We’ve all been there. You have an exam in 20 minutes and you’re tearing apart your living room looking for your notes, student ID or whatever it is you need to take the test. Instead of reliving this nightmare, why not change the layout of your apartment into a more organized space? Here are our tips for students to declutter and organize their apartments this year.
Draw it out: College apartments generally are smaller in square footage, making it all the more important to maximize the space you have available. Before you start rearranging all of the furniture in your apartment, take the time to draw out the floor plan, estimating the dimensions so you can better plan out what will and will not fit into your space. The last thing you want to do is move all of your furnishings, only to find there’s no space for your favorite piece.
Go vertical: Opening up your space doesn’t mean you have to throw away your belongings. Often, you’ll just need to find ways to use what you have without making the space feel enclosed. One trick is to simply take advantage of the vertical space in your unit – build up, not out. Consider adding shelves or a bookcase to provide a home for any textbooks, DVDS and other items that are normally scrambled throughout your apartment.
Try dual-purpose furnishings: When it comes to furniture, college students tend to only have what they need in their apartments. Sofas, lounge chairs and ottomans are essentials for most students, but having too many pieces will surely take up more space than you’d like. One way to open up your living room is to use dual-purpose furnishings that double as storage. This gives you the opportunity to stow away blankets, pillows and any other items that take up unnecessary space in your apartment.
Ditch the posters: Another trick to making your space feel more open is reconfiguring your wall space. Having an excess amount of posters and pictures on your wall will make the space feel too busy and cramped. You can also opt to hang a mirror or two in place of these pictures, which can make a space appear larger than it actually is.
Whether you’re hoping to have a more organized apartment or simply looking to tidy up, these tips will help you redefine your space as you take on the new semester.
