Organize the College Move-in Process

July 30, 2012 - PRLog -- With thousands of young adults getting ready to head off to college, pioneer of vacuum-seal storage products, Space Bag, offers advice for how to streamline the college move-in process and maintain a clutter-free dorm room.

Moving to college can be an exciting but stressful occasion. Relocating in general is difficult and college move-in day is especially challenging given that most students reside in small apartments or dorm rooms. But with the right planning and a little help from Space Bag, transitioning to college life can be easy.

Use the tips below to streamline the moving process and keep dorm rooms neat and organized.

Re-evaluate belongings before packing up. Don’t bother moving items that won’t be used during your college stay. If a clothing item hasn’t been worn in the past six months, leave it at home or donate it. Bring as little as possible to keep your dorm room or apartment clutter-free.

Fit more in less boxes. Extra pillows, sheets, comforters, towels and clothes require a lot of boxes when moving. Use Space Bag Dual-Use Bags (http://spacesaverscommunity.com/products/dual-use.aspx) to condense these bulky items. Once moved in, these bags can be filled with other items and compressed by hand and used to help save space in the dorm room.

Ditch the duplicates. If possible, contact your roommate ahead of move-in. Create a list of items that can be shared and designate who brings what.  By consolidating items like televisions, printers and cleaning supplies, you can free up a lot of space.

Considering lofting. Let’s face it, dorm rooms are tiny. If the dormitory allows it, think about putting your bed on risers or getting it as high off the floor as possible. This creates a lot more floor and storage space.

Closet conundrum. How to fit everything in a dorm closet is a mystery. Most students visit home for Thanksgiving and this provides a great opportunity to swap summer clothes for winter wardrobe staples. If you don’t have the option of visiting home, condense out-of-season clothing in a Space Bag Hanging Bag (http://spacesaverscommunity.com/products/hanging-bags.aspx) to make the most of closet space.

Don’t forget the little things. Here’s a list of other items that can help organize the room and keep it fresh and clean:
1.   Power strips – college kids have a lot of gadgets to plug in with limited outlets.
2.   Wall hooks – these will keep things off the floor and can also be decorative.
3.   Shower caddy – making toiletries portable is a necessity when utilizing communal showers.
4.   Air fresheners – remember how most college kids aren’t good about doing laundry? These can mask odors for short amounts of time.
5.   Cleaning supplies – bring multi-purpose disinfectant wipes. They’re easy to use and can be bought in bulk.  
6.   Duct tape – it fixes everything.

For additional help on how to make the most of small-space living, visit Space Bag’s online community, Space Savers (http://www.spacesaverscommunity.com). Peruse dozens of articles, blog posts and quick tips to solve storage dilemmas, cut clutter and get organized. Space Savers community members currently get 20 percent off a set of must-have organizing solutions, including three Extra-Large Space Bag High Capacity Cubes, three Medium Space Bag Dual-Use Bags and three Large Space Bag Dual-Use Bags.