so we suggest you look out for these first!
6. Hanging Closet Shelf
A hanging closet shelf could be a great alternative to a dressing table. Why make the effort to move a dressing table from your bedroom to your dorm room, only to realize the dressing table occupies too much space? When you’re running out of floor space in your closet, which honestly you would because the dorm room closets are teeny tiny; you can just hang this in your dorm room closet and keep all your folded clothes, towels, and other essentials.
7. Desktop Organizer
Most dorm rooms come with a desk and a bed. If you choose to not have any other furniture in your room except for these, then you have to make the most of the desk that’s available to you. We are here to offer the cleverest option – a desktop organizer! When you can have these small but useful organizers on your desk and save a whole lot of space at the same time, then what are you waiting for? Go buy them now!
8. Over-the-fridge Caddy Organizer
Now, we all know kitchen supplies are a must have in your dorm rooms. When you own a mini-refrigerator, there’s not a lot of space available for all your condiments and other small but essential items. This is why you need to make sure you utilize every corner of that fridge. Buy an over-the-fridge caddy organizer and keep all your dishes, forks, knives, spoons for your cravings.
9. Bedside Shelf Organizer
What could be better than having everything available to you within an arm’s reach and not having to get out of your bed at all? For the ones who love to do everything in their bed, this bedside shelf organizer is a necessity. Whether it’s for studying or for watching a movie, this innovative organizer can hold all your important gadgets like cell-phone, chargers, iPad, earphones, or glasses in one place, saving you the trouble of running around when you need them.
10. Bedside Shelf
If a bedside shelf organizer wasn’t enough, brace yourself, because now you can even have a bedside shelf! This is what I call luxury in a 12×19 feet dorm room. It can hold cups, notebooks, diaries, etc. Now you really don’t need to get out of bed. Imagine yourself comfortably working on an assignment in your bed while sipping on that coffee with everything you need around you – heaven!
11. Over-the-door Shoe Organizer
When you own tons of pairs of shoes and are equally motivated to not leave any behind and carry all of them to your dorm room, you should be well prepared with a shoe storage system. This over-the-door shoe organizer can do the same. All you need is a door, and that’s it! Enjoy selecting your shoes according to your outfit every day because this organizer gives you the option to see everything at a glance!
12. Make-up Organizer
Are you worried about all your delicate skincare and expensive makeup brushes that won’t have a dressing table to keep them in place? We suggest you take a look at this amazing, multifunctional cosmetic storage which is also a multiple-tiered organizers. This make-up organizer will help you store items that are of different shapes and kinds. And who knows? It might even be better than the original dressing table you own.
13. Storage Trunks
How beautiful! These trunks can easily fit under your bed or in your closet. It’s best to keep all the fragile items in here or store all the off-season clothes. Make sure to check the size of the trunks according to the storage space available, whether it’s underneath the bed or over your closet. Other than that, the vintage vibe adds life to the otherwise bland dorm rooms. If you wish to have a metal trunk that protects all the delicate items, definitely opt for this one.
14. Hanging Jewelry Organizer
We would say this is the best option out there – to have an organizer that will actually organize your jewelry and won’t demand any space. It’s better to store jewelry and accessories in these hanging storage organizers than to store them all in a box. It’s also one of the efficient ways to free up floor space in your closet. And you don’t want to see your jewelry all tangled up when you’re about to leave for the dorm room party, do you?
15. Adhesive Pin Boards
Make yourself at home and bring your bedroom with you! With the help of these pinboards, you can decorate your dorm room, hang post-it notes, polaroids, world-map, or hang a desk organizer. It will also help with the process of memorization. When it gets stressful during the tests, use the pinboard as a display for all the important points.
16. Storage Bags
These storage bags can help with the storage of blankets, curtains, or comforters. They protect your fabric from dust and occupy minimum space. You can either place them under your bed or at the bottom of your closet. If you want, you can also store some of your off-season clothes like sweaters or cardigans. Storage bags are the most popular in households, so if you don’t own one already, now is the time to get one!
17. Over-the-door Hanging Organizer
When you need some extra storage in your closet for accessories like hats, purses, or just some extra space where you can store little products, go for an over-the-door hanging organizer. This will not only save space but provide you with more ways to store items. With the multiple sections provided, there’s no room for chaos.
18. Collapsible Laundry Basket
A laundry basket is a must but they usually serve just one purpose and occupy a lot of room. You can avoid that by choosing a collapsible laundry basket that can raised when it’s needed for use and lowered when it’s no more in need. This flexibility allows the basket to fit in any corner you wish.
