Nearly every college student understands the importance of having a sturdy bag or backpack to lug all of your supplies across campus. Now, being durable and roomy doesn’t make a bag immune to becoming disorganized, and having to dig around in your bag or remove all of its contents to find one thing is really quite annoying. Luckily, there are some easy ways to prevent your bag from becoming a bottomless pit that you can’t find anything in:
Put small items in pouches
When I was a freshman in high school, I decided that I’d outgrown pencil cases and could manage by simply throwing my writing utensils into the smallest pocket of my backpack. By sophomore year, I was back to using a pencil case because I’d learned the hard way that pencils and pens get lost and break easily. Writing utensils aren’t the only thing that should be placed in a designated pouch; other small items such as tampons, cash, and lip balm should be separated too so as to eliminate the need to rummage around your bag when your period sneaks up on you or you need to soothe your cracked lips.
Utilize all of the pockets and compartments
People that walk around campus with those backpacks and messenger bags that only have one large compartment confuse me, because how do they expect to ever keep their bag organized? If you already have a bag that has multiple compartments, then you should make an attempt to spread your things across them. Not only does this distribute the weight so that your back or shoulder doesn’t kill after a few minutes of walking, but it also makes it easier to find what you need throughout the day. The largest compartment should be for heavy items such as your laptop or textbooks, smaller compartments are good for frequently-used items such as your phone, and any side compartment is for water bottles or travel mugs.
Don’t be afraid to empty and reload your bag throughout the day
You may have to buy a lot of materials for college, but chances are you don’t need every material for every class. Chances are you also have a break between classes at some point each day during which you can swap out your materials. Don’t be afraid to run to your dorm or your car between classes to put things away and grab what you may need for later. Not only will this keep the load on your back to a minimum, it will also make it easier to find what you need when you need it.