It’s one of the oldest stories in the college world: three’s a party in the dorms, but with big parties come big messes. Three closets worth of clothes, three offices worth of school supplies, stacks and stacks of ramens and easy macs…it seems just about impossible to fit all of it into a 10×10 room. In desperation to squeeze in every last crop top and picture frame, here are a few tips that may help make living in a triple a lot more comfortable.
1. Fill ALL the nooks and crannies.
Sure, the room may not seem huge, but there’s lots of little hiding spots for your stuff that you can use as storage. The best and most convenient spot to hide stuff is under the bottom bunk. You can raise the bed to fit big boxes under there and you can also put some easily accessible stuff, like snacks or shoes.
Another great spot to hide stuff (especially stuff you don’t want all your visitors to see!) is the long shelf above the closets. You can fit up to medium-sized suitcases up there, along with some shorter boxes. The upper shelves are easy to reach if you stand on one of your chairs (careful! the chairs rock back); there you can put miscellaneous stuff that you don’t use on a daily basis, like cooking supplies, emergency stuff, and out-of-season clothes.
One not-so-obvious place to hide stuff is underneath your desk, where you put your feet; let’s be honest, who actually needs that ENTIRE space to put their legs while they’re studying? You can hide some small boxes, shoes, or a laundry basket under there, and you’ll even have a convenient foot rest!
2. Don’t be extra.
It seems pretty obvious, but the best way to fit everything into a triple is to not bring so much stuff. Of course, don’t ever feel like you have to cut back on necessities–they’re necessities for a reason; however, the extra stuff that doesn’t explicitly fall under the category of “necessity” should probably get a second thought.
We all know that one person (or a few people) in our halls that overpack to the MAX. They fill up four or five carts during move-in and definitely take up more than just their respective one-third of the room. DON’T BE THAT PERSON. Be honest with yourself when you’re packing for school: are you REALLY going to need your 36-inch TV, or a handmade headboard for your bed, or twenty-seven framed pictures for your desk, or your Ugg boots and fuzzy North Face jacket? There is just not enough space in the room for things that probably won’t be in use for 90% of the year.
3. Stick with the seasons.
When packing your clothes, it’s important to remember that here in sunny Santa Barbara, it gets pretty warm for at least two-thirds of the time you’re here (more if you stay during the summer). So, it’s not super necessary to pack a whole wardrobe of winter outfits; a few basic pieces that can last a couple months will suffice, and these things can be stored away in the upper shelves during the hot times. During the cold months, you can switch your crop tops and high-waisted shorts for some scarves and parkas.
By storing out-of-season clothes away, you save LOTS of space in your closet, which is extremely convenient for both you and the person you have to share the closet with.
4. Command Hooks are your best friend.
For the stuff that just doesn’t fit in the not-so-secret storage spaces or your closet, there’s always the option of the wall. You can stick some command hooks (or large push pins, if your dorm has the cork board walls) on open spaces on the wall and hang some stuff there, like your everyday jacket, purses/bags, or jewelry. Of course, you don’t have to hang EVERYTHING, especially if it’s stuff that you don’t want visitors to see. Reserve the wall space for a few cute things that you wouldn’t mind having on display.
Another great place to hang things is the rungs of the ladders. You can get the over-the-door hangers and hook them onto the rungs of the bed, and you can hang things like school bags or your shower caddy (so your desk or dresser don’t get all wet and soapy).
Triples are a great way to meet people in college, and while there’s definitely some space restriction, there doesn’t have to be a restriction on how much fun you can have in there. Maximizing space in a triple might seem impossible at first, but it may be easier than we thought. Remember, you should be as comfortable as possible in your room; it’s more than just a dorm, it’s your home. Party on, my lovelies!