Summer vacation is coming to an end and that means it’s the start of a new semester. But before you start buying binders and books, you need to get ready to move in to your new dorm, apartment, or house. We all know how overwhelming moving day can be–being surrounded by boxes and figuring out how to fit all of your belongings into a limited amount of space as if it were a game of Tetris can be frustrating. Organizing your living space starts with the first day and these life hacks can help you start off the semester on an organized level.
1. Facing hangers in the opposite direction can help you determine the clothes you actually wear.
Let’s face it–girls are known for buying an article of clothing and discovering it a year later with the tag still attached. Cue the inner monologue in which you tell yourself you’ll definitely wear it soon! This process repeats every year, and all the while the article of clothing takes up space in your closet. If you start your closet by facing hangers the other way, you are able to switch the hangers to normal position after you wear the clothes hanging from them. While this is a simple task, it gives you a visual of what clothes you’re actually wearing and which pieces in your closet are wasting space.
2. Bread clips make great cord organizers.
With today’s technology you will most likely have several cords scattered around your room. While looking for the cord that connects to your lamp, you could create a gigantic tangle of power strips and cords that only gets worse as you sort through them. Luckily, bread clips are the perfect size to attach to cords. Simply label the bread clip with the correct device and attach it to the cord. They also come in different colors, which can help you stay even more organized.
3. Nail polish easily identifies keys.
After moving in you’ll probably realize you have too many keys to keep up with. The key to your apartment, mailbox, and your house back home could be confusing to sort through as you approach the door. This is an easy fix with nail polish. Certain colors can signify the places the keys unlock. If you swipe a coat of clear nail polish, the color will last longer. You’ll never jumble through your keys again! Then at the end of the year, soak your key in nail polish remover before returning it to your RA or the leasing office.
4. Personalizing common items leads to less confusion.
Living with roommates can be difficult, especially as you figure out how to live with other people peacefully. Petty fights over belongings can spark a feud but those rifts can be easily be avoided. Personalizing items that your roommates also have, like iPhone chargers, can help a lot. Writing your initials with a permanent marker on your charger leads to less confusion and less arguing. If you want to spice it up, decorating your charger is an option that is cuter and just as effective.
Being proactive and utilizing these life hacks on the day you move in can help you organize your living space and live harmoniously with others. What other life hacks do you use to make life easier? Let us know in the comments!