Are you moving into your dorm or apartment soon and unsure of what to do? Here are some of the best organization hacks to make your dorm super cute and put together.
It’s very easy to run out of room once you move into a dorm since you will most likely share a space with someone unless you get a single room.
But still, even with a single, you might have trouble organizing and putting everything inside your space (especially if you accumulate more things over the school year).
I don’t know about you, but I get super excited when I move into my dorm and want to start unpacking everything into their spot.
And these items are recommended by me (who have lived in dorms for all four years of my college education) so rest assured about these hacks and items.
Do you feel that way? Even though it’s extremely exhausting, the whole process is so much fun!
*This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a small commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Please read full disclosure for more information. Thank you!
Best Organization Hacks for the Cutest Dorm Room
1. Vertical Storage
Instead of going across, aim for vertical storage to make the most out of your closet. Get one of these to put in your closet to separate your lingerie, tank tops, and socks.
You can also organize it based on white tees, colored tees, and black tees.
I have one of these in my dorm and place a cabinet right beneath it to maximize the space. Our college provides a chest of drawers which I like to usually fit underneath this hanging organizer or move under my bed.
It’s SO easy to get things lost in your closet especially if it’s small, so I recommend using bins or hanging shelves to separate your items.
And I tell you, this is a total lifesaver for all my bras, socks, and undies.
I love that this comes in several colors, so if you have a color theme going in your dorm, you can totally match it.
2. Rolling Cart
Ok, this is too cute for any words. And I have to say this is near the top of the list for one of the best organization hacks period.
I just love rolling carts and this can double as a bedside table. If you sleep on the lower bed (that is if you have bunk beds), then this rolling cart can save you a lot of space.
You can chuck in your hair ties, water, lip balm, tissues, and anything else you need on the top shelf for easy access.
Then, place slightly heavier items like snacks, headphones, chargers, and occasionally used items on the middle shelf.
For the bottom shelf, you can place textbooks, notebooks, or extra stationery that you don’t use as frequently.
You can use your rolling cart for different storage needs and some of my favorite ideas are:
- Snacks
- Top: popcorn, chips, pocky, chocolates, cookies
- Middle: granola bars, protein bars, hot drink mixes
- Bottom: water, drinks, coffee
- Stationary
- Top: pens, pencils, stapler, hole puncher, paper clips
- Middle: paper, printer paper
- Bottom: notebooks, journals, extra stationery
- Get Ready
- Top: brush, mirror, lip balm, makeup, hair ties
- Middle: accessories, hats
- Bottom: blow dryer, hair straightener/curler, heat tools
3. Command Hooks
If you have fairy lights or fake leaves that you want to hang in your dorm, then you should definitely pick up one or two packs of these command hooks.
I’ve used cheaper alternatives and they all can’t compare to the original in terms of stickiness and durability. I say spend a bit extra to get these hooks to hang up lights, hats, towels, etc. instead of continuously repurchasing cheap hooks.
This is a great organization hack since you can lift things away from the ground. Through my years of dorm living experience, command hooks can do a lot more than you can imagine.
One of the largest items that take up my floor space is my backpack when I drop it on the ground each time I return from class. Then one day I was like why don’t I just hang it up so I can prevent myself from tripping over it all the time?
And from then on-hats, keys, and sweaters have found their place on these hooks.
I think that they are a must in college dorms. In fact, they feel like such an essential that sometimes I forget about mentioning them-because it feels like everyone knows about them already.
4. Over the Door Shoe Organizer
If you happen to have a lot of shoes, this over-the-door shoe organizer will be perfect for organizing all your sneakers, sports shoes, platform shoes, etc.
This also comes in a bunch of colors so you don’t have to worry that it looks out of place in your room.
I find that this organizer helps save so much floor space and you can quickly locate your shoes.
Make sure to communicate with your roommates since you guys will share a door. If you happen to be in a loft bed, you can also hang this over your loft bed handles.
You don’t have to use this shoe organizer as a shoe organizer. What I mean is you can store other items like hair accessories, socks, masks, etc. in the pockets too.
Use it for what works best for you and develop a system that makes your day more efficient and organized.
Interested in more posts like best organization hacks? Check out 17+ Jaw-Dropping Life Hacks for Students.
5. Hanging Shower Caddy
Another one of the best organization hacks for the shower is a hanging tote.
You can carry ALL your shower supplies like shampoo, conditioner, body wash, brush, scrub, loofahs, and shaving cream in one place.
Just hang it over a hook to dry and hang it over the shower handle to use while in the shower.
