34 Best Dorm Room Organization Ideas All Freshman Should Know

This post is all about best dorm room organization ideas.

dorm room organization

These are a few essentials to dorm room organization.

Move in day is such an exciting time! Making your dorm room look perfect for that Instagram post is so fun. The real struggle is finding ways to keep it looking that way!

When moving into a dorm, it can be hard to adjust to the size. That's why it is so important to stay organized and maximize space! Using these tips can keep you organized and make the transition SO much easier.

This post is all about dorm room organization.

WANT A FREE COLLEGE DORM PACKING LIST?


Simplify your college packing with our amazing FREE Dorm Packing List. Simply click the button below to get your College Dorm Packing List delivered straight to your inbox!

Best Dorm Room Organization Tips:

1. Cut Down On Seasonal Clothes

Only bring what you NEED! As far as clothes go, it is not necessary to bring winter coats when its warm out! If you will be going home frequently you can switch out clothes as needed. If you live farther from home, put your seasonal clothes in bins and store them under your bed.

2. Limit The T-Shirts

T-shirts are SO easy to overpack. As comfy as they are you don't need as many as you think! If you are joining a club, sorority, fraternity or even just walking around campus, you WILL get loads of t-shirts while in college. Bring less from the start so you have room for the new ones!

3. Hang Clothes Under The Bed

This is a genius idea I had not heard about until just recently. Buy a tension rod and hang it between the posts of your bed. You can hang extra clothes under there to optimize space! This works best with higher raised beds.

4. Take Advantage Of Vertical Space

Hanging organizers will be your best friend when it comes to dorm room organization. Hang organizers like over the door shoe organizers any where you can for extra storage space.

5. Roll Clothes

College dorm drawers can be super small so it is important to make use of their space. A great dorm room organization tip for clothes is to roll them instead of fold!

6. Wait To Buy Until After You Move In

I know it is SO tempting to buy everything before you move in. But buying things early can leave you with things you don't need. Wait to move in to buy the smaller things!

7. Talk To Your Roommate

Communicating with your roommate is an essential to dorm room organization. You don't want to show up on move in day with two vacuums and duplicates of cleaning supplies!

8. Know The Space You Are Working With

Not taking into consideration the size of the room you are working with can leave your room cluttered and cramped. When buying any furniture, make sure to check the sizes and think about how it will look in the space.

9. Look Up Photos Of Your Dorm

Not only does looking up photos of your dorm give you an idea of how big it is, but you can also see what others have done and take dorm room organization inspiration from that!

You can check out our Pinterest for all different types of dorm inspiration pics!

Best Dorm Room Organization Inspiration Ideas:

10.Use the space under your bed.

dorm room organization

A dorm room is so small that no space should go to waste. This is the perfect example of using the space under your bed for extra dorm room organization!

Not only are these three-drawer very budget friendly, but they are super practical.

11.PlasticOrganizers will be your best friend.

Plastic organizers can help keep your dorm room looking clean but also allow you to easily see what is inside. Use these to store makeup, toiletries, or jewelry.

12. This IKEA drawer unit is the BEST for dorm rooms.

dorm room organization freshman year

source @madieads

You've definitely seen these in Youtubers makeup rooms but let me tell you, these drawers are the best in dorm rooms.

First, they're tall so they take up less floor space but still have a ton of places to put things. Second, the different sizes make it so nice to divide up different products.

13. Use a whiteboardcalendar.

Dorm Room Organization Closet

This whiteboard calendar not only makes for a great decoration piece, but will help you stay organized! Put the calendar in a place you see often to remind you of your tasks!

Also, taking advantage of the wall space is a perfect dorm room organization! These cute shelves are perfect for storing grab and go items.

14. Bring in shelving options that don't look "dormish".

freshman year dorm room organization

I love this dorm room because it doesn't look like a dorm!

These shelving units that look like they could be in a home is the perfect way to make this room more cozy while giving perfect dorm room organization tips.

15. Use Drawer Organizers ForAccessories

Dorm Room Organization Clothes

Small things like jewelry, hair ties, bobby pins and other accessories are easy to lose! Using drawer jewelry organizers for these small items keeps it organized and easy to find!

16. Hanging File Holders

Dorm Room Organization Desk

Hang file holders up with adhesive strips to store papers, files, or even makeup or snacks!

17. Use a dorm bed skirt to hide everything under your bed.

college dorm organization

A special dorm bed skirt is the perfect way to hide everything happening under your bed!

18. Use A Shared Dresser

Dorm Room Organization

This is where talking to your roommate is an essential to dorm room organization! If your beds are near each other, use a shared dresser instead of buying two!

This dresser is hollow inside to store the unsightly fridge in!

19.Multi-Purpose Furniture

Dorm Room Organization Storage

Because dorms are so small, it is so necessary to use every inch of space. Buying furniture that can be used as seating and storage is a win win!

20. Set up a "school" area.

dorm room organization storage

Having a seperate area in your dorm room for just school supplies is the perfect divide between living and college.

21. Transform your desk into a makeup station.

dorm room organization

If you love to do makeup, than transforming your desk into a makeup area is genius!

22. Only use three pillows.

dorm room organization for girls

I'm telling you, don't bring anymore than three pillows!!

Seriously, anymore than three gets so annoying and leaves your room feeling dirty.

23. Use Mason Jars for desk storage.

Mason jars are so versatile and can be used to hold makeup brushes, toiletries, pens and pencils, and really anything else on a desk!

Best Dorm Room Organization Products:

24. Jewelry Organizers

Jewelry organizers are the perfect way to take advantage of your dorm rooms vertical space. This can be a super fun dorm room organization DIY too!

25. Cloth Storage Containers

These cloth storage containers not only make moving in easy, but are a great idea for extra clothes storage. Use these instead of large plastic bins to take up less storage space.

26. Space Saving Hangers

Space saving hangers make dorm room closet organization so much easier! They allow more room in your closet without stuffing clothes in.

27. Mirror With Storage

Most college students have an over the door mirror, so why not take advantage of the door space! This mirror allows jewelry, makeup, toiletries and accessories to be stored but also out of sight, helping with clutter.

28. Over The Door Storage

These over the door storage pieces can are perfect to store much more than just shoes! Use them for food storage, extra clothes, or school supplies.

29. Plastic Makeup Organizer

Plastic organizers are cheap dorm room organization pieces and help keep that desk clutter free.

30. Bedside Pockets

This is one of the best college dorm room organization items out there. If there isn't room for a side table, opt for this bed side organizer to store your phone, chargers and books.

31. Over The Fridge Storage

A fridge organizer keeps your food and utensils in one easy access place and also serves as a cute accessory to your fridge area.

32. Rolling Cart

Use a rolling cart as a side table or a storage unit for food.

33. Drawer Organizers

Drawers can get messy. Use drawer organizers to keep underwear and socks easily organized!

34. Laundry Backpack

I SO wish I had known about this when living in my college dorm room. Carrying a large laundry basket down to the laundry room in dorms is such a pain. Opt for this laundry backpack to put all your dirty clothes in!

want more free printables?!


Join over 15,000 subscribers and gain access to By Sophia Lee's FREE resource library filled with all the best printables, guides, wall art, and more!

This post was all about the best dorm room organization ideas.

Other Posts You May Like:

The post 34 Best Dorm Room Organization Ideas All Freshman Should Know appeared first on By Sophia Lee.


Older Post Newer Post