Imagine that you are ready to prepare a pizza. You take the items you believe you’ll need—pizza dough, a pound of pepperoni, a sizable bowl of mushrooms, and eight cups of cheese—out of the refrigerator.
As you take it all in, you immediately realize that your 7-inch crust will never be able to fit all of these ingredients. It would be best if you now decided what to use, which will be difficult for you. What will you not watch? And how will you organize your components, so they don’t disintegrate into a mushy mess in the oven?
Making tough choices when packing for college is similar to trying to fit a lot of stuff onto a slight pizza crust. Certain fundamental ideas that apply to both cases will guide your decision-making.
Your space in college, whether you share a room or have your own, is usually smaller than what you are used to. Also, this small space has to serve as a bedroom, a study space, a living room, and a closet.
Living in such cramped quarters impacts your body, mind, and soul, making you feel confined, restless, and unable to concentrate. Your physical mobility is limited when your little room is packed too tightly with clothing, and you could begin to feel like you can’t accomplish your own goals. Yet, with some forethought and preparation, you can make your college room a cozy haven to rest, study, and hang out.
Your small room may feel roomy or cramped depending on how much clothing you bring, where you place it, and how you store it. Follow these two methods to feel more at ease and home in your dorm room during college:
• First, only bring items that you will use, need, and can fit.
Have a home for everything in step two.
Step 1: Bring what you’ll use, need, love, and can fit.
Do a Storage Space Assessment
When moving in, find out about the storage and floor space available to make sure you bring clothing that fits in your new room. Obtain a floor plan, seek assistance from upperclassmen, and virtual tour a room or apartment in your building online.
The number of storage units for each student should be noted. You should also measure or estimate the sizes of the desk, bureau, shelves, and closet. How big and how many drawers are there in each?
If you are unsure of how much storage space there will be, prepare to bring whatever fits into a small bureau and closet. After all, if you have enough space later, you can always bring in more goods.
Decide What Clothes to Wear
Ask five questions about each item as you make your list of what to bring:
• Do I cherish it?
Will I require it?
Will I utilize it?
• Does it accurately reflect who I am or hope to become?
Does it fit?
If the last question and at least one of the other questions can be answered, “yes,” leave the clothes at home.
Next, distinguish between what you are confident you will wear and what you believe you might wear.
Ask your parents to put the clothing you’re unsure of in a box in your home bedroom if you discover you need it later.
There are several strategies to ensure you bring a diverse assortment of clothes to your new room. For instance, choose how frequently you want to do laundry based on need: Bring less of one item if you desire or need more.
Having a place for everything is the aim. Energy becomes trapped in overflowing storage areas. Your brain’s power then becomes trapped, slowing mental processes and causing confusion.
Many students carry practically every piece of clothing they own, not just all their socks. They purchase colossal plastic storage containers to hold them all, frequently stuffed under beds or piled up against walls. The synthetic containers emit pollutants known as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which adversely affect breathing, and take up valuable space with the extra clothing. The situation is worse for everyone the more plastic there is in your structure!
Therefore, what would be a good substitute?
Limit the clothing you carry, so that storage containers don’t take up too much space. Ensure the clothes you wear are acceptable for the weather, planned activities, and your college’s culture.
So observe the 100% Clothes Rule: only bring the stuff you are positive you’ll wear. An added benefit is that you are more likely to feel like you when dressed comfortably. Once more, if you’re unsure whether you’ll need something, leave it in a handy location at home and have it transported if necessary. Having more pizza than you can consume or belongings you can store is useless.
Use containers made of fabric, cardboard, or another natural material if you need more storage.
Having a small-size wardrobe on hand is also advised because your style and clothing may alter after you arrive at college, meet new people, and experience new things.
Put aside money for your wardrobe to buy unique items that reflect your college’s culture. Jack Rogers sandals are a common choice of footwear at Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida, while students at the University of Vermont like Pategonia or Northface down vests!
Have a place for everything in step two.
Ottomans and natural storage containers are ideal for storing small items.
It can be challenging to unwind and concentrate when your area is filled with numerous small objects because there is nowhere for the sight to rest. Make sure you have a location for everything to avoid this.
Bring baskets or natural storage containers (made from cardboard, rubber, or bamboo) to keep little goods like belts and scarves. Before purchasing the containers, be aware of the size of the horizontal surfaces and shelves in your space, and consider the items you’ll be storing.
Clothes closets
Even though closets frequently only have a rod for hanging clothes, with some creativity, almost any cabinet can be expanded to provide more room for generous storage.
Clothes Storage Advice
• Hang flat items on the closet wall, such as jewelry and accessories.
• Suspend sweater bags and shoe bags from closet rods.
• Arrange with storage containers, shoe racks, and shelves.
While choosing which clothes to pack for college, it will be beneficial for you to follow these recommendations.
Mary owns Feng Shui Choices and Effective Student Environments. Author of The Mystical Pizza: Employ Feng Shui’s Super Wisdom to Make Your Dorm Work for You, a kit that can be downloaded right away at Mary, assists students in making the most of their live/study environments to achieve high grades and performance. On the website, you can also download for free the College Packing List and The Mystical Pizza Part 1.
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