This saves you so much more room than placing these items in a bin or in your dorm. There are also holes on the bottom and all around so you don’t have to worry about mold and bacteria gathering around.
Shower totes are something that I swear by and that everyone should get for their dorm.
It is SO handy to organize and I like to separate the pockets with different parts of my body that I need. You can organize one pocket for all your face cleansers, and masks; one pocket for all your hair items, one for your body, etc.
If you don’t use this for the shower, you can also use a shower tote for your heat tools. Store your blow dryer, hair straightener/curler, hair ties, clips, hairspray, and hair essentials all in one place.
6. Desk Organizer
If you love stationary, I think you will LOVE this desk organizer.
I get super excited about buying new pens, planners, and stationery so having an organizer that displays them in an aesthetic way-sign me up.
This organizer includes separate pen slots, a wide middle compartment, and a sliding drawer for small or rolling items.
I would feel so motivated if I just see my school supplies laid out cutely, so if you need that extra push go for it!
One of the reasons why I like taking notes or studying is because of all the adorable supplies I like to use. You definitely do not need cute supplies to be studious or get great grades.
But, for me, it gets me more motivated and looking forward to studying and sitting at my desk.
7. Bedside Shelf
Another item that I highly recommend is a bedside shelf ESPECIALLY if you have a bunk.
This is such an amazing space and a lazy saver. What I mean is, I don’t have to climb up and down the ladder to get something if I place them on this shelf.
This bedside shelf was such an awesome tool when I was on a bunk bed.
Even now, I still use it in my dorm on the side of my bed. I place my water, tissues, hair tie, earbuds, and small reading light.
It’s a great option if you need a bedside table, but don’t have the room for it.
8. Mini Fridge Shelf
If you have a mini fridge in your dorm, consider purchasing this shelf to maximize the space.
Remember vertical storage? Yep, use that space above to place a microwave, snacks, drinks, coffee maker, etc.
On each shelf, you can compartmentalize into different functions.
Do you happen to drink tea or coffee a lot? Then designate a spot for mugs, a kettle, a coffee maker, mixes, and any napkins or extras.
If you prep meals in your dorm a lot, you can store utensils, snacks, ramen, meals, and bowls on one of the shelves.
This is especially helpful if you share a room with one or more roommates and need a lot of space for food items.
You can also hang extra things over the sides of the racks.
Create a designated food shelf so all your food items will be in one area. Not only is this cleaner, but also easier to organize since there are separate shelves.
9. Drawer Organizers
If your drawers are always a mess, opt for this set of clear drawer organizers to tidy up your stuff.
This is very useful for tiny items, rolling things, and miscellaneous stuff that does not have a home yet.
You can store things like paper clips, staplers, staples, pens, pencils, highlighters, erasers, charging cords, sticky notes, hair ties, bobby pins, and the like in these drawer bins.
If you have a bunch of makeup, you can also separate them into bins and keep them away from dust.
These might be more than what you need, so you can use half for your dorm and half for your home. I recommend placing most of your items in drawers so you can have a wider desk space to work at.
Interested in more content like best organization hacks or college advice? Check out Must-Have College Freshman Survival Kit.
10. Large Storage Bags
This set comes in either a 2-pack, 3-pack, 4-pack, 6-pack, or 8-pack for additional storage.
You can use these storage bags under your bed to store extra clothes, towels, or gear.
If your college is pretty far from your home, you can place off-season clothes in these storage bags and rotate them when the season switches.
You can also put your bedding stuff in these bags when it gets too warm or if you brought a bunch of pillows.
This is also great for move-in or move-out days since you can just place all your clothes, bedding, and towels inside these storage bags.
It will make the entire process quicker and easier since you only need to carry the storage bags.
11. Desk Lamp with USB Charging Ports
One of the best organization hacks is to select items with multiple uses. This desk lamp also doubles as a charging station so you don’t need to have a bunch of extension cords to charge your phones or devices.
You can both study and charge your devices without having a ball of chargers strewn everywhere.
I like that this lamp comes in several color temperatures and brightness levels so you can adjust the light to your desired level.
It is also rotatable so you don’t need to move your lamp around to get the best lighting angle.
A secret hack is to pick products that either have multiple functions, save space, or are easy to store away and take out.
I recommend only selecting the products that you think will be the best for your dorm and you don’t need to get everything off this list. This is a brief overview of how to save space in your dorm while also making it look cute.
Pick what works best for you and your roommates and wish that you get the most organized and cutest-looking dorm room that everyone wants!
This post was all about the best organization hacks for the cutest dorm room.
