Whether you’re residing in an apartment or a house, one thing you might be short on is storage space. Even after moving out of a cramped dorm room, a lack of free space can still be a major problem for students living off-campus, especially since most of their housemates also need places for their spare stuff. If you’re feeling pretty cramped, take a look at some of our suggestions below to maximize your storage potential.
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1. Get rid of some of the clutter – Yes, there’s definitely stuff in there that you need to keep, but do you really need those books from 3 semesters ago or that kitchen appliance you use once a year, tops? Take a few hours on a Sunday and sort through all the things you have jammed in your closet. You’ll likely be surprised at how much of it is no longer useful to you, and getting rid of it does not have to be difficult. Apps like LetGo and websites like Craigslist and Ebay can help you decrease the clutter. Alternately, you could always hold a yard sale, and rake in money for your old belongings.
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2. Make better use of your closet – If you’ve gotten rid of everything that you can, and are still struggling with storage, you need to reevaluate how you are using your closet. Whether it’s your bedroom closet or a spare one around the house, you can almost certainly use some tricks to expand it’s capacity. For clothing, it can be helpful to use soda tabs for double hanging. For shoes, you can buy a hanging shoe rack for your closet or bedroom door. If you’re looking to store other items, you can buy collapsible closet organizers, or ask your landlord about installing wire shelving. All of these strategies will help maximize your storage space, and clear clutter out of other areas of your rental.
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3. Use the space under your bed – If you have the room, the space under your bed can be a great place to store clothing, shoes, books, and other miscellaneous items. Clean out the dust, and put everything in boxes, bins, or bags before shoving it below your bed. You might be amazed at how much you can fit under there, and it keeps all of your things in a central, easy-to-get-to location.
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4. Explore your basement and attic – Students living in apartments may lack basements and attics, however, for students living in houses or duplexes, these spaces may be used as a storage solution. Although basements and attics are often dusty, smell weird, and stay at extreme temperatures year around, they can be good places to store larger items that are not temperature sensitive, especially ones that you do not regularly need to use. Things like sports equipment, old backpacks, clothing, extra blankets and sheets, cleaning supplies, and house decorations can be easily stored in basements or attics without being damaged. Remember to use boxes, plastic tubs, and protective wrappings when storing your items, and utilize your basement or attic to it’s full extent.
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5. Trunks, ottomans, and bookshelves – Investing in some new furniture may also help your storage issues. Many retailers now offer relatively cheap storage trunks and ottomans, which are designed to store your stuff while also providing a comfy place to sit and relax. Alternately, you may be able to store extra stuff in plain view with a bookshelf or cube shelf, which can hold baskets filled with miscellaneous items.
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6. Family can help – For students living far away from their families, storing things at your parents’ house may not be an option, but if you live close enough to do it, ask your parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, or cousins if you can keep a few items in their garage, shed, or home. If they have the spare space, most family members will be happy to store your stuff, especially if it means they’ll see you more often. You may have to come over for dinner once in awhile, but you can feel confident that your spare things are safe and taken care of.
Read over our tips, but still want more help? Consider checking out our resource pages, where we collect articles, blog posts, and more on topics related to off-campus housing for tenants, parents, and landlords!
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