These Tips Will Help You Organize Your Off-Campus Apartment Home Before the New Semester

By Kait Spong

The fall semester is approaching, whether you choose to accept that harsh reality or not. So, it’s a great time to wrap up all the activities that you wanted to participate in this summer, like lounging by the pool, hiking that extended hike on a nearby trail, and grabbing takeout from that new, hot restaurant you’ve been wanting to try out. But, there are also more important matters to concern yourself with, which will help you better prepare for the onslaught of lectures, assignments, and exams ahead.

For instance, it might be helpful to get your off-campus apartment in order before the semester kicks into high gear. While apartment organization can seem like a daunting task, it is completely doable! Start with a game plan and break up your floor plan room-by-room. From tackling your kitchen drawers to decluttering your bathroom cabinets, here is how to divide and conquer the disorganized mess of your apartment from summer break and fully prepare yourself for your continuing education.

Tackle jammed bathroom cabinets.

Space is often cramped in the bathroom, so it’s important to be firm and decisive about getting rid of things you don’t need. Toss out toiletries, beauty supplies, or other items that you rarely use. In your medicine cabinet, limit yourself to just the essentials to keep your organization goals on track. Trust us –you can live without that seventh bottle of nail polish remover. You’ll thank us later once you have room for your new shipment of skincare products.

Rethink your closet and wardrobe.

Even if you consider yourself the most organized of people, your closet often tells a different story. Try this trick: turn all the clothes hanging in your closet, so that the hangers face back-to-front. Over the next six months, if you wear an item of clothing, return it to the closet and turn the hanger around. You might be shocked at how many clothes you never wear! At the end of the six months, consider tossing those items you never wore.

Keep similar items in the kitchen together.

It may seem like a no-brainer, but things that work together should be stored together, as close as possible to where they are used. Meaning, pots, pans, and cooking utensils should be stored near the stove, giving you easy access to what you’ll need while cooking. Plates, dishes, cups, and utensils should be kept together in a cabinet, while coffee, mugs, and other supplies should be stored near the coffee maker. Simple enough of a concept, right?

Keep track of your entertainment odds and ends.

Inventory the items in your entertainment center or cabinets and only keep the items that you use regularly. Organizing your movies, games, books, photos, and other sentimental items is a great way to improve the look of your living room, too. It can also help inspire you to rediscover old favorites, like your favorite movie as a kid or a book you’ve been hoping to re-read before the semester. Odds and ends, such as these, can be labeled, put away, or even hung stylishly.

See what we mean by breaking down each room of your floor plan? Now, this task that once seemed so unachievable at first can become a bit more manageable and digestible. If you’re ready to take the next steps and get yourself organized for the semester, now, you have the resources! Go forth and prosper, friends.

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