Dorm room hacks have become a whole category of their own, and honestly, it makes sense. Introducing Dorm Deck® from Life Hack Decks®, by the owners of The Uncluttered Life, Inc. — a home organization and time management company that specializes in decluttering, organizing, and setting up simple, productive routines. With Dorm Deck®, we provide prompts that make life a little simpler for the first year away at college, helping students maximize their time and take fewer unnecessary steps. Here are some of our favorite dorm room hacks to help make that transition a whole lot easier.
How Dorm Room Hacks Have Changed
When I went away to college, everything I needed fit neatly into a trunk. An army trunk. I put it at the end of my extra-long dorm room bed, used it for storage, and called it a day. That was then. This is now.
Now, dorm room organization and decoration is a huge business. Companies that are big-hitters in this field include Dormify, The Container Store®, Target, Amazon, and Pottery Barn Teen. In my day, it was Venture for toiletries. That was about it.
Now I'm watching my friend send her children off to college, and creative decorating and organization for a dorm room are a real thing. Who knew? Not me. As I've watched her pack a headboard, hutch, sheets, regular-sized pillows, European pillows, decorative pillows, mattress pads, towels, school supplies, and toiletries — just to start — I'm thinking I didn't get this much stuff when I got married. Times have really changed. So, too, has dorm room organization.
Dorm Room Organization and Decorating
With some planning and strategic purchases, your student will have everything they need to turn a dorm room into a comfortable, cozy home away from home. A logical question I asked my friend is, "When it's time to go home for the summer, where will they put it all?" There's a solution for that, too. Here are a few highlights I've learned from watching her:
Dorm Room Hacks That Make the Most of Every Inch
Vertical Space Is Key
If you refer to The Uncluttered Life, Inc.'s Organizing Hacks 101 blog, you'll see that we love vertical space. For college dorm rooms, vertical space is best served by over-the-door or behind-the-door storage systems. There are a multitude of choices, from options on Amazon to others at The Container Store®. The objective is to get as much space for your buck as possible — and the back of a door is a perfect place to start. Students can stash shoes, toiletries, scarves, school supplies, and anything else that fits in the pockets or on the shelves.
Plastic Drawers
Plastic drawers can serve as a nightstand or store additional items like school supplies, medicine, extra toothpaste, face wash, and Covid tests. They come in a variety of sizes and can be stored under a lofted bed as well. Target has a lot of good options in a variety of sizes, shapes, styles, and colors.
Command Hooks
My friend told me that her daughter's school discourages Command hooks, but that there is a workaround. Instead of putting the Command hook right on the wall, place painters' tape on the wall first, then put the Command hook over it. It shouldn't leave any marks, and they come down cleanly when it's time to move out. They're sold everywhere. (My son was a fan of Command hooks when he lived in a college apartment, so I speak from experience here.)
Desk Hutch
I was surprised when my friend mentioned she was buying hutches for her student's dorm room. Hutches? Seriously? Yes, it's a real thing. A hutch on top of the desk helps maximize vertical and wall space and gives students somewhere to put their books. They can be purchased from Amazon, bought from another student, or you can even build one yourself.
Under-Bed Storage
Every school has a different policy about under-bed storage options. Some students raise their bed to the highest level the frame will allow and store items underneath in stacked plastic containers. Others rent or purchase lofts, which create clearance underneath for a desk. And others choose less expensive options like risers that come in a variety of heights. Whichever option your student chooses, one of these ideas will provide much-needed storage for extra clothing, coats, or overflow toiletries.
The Dorm Room Hack No Packing List Includes
There are a ton of dorm room hacks out there for finding extra space and storage. Whether your budget is unlimited or limited to a few hundred dollars, Amazon and Target have solid options without breaking the bank.
I remember spending $79 on everything I needed for college. That was years ago, and times have changed — but the essential ideas are still pretty much the same. College teaches great life lessons, and dorm room living is one of the best experiences most students will have. Good organization and a few smart hacks make a small room feel bigger, brighter, and more like home.
Dorm Deck® is a deck of 52 prompt cards designed to help ease the transition from living at home to living independently. The prompts help first-year college students get ahead of the curve with time management, organization, and dorm room living — making the first year feel a little more manageable and a lot more fun. It makes a great high school graduation gift, going-away-to-college gift, or care package addition for anyone leaving home for the first time.
And if decision fatigue is part of what makes the first weeks of college feel overwhelming, our guide to reducing decision fatigue is worth a read before move-in day.
