Hello, Friends!

Some of you may have kids heading off to college in a few short weeks. I’m sure you look back
and think where has the time gone? Doesn’t it feel like yesterday you were wiping their noses,
and tucking them into bed?

Well, here are a few tips to help you, help them, set up their dorm room.

Three C's to an organized dorm room by Susan Stewart

1. CATEGORIES:
   • This works for ANY room by the way, and not just dorms. Set up the dorm room in zones and store things accordingly in that zone. In a dorm room, your categories may be grooming, dressing, studying, sleeping & eating. Putting things away is easier when you have decided what and where the zones are. Keep in mind that your space is small so bringing only seasonal clothing and making use of vertical space here is also going to help.
2. COMBINE:
   • You will want to combine your efforts with your roommate. Check ahead of time with what they are bringing so you don't end up with duplicates. Some items to share are a mini fridge, microwave, tv, game system & furniture. You'll also want to choose items with multiple uses. For example: an iPhone can be a phone, calendar, iPod and map. Attractive message boards, hooks and shelves serve dual purposes combining utility needs with decoration.
3. COLOR COORDINATE:
   • This is going to come more into play for the ladies than the men but it still stands true in both places. A dorm room is a small space and small spaces look less cluttered when things are containerized and are color coordinated. That's why photos in a catalog look so good. Pick 2 or 3 colors and stick with those throughout the room when picking storage pieces, decor, bedding, etc.

Happy packing and don't wait until the last minute!
**Susan Stewart is the owner of Perfectly Placed and lives in the Phoenix area.

A few other items that are worth mentioning are:

If you have a chance to visit their dorm room or apartment before they arrive for the fall, take
pictures of the room and sketch things out. It is also helpful to bring a tape measure along and
write down the dimensions of the room. That will help you make decisions on what you have
room for.

Don’t’ forget about those closets! Most closet dorm rooms are about 36” inches wide so if you
have a portable closet rack, put use it and it make help kids realize, visualize, and prioritize on
what they can take. Now that kids will have to do their own laundry, they may make it easy on
themselves and dress casually so buy things that are easy to launder and go with other items in
their wardrobe.

Also talk to your kids about their budget. What are your expectations? What are they
responsible for paying and will you be giving them an allowance weekly/bi-monthly/monthly?
Remember this is a great opportunity for your children to learn life skills of making money last
and not splurging it on the first day it arrives in their account. Make sure you and your spouse
are also on the same page.

Last but not least, when your children come home, help them go through their mail and help
them create a filing system. Work with them so they have an idea what items need to be
shredded, filed, or just recycled. That way their papers won’t clutter up your space.
Sometimes when we have been filing for years, we don’t think about it. But it is a life skill that
should be taught.

Oh, and don’t forget to bring along some tissues, for the tears that might be shed! After all,
they will always be our babies, no matter what the age.

If you have any stories that that you would like to share of helpful hints, please send them my
way to betty@logicalplacement.com.

Follow me at https://www.facebook.com/logicalplacementorganizing for weekly organizing tips
or on Instagram @logical_placement.

Your local professional organizer,
Betty Huotari

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