37 You Asked: IHeart Answering - Organized Dorm Life!

Raise your hand if you have some sort of organizing dilemma?  I know I do.  I also know that a number of hands just went up in many homes across blogland as well.  It's OK, no one can see you.... raise that hand!

As this happy little blog space of mine has grown over the years, so have the number of emails from sweet souls, looking for organizing ideas and advice.  And as the number of emails and questions continue to grow, my time stays the same, which unfortunately means that I can no longer respond to each and every question.  I have tried to avoid that reality and still dig through old emails to frequently attempt to play catchup, but in the end it has been a bit of a losing battle.  This makes me incredibly sad, as I have a strange love for problem solving and coming up with organizational solutions.

Therefore, a new idea has been born!

I often notice that many questions that I receive, carry a common theme or relate to one another.  I also know that if one person has a specific dilemma or question, that many other peeps may be in a similar situation as well.  And then there are those questions that leave me perplexed and I think, "Wow, what a GREAT question!"

To manage the questions in a single place, I have set up a new form that can be completed and submitted here.  You will also notice there is also a section to now submit your Reader Spaces, so be sure to carefully fill out the correct submission form on the page based on your specific scenario.

All of the questions will now be logged in one central location and will occasionally be selected from and replied to via a blog post right here on the blog in a "You Asked: IHeart Answering" segment.  Pretty sweet eh!?

I thought it would be fun to launch the new format today with a real life example, the very first official post of the new You Asked: IHeart Answering series!

Ashley wrote:

"Hi Jen! I found your blog the other day via a link on Pinterest and instantly became addicted! But I was wondering if you have any suggestions about organizing for college dorm rooms? I am a college student and I would love some tips on how to make the most of a dorm, since space is usually quite limited."

I have to admit, I went straight from living with my parents to living in a decent sized house with four other roommates, so I never had the super fabulous dorm life experience.  However, many of my good pals did, so when thinking up ideas I tried to put myself back into their itty bitty shared college dorm rooms.

Here is what I came up with for organized dorm life living:

• If possible, start out by working closely with your roommate before move in day,  to determine who is bringing and contributing what to the dorm.  This way, you can avoid duplicating items to save on valuable space.
• Using the space under beds and tapping into vertical space is essential when organizing and maximizing dorm space.  That means using bed risers to allow for under bed storage boxes and using the backs of doors to hang shoe organizers {which don't necessarily have to be used to store shoes}.
• Since dorms equal school and school equals studying, a good workspace is a must.  However, too many desk supplies can instantly cause chaos and clutter in a small space.  A simple desktop organizer with paired down essentials keeps the clutter at bay.  Binders make great filing systems and a dry erase calendar is perfect for keeping schedules on track.
• Snag a laundry sack for stashing away dirty clothing.  They are really wonderful for easy grab and go convenience when heading to the laundromat.
• Command strips will be your decor bff.  Instead of using sticky tack to wildly display all of your photo memories, stick your favorite moments into frames and use the Picture Hanging Command Strips to create a simple gallery wall.  This will give your space a larger, less cluttered feeling.
• Scour fashion blogs for ideas on how to keep your wardrobe down to the basic essential pieces which can be mixed and matched to achieve multiple looks.  Use hugable slim hangers to maximize hanging space.
• Since us ladies love cosmetics and toiletries, finding a good caddy that can hold them all and easily be toted around will save dresser top space and make trips to the shower super simple.
• Add storage drawers near the fridge and microwave to hold dry food items along with a few simple dishes and utensils.  Again, only the basics and what you have the capacity to store.
• When selecting cleaning supplies, just a single bottle of all purpose multi-surface cleaner and a microfiber cloth should do the trick.
• Whenever possible, keep all media digitally.  This means everything from photos to movies to music.
• Don't forget the labels.  Labeling your belongings at the beginning of the year will make it easier to remember who contributed what at the end of the year when packing things back up.
• Look for multi-functioning furniture and electronics.  Storage ottomans can not only add seating, but can also double as concealed storage.  Certain gaming devices have the ability to also play movies and music, as do many iPads and laptops.  Task lighting can also double as a charging station for electronics.  When space is limited, items that work harder will really maximize the space you do have.

And to live vicariously through Ashley, I decided to go on a little virtual shopping spree, using my own dorm living advice:

{ 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10 }

Ooooh, I want to make over a dorm room now!  There are so many fun and fresh items out there!  Of course, many of these items are available in many shops and stores for a variety of price ranges, these were just a few that caught my eye along the way.

Thank you to Ashley for submitting her super duper question!

Now here is where we get to have more fun!  Surely I haven't thought of everything.  Just because people are writing in and asking me, I want to share these questions on the blog because many of YOU are the experts and have great ideas to share as well. 

So feel free to leave a comment and chime in other ideas for organized dorm living!  What has worked well for you in the dorms?  Any "must have" products that you couldn't have survived without?