Hey, y'all! My name is Isabella, and I’m a college student learning how to navigate adulthood right alongside you!! Today, I will share 30 functional dorm room organization and storage items to help you organize your dorm or apartment!
These are items that I have personally used in my dorm, I love, or genuinely wish I had. This adaptable list will help you maximize your space in any room, especially a dorm or small apartment. There is a video of my roomie and I's freshman year room at the very end of the post for ideas!
ROOM
- Storage Ottoman
- Last year, my roommate and I bought matching ones from Dorm Decor, which were perfect. They are sturdy and hold so much! I used mine to store my towels and extra sheets and will use mine again this year.
- Storage mirror
- We just had a standard mirror on the back of the door into our room. It worked perfectly for us and was a great use of space. However, you could get one that opens if you want extra space. It is perfect for jewelry and accessories because that is an item I struggled to keep organized.
- Desk hutch or over-the-bed hutch
- Before purchasing, research the dimensions of your room and desk on your university's website. These are a great use of space.
- Baskets for top of desk hutch
- On top of my hutch is a vertical space I wish I had taken advantage of, and I will be using it in my room this fall. These baskets will keep these shelves from looking cluttered and add extra storage.
- Rolling Cart
- We used ours for our kitchen supplies and it worked perfectly. We took the wheels off since we didn't need to move it around. You can also leave the wheels on and slide the cart in and out from under your bed if you store something you need easily accessible, but make sure it will fit under your bed.
- Bed Risers
- These can be so helpful for maximizing vertical space and fitting more under your bed. I will use these this fall to stack the dresser drawers under the bed that comes with my room. Stacking them will save me SO much room.
- https://amzn.to/45Z43TZ
- Clear Organizing Drawers
- I used these from Target under my bed. I had one 3-drawer wide cart and one 2-pack of the smaller 3-drawer storage cart. I had MORE than enough storage with these. They fit very well under my bed, with or without the wheels.
- https://www.target.com/p/3-drawer-wide-cart-white-brightroom-8482/-/A-84242464
- https://www.target.com/p/sterilite-3-drawer-storage-cart-plastic-rolling-cart-with-wheels-to-organize-clothes-in-bedroom-closet-white-with-clear-drawers-2-pack/-/A-76023695
- Command hooks
- A staple. You can use these anywhere and in literally any room. They are perfect if you aren’t allowed to drill into your walls. I always keep some of these on hand throughout the year. Make sure you pay attention to what weight they can hold. Tip: You can get cheap hooks at Dollar Tree to hang something light. I used some small ones to hang dish towels on the side of our mini fridge.
- https://amzn.to/3Llu863
- Jewelry organizer
- It's basic but helpful. If you have valuable jewelry and plan on keeping it in a jewelry organizer, consider getting one that locks or keeping a small safe in your room. This is very similar to the one I have.
- https://amzn.to/4bIaLPs
- Bedside caddy
- I wish I had one last year, honestly. I usually keep chapstick, a book, tissues, my bible, pens and pencils, and more on my nightstand. Therefore, I had to keep these things on my desk hutch beside my bed. That quickly made it look cluttered, so I would consider getting one. The velcro ones never work so I would get a hanging one like this for a dorm bed.
- https://amzn.to/3xTSukc
- Cord Organizers
- They are also so helpful for organizing your cords next to and under your desk. Especially if you get a charging tower like the one I recommend in my Dorm Essentials article below where you would have multiple things plugedded into the same spot.
- Dorm Room Essentials Blog Post
- Cord Organizers, I used
CLOSET
- Shoe Hanging Rack
- I love these things!! I kept one on the back of my closet door in my dorm last year, and I will be reusing it again in the same way this fall. It is practical and a phenomenal use of space. Keeping shoes off the floor helps prevent your closet from looking cluttered. It also helped prevent me from bringing too many shoes. Side note: I recommend having a bin to keep boots and bulky shoes in.
- https://amzn.to/4fdQKTZ
- Cube Drawer Organizers
- These are so practical because you can use them for anything! They're great for organizing an undergarments drawer, and I also use them for athletic tops. They help you limit what you bring and what clothes you keep at college because they keep them all in one place.
- Double closet rod
- I have linked the exact one I have, and I love it!! I used it to put my tops on the top rod and my shorts and skirts on the bottom rod. It is essential to maximizing my closet space, and I will be reusing it this fall.
