The beginning of the school year always sounds so great on advertisements and commercials. Whether it is "back to school" clothing or school supplies, all of the vibrant colors and organized ideas put such a positive vibe in the air. For me, I am color coded, alphabetized and cleaned to perfection. I promise myself that I will not let the stress of college and the pressure of studying ruin my streak, but for most of us the messy rooms and the unmade beds begin as soon as we're back at school.
Some of us have some bigger faults than others, but at the end of the day nobody's perfect. After moving myself into college for my third year this past week, I have created some helpful tips to not only make your move in easier, but to provide a simple way to stay clean and organized this year.
Only pack what you need.
I have narrowed down the amount of stuff I bring to school by almost half. Bring the clothes that you wear, your needed accessories and the least amount of cosmetics as possible. Half of the time the things you bring to school wind up staying in containers for the remainder of the school year.
Utilize your desk.
Although you may not use your desk for studying purposes, pretend that it's being put to better use than just storage. Organize the drawers based on what you will need on a daily basis. These drawers are probably at your best convenience so originally having them organized will set a reminder to keep them organized for the year.
Leave yourself enough time.
Sometimes when you are getting ready to go out, you wind up going through your drawers like a monster. It's okay to go crazy once in a while but if you want to keep up the neat streak, make sure to leave yourself five minutes before you go out or when you get home, to clean up your room. If you don't, then the mess will slowly build up and you will learn to live in a giant ball of clothes.
Don't aimlessly buy.
Whether you are school shopping, picking up a few things for you're new year or just shopping with some friends on a school weekend, only purchase the necessities. It is different when you are living in a spacious apartment or house, but when you are confined to living with a roommate in a smaller space, extra stuff is just not really an option.
This list could go on and on, but my biggest advice for college readers out there is to create a system for yourself. Once you have packed and unpacked a few times, you get used to the tight spaces and the inconvenient storage locations. Make things accessible and if it is simply going to be sitting in the back of your closet, then you definitely do not need it. Be realistic about what is optional and what is needed, because I promise you, you will not regret it in the end.