19. Under-the-shelf Rack
If you already have an existing shelf in your room, this under-the-shelf rack can add more utility value in terms of storage. It’s a standard size shelf that will help to store extra items that have no place to be. It’s widely used under a closet shelf as well. Either way, investing in one of these would be a good idea and will serve you well.
20. Mesh Shelves
Moving to a very uncommon shelf, this is best for all things that are large in size. Like those extra pillows or the humongous boots that aren’t easy to keep in normal storage space, you can also store sporting gear that is bulky in nature. The top of the shelf can also be utilized to keep folded clothes, books or anything else you like.
21. Four Cube Table
If you long for a side table in your dorm room, then this option can’t get any better. It acts as a multi-functional coffee table with a storage system, but you can also use it as a study table! The best about this is when you don’t need it as a desk or a coffee table, transform it and assemble it as a bookcase or a multipurpose shelf.
22. Stationery Hanging Organizer
Especially for your closets, this organizer can hold all stationery supplies, books, and other such materials. If you have a space for this organizer in your closet, you can just hang it there since it needs a small amount of space. When you’re not planning on having any kind of furniture in your room for these supplies, we suggest you go for an organizer of this kind.
23. Slim Table Lamp
This tiny table lamp can add so much value and style to your dorm room. It requires a little amount of space and looks amazing. If you already have a desk in your dorm room or are planning to bring one, don’t forget to include this in your list of essential buys. This geometric-sized lamp gives you the liberty to manage the brightness and is your best friend to pull an all-nighter with.
24. Over-the-door Hooks
Use these for hanging your towels, bathrobes, and washcloths. If you don’t have one in your bathroom, buy this over-the-door hook. It surely won’t disappoint you as it’s known to be the most commonly used bathroom equipment. With the help of this, you can utilize every corner in your bathroom!
25. Foldable Fabric Box
Another great solution for when you don’t have any room left in your closet for underclothes – you can departmentalize each box and you won’t have to go through the process of sorting things out when they get all mixed up. When you’re not utilizing the fabric box for storage; simply fold it and keep it in a corner.
26. Drawer Dividers
If the fabric box idea wasn’t the best for you, then you can buy these drawer dividers that are easily adjustable. They help in the same way as the fabric boxes. Instead, you have the freedom to make your own compartments and divide things in your drawer accordingly. You can store anything you like; your stationery and underclothes or earphones and chargers – anything that needs some organization will find space here!
27. Shower Caddy
In dorm rooms, you barely have a bathroom. When you have to travel all the way across the hall from your dorm room to the bathroom to take a shower, a shower caddy comes in handy. This caddy can hold your scrubber, shampoo, soap, moisturizer; basically, everything you need for a relaxing shower. Without this, you’ll have to take a trip back to your room just to pick that one thing you missed – this annoying trip could potentially ruin your mornings too!
28. Storage Mirror
Mirrors are very important and we all definitely need a mirror in the room. When you’re planning on buying one, look out for the smartest alternative available in the market – a mirror with a storage capacity! We offer you this storage mirror that can hold everything that’s now residing in the drawer of your dressing table. From earrings and necklaces to make-up products and skincare. Go check it out!
29. Fridge Cart
Tiny carts are amazing when they come with wheels, right? And a mini-fridge with wheels is a dream we didn’t realize we had. This fridge cart will contain all the snacks that you devour, so you shouldn’t have to miss eating junk food just because you moved. If you’re someone who hates snacking, then store the food that you love. Either way, this investment will serve you well!
30. Metal Wire Storage Holder
This is best for when you don’t have storage for kitchen supplies. You can assemble it with the instructions given which are pretty easy and quick. Once you’re done, hang them over your mini-fridge or over the desk. It’s best to store any kind of seasoning, pots, or pans. You can also use it for bathroom supplies!
31. Metal Hooks
Since colleges don’t allow you to attach screws to the dorm room walls, a metal hook can solve this problem. Stick them on the spots you’ve planned to hang things. When you have to move out you can easily take them off, without causing any damage to the dorm room walls. In this manner, you will refrain from violating the rules and enjoy the benefits at the same time.
Here you go! Moving out of your house and town for college can be a daunting experience. When you leave behind all familiarity, try to prioritize comfort and convenience. While staying organized might not seem like a big deal, it will help you balance the stress of meeting new people and finding your own space in your new life. Use these ideas and hacks to make your life easier, and enjoy the adventure of college life!