- https://amzn.to/4bEYmfc
- Space saving hangers
- I’ve been recommended these before and think they are so smart and helpful. You could use these as an alternative to the double closet rod, but I find the double closet rod to be more functional for me. This is another excellent way to store clothes, especially clothes you don't reach for very often.
- https://amzn.to/463ZZSm
- Shelf dividers
- If you need more space for folded clothes, these help organize shelving space. Make sure you find a size that works for your space.
- https://amzn.to/3XZmW72
- Hanging Fabric Shelves
- These are another great option to maximize folding space. They're sturdy and easy to hang in your closet.
- https://amzn.to/3zD7kvX
KITCHEN
- Snack Organizing Bins
- I wish I had something like this last year to take advantage of vertical space. This would also eliminate oversized packaging, saving space and keeping you organized. An option like this would help you see what food you have more quickly, so things don't expire before you eat them because you forgot about them.
- https://amzn.to/3VV5RZs
- Napkin and utensils holder
- We had a clear plastic holder like this to help keep our rolling cart of kitchen supplies organized. Plates, bowls, utensils, and napkins are all things you'll need easily accessible. An organizer like this was so helpful to keep us organized and was very functional for us.
- https://amzn.to/4cYpuqp
- Mini Fridge Organizer and or fridge shelving
- Mini Fridge Storage
- Take any chance you can to optimize space. This will also help you stay organized and clean.
- https://amzn.to/3XYMP72
- Fridge Shelving Unit
- I highly recommend getting a fridge shelving unit to maximize your vertical space. We used one that looked identical to this and was very functional. The pull-out shelf is very useful, and the top shelf is perfect for a microwave. There are so many mini fridge organizers. Measure your fridge to ensure it will fit on the organizer and match the measurements for your space. Pictured above under rolling cart!
- https://amzn.to/3Ls6zs9
- Mini Fridge Storage
BATHROOM
- Over the toilet organizer or window shelf for the bathroom
- Over the toilet organizer
- My roommate and I bought one for this fall because it is so practical. Keeps everything organized and out of the way, and again, it is an excellent use of vertical space.
- https://amzn.to/3Y0dXTp
- Window shelf organizers
- In my dorm room bathroom, we had a large windowsill with plenty of space. A shelf like this gave us plenty of storage, but it only took up about half of the space. Base your's off the measurements. Make sure you get one with enough space for all of your roommates.
- https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/vesken-shelf-unit-white-40307866/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=surfaces&utm_campaign=shopping_feed&utm_content=free_google_shopping_clicks_Bathroom_&_Water
- Over the toilet organizer
- Shower curtain rod with hanging shower caddies for each roommate.
- My roommate and I had a bathroom in my dorm that connected to our suitemates room. So I shared it with three other people. This setup was ideal for us and allowed each person to have their own shower caddy. Get an adjustable shower curtain rod, bring sturdy shower rings to attach them, and, of course, a shower caddy like the one linked below. This is similar to the one I used.
- https://amzn.to/45Yca3b
TIPS
- Bring a wagon or hand truck if you have an elevator! I WISH I had brought either of these, especially since I was on the third floor.
- Bring cleaning supplies! Make sure to clean the room first, especially the bathroom.
- Be smart about packing your car. Think about what items you’re going to unpack first. For example, you’ll probably want your rug and cleaning supplies easily accessible to unload first.
- Use the garbage bag hack for hanging clothes. Group about 10-20 hanging items together, depending on size, and zip-tie the metal parts of the hangers together at the top. Then slip a garbage bag over it and cut a hole for the metal part of the hanger to come out. You can tie the bottom to protect your clothes. Use a hanging car rod like the one below to transport them all. I did this, and it worked perfectly for me.
- Use moving bags like the ones I have linked below to help you move many items more efficiently. Label them and organize the bags by what they are or where they need to go. Tip: Bring labels. I am a labeling girl and found these helpful when getting used to a new space.
- Take advantage of vertical space!!!!! Think about your space and figure out the most functional way to optimize vertical space everywhere for your layout. Use command hooks, stackable bins, etc.
- Be creative with clear over-the-door storage organizers. They can be used in a hall closet for a small apartment or even on the back of a bathroom door. Can organize cleaning supplies, toiletries, food, clothes, or shoes. Don’t negate this space!
- Door stopper!! Moving stuff in is always tiring, so make sure to bring a door opener to make it easier. This is also perfect for propping your dorm open and letting people come see your room and meet you!
LINK TO MY DORM ROOM!
With love,
Isabella XO
