Small Spaces, Big Ideas: Maximizing Space and Organization at College and at Home

Each college has its own personality and team colors, but all dorm rooms are alike: they’re small, plain and short on storage.


Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to maximize the space, dress it up and augment the meager storage you’re allotted. And there are plenty of stores that carry the right stuff—at the right price—to help you accomplish these goals.


Best of all, these student-centered solutions also will work for parents who are looking to maximize storage space at home while giving their child’s now-empty room an upgrade.
Where to start? Here are some ideas to help get you, and your college-bound student, going.


Maximize the Space You Have
“Stuff expands to fill the available space you have,” says organizing expert Harriet Schechter, author of Let Go of Clutter (McGraw-Hill, $16.95) and an advice column on the topic at http://www.miracleorganizing.com/
And the range of storage products is so enormous that you can buy things that turn out to be more interesting or attractive than useful, she points out.
Schechter suggests two strategies that are fairly foolproof when it comes to maximizing small spaces: take advantage of the vertical space and use mobile multipurpose units.


In dorm rooms, where you’re prohibited from making holes in the walls and the lack of floor space precludes adding furniture, consider using a bed frame with built-in shelving, a desk hutch, stacking shelves that expand, CD towers, bed risers (to make way for under-the-bed storage) and over-the-door organizers and hooks.
Products that might work:The Skandia Hutch ($225.99) and over-the-door hooks ($1.99–$2.99) at The Container Store®; Chromed Steel Expanding/Stacking Shelves ($7.99–$12.99) and Chrome 6-Shelf Mesh Tower ($29.99) at Bed Bath & Beyond®; and Creative Bath Bed Risers at Linens ‘n Things ($9.99).


Dress It Up
Decorating is the best way to make any room feel like home, especially when you’re away at school. But dorm rooms come with strict limits: you can’t nail things to the walls or repaint, and everything must be removed at the end of the year.


To get around these constraints, “add color and texture with linens, tapestries, a rug and the things on your walls,” says Joshua Thomas, a spokesperson for Target.


“Another challenge to face is the fact that this is a shared space, so the students have to compromise and coordinate their efforts,” points out PBteen spokesperson Katie Molinari. If you and your future roommate are able to coordinate ahead of time, you can buy “new linens with different but complementary patterns or colors, and use pillows and throws as accents.”
Window treatments can be hung on tension rods. Plastic or canvas stacking bins up the style quotient while creating storage space.


Products that might work:For bedding, check out Bed Bath & Beyond’s Crash Land category at their Web site under the “Shop for College” tab for a huge selection of colorful and graphic sheets, comforters, quilts, pillows and more. Standouts include the Kona Mini Duvet Set or Ginger Mini Duvet Set by Roxy ($99.99 for twin to $129.99 for queen) and the Madrid Duvet by Jonathan Adler ($89.99 for twin to $169.99 for King).
Products that might work:For duvet covers, Linens ‘n Things carries Wamsutta’s Expressions boldly stripped duvet sets range of palettes for either sex ($19.99 for twin to $49.99 for king) and coordinating decorative pillows ($19.99 each). For area rugs, PBteen has a broad selection of options in different patterns, textures, colors and materials (such as cotton and wool). Dorm room classics include the tailored Preppy Striped Rug ($129–$299) and Dottie Rug ($99–$499) collections and the funky wool shag Flokati Rug ($99–$399) collection.


Augment Storage
“The biggest challenge is how to fit everything in the room, so use pieces that can do double duty or are collapsible,” says Bari Fagin, spokesperson for Bed Bath & Beyond.
“Stuff expands to fill the available space you have.” Harriet Schechter, organizing expert and author.


Folding bookcases or crates can be used as space allows and can be easily collapsed and stored under beds. Freestanding storage carts on wheels can be moved around the room as needed, and storage boxes can be stacked on shelves or slid under beds.
Products that might work:3-Tier Metal Bookcase ($39.99) and Storage Cart with Wheels and Canvas Drawers ($39.99–$49.99) at Bed Bath & Beyond; Stackable Folding Bookcase ($79.00–$158.00), Stor-n-Slide Underbed Boxes ($12.99–$19.99) and Fabric Tote Boxes ($12.99–$19.99) at The Container Store.


Where to Shop
Bed Bath & Beyond (http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/), Linens ‘n Things (http://www.lnt.com/) and The Container Store (http://www.containerstore.com/) have comprehensive, well-integrated shopping programs for college students that include thorough checklists so nothing is forgotten.
The Container Store also sponsors a “College Night Event,” giving shoppers 20 percent off of all regular priced merchandise. The company offers students free one-on-one phone consultations to develop their own customized dorm room plans.
Target (http://www.target.com/), Kmart (http://www.kmart.com/), CB2 (http://www.cb2.com/) and Pottery Barn’s PBteen (http://www.pbteen.com/) are also good sources for college basics.


Discover EDGE contributor Lisa Skolnik has already decorated several dorm rooms for her college-age children.
 posted by Jane