Hi, y’all! My name is Tulsi Nursariwala and I’m a senior double majoring in Finance and Markets & Culture.
As a freshmen and sophomore, I lived in Cockrell McIntosh Commons! Moving from home to a college campus can be daunting. But I promise it’s the best part about college! You get to meet so many friends through the Commons system and it genuinely becomes your home away from home.
Walmart, Target, Bed Bath and Beyond, and the Container Store will be your best friends when you first move into your dorm. They have so many things you can buy to spruce up your room and aesthetically organize your dorm.
Organization Hacks: Dorm Room
My biggest organization tip is to have your bed lofted to the middle setting. You’re able to put a lot of stuff under the bed and save space. I slide the dresser provided by SMU under my bed and bought a few affordable yet stylish drawer organizers to have extra storage. All of the drawer organizers and dresser allowed me to store a lot of my personal things without it being out and about. Try your best to keep your belongings tucked away so the area looks more organized.
Additionally, everyone needs a full body length mirror. I got one that went over my door so I could check my outfit before I left. I won’t lie, I didn’t check myself every time and definitely went to class in my pajamas a few times.
Organization Hacks: Closet
As a girl, my closet can definitely get SUPER messy. I did a few things to make sure that space would be organized. First, I added a 3-tier shoe organizer. It was a great way to store lots of pairs of shoes in a smaller area since I could stack them on the tiers. Second, I bought three plastic baskets to put on top of the shelf in my closet. I had my laundry supplies, winter articles, and other items in the basket. I’m sure you’re seeing a reoccurring theme of having organizers to conceal all of your stuff. It really does make a difference to see organizers rather than the items strewn about.
Moms definitely know everything. My mom bought me a hamper with wheels and a foldable crate with wheels. I loved those two items SO much. The hamper was easy to transport from the laundry room to my dorm. The foldable crate with wheels? Absolutely genius. I kept it in my car’s trunk so I could easily pop it out and fill it with my groceries. I would roll my groceries to my dorm instead of having to carry them all at once. Shoutout to my mom for being an absolute gem!
Decoration Hacks: Dorm Room
I recommend decorating the walls with personal mementos, quotes that are important to you, etc. It made the space personal which helped it feel like home when I was homesick. I got rope and cut it into one long strand. I looped it at the top so I could use a thumb pin to the wall. After, I bought small close pins so I could hang all of the pictures onto the rope! It was a good way to decorate my room without having to stick them to the wall!
I love plants but it’s tough to keep up with them in college. Orchids are my absolute favorite flowers so I’d make sure to grab one from the grocery store if they were in season. It was nice to have them on my windowsill and livened up my room a bit.
Decoration Hack: Comfy + Peaceful Space
My last tip is to create a space aside from your bed to relax if possible depending on your dorm. My dorm had enough space to fit a small couch. It was the place that my roommate and I would sit to relax and talk. It provided a place for me to sit and hangout besides my bed. I highly recommend implementing an area like this in your dorm. It doesn’t have to be a couch. It can even be a comfy armchair for you to sit on and watch an episode of your favorite show.
In Fall of 2020, my little sister started her first year of college. I definitely saw her snooping in our storage room at home and taking unused things that I still had from my dorm.
I hope I was able to help out and give a little inspiration on decorating + organizing your dorm room!
Tulsi Nursariwala
Class of 2021