Comments on: College Life: Back-to-school basics

By: Mackenzie

Mackenzie — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 18:18:23 +0000

Ryan:
Making one copy is *not* copyright violation. Backing up your CDs and DVDs falls under the category of fair use.

By: Mackenzie

Mackenzie — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 18:15:14 +0000

Yes, you really do need that suit. Students are strapped for cash, thus we need jobs. Jobs require job interviews. Interviews require having a suit.

By: Alex Steed [of Make Something Happen]

Alex Steed [of Make Something Happen] — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 04:20:22 +0000

“I, too, live in a Big 10 uni town, and there is always major discards when they move out—however, I would be hard-pressed to buy and use the couches they leave—ICK!”

Yeah. Just say no to the couches – especially the frat couches. I’ve slept on a few of those in my day and having my face to that fabric does not give me good dreams.

By: Alex Steed [of Make Something Happen]

Alex Steed [of Make Something Happen] — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 04:17:26 +0000

On the converse of down-sizing –

The dorm experience is great for up-sizing, too.

When I was in my late-teens/early-20s living in an apartment in a college town, I would usually head to the dorms on the last day of classes/move-out day and collect a lot of the free new-ish stuff that was treated as disposable (likely because the disposer did not pay for the disposee).

Lamps, dressers, furniture, electronics, appliances – they were all there, ready for the taking.

By: Michael G

Michael G — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 06:37:21 +0000

Man how things change over time. I used to fit an awful lot of my possessions when in the dorms into an old steamer trunk. That was actually a pretty handy system. It had a shelf in it with 3 compartments for smaller stuff. When I got to school and unpacked everything, I had some storage space to get some things out of view.

By: Amanda

Amanda — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 00:50:03 +0000

I too have been living with what I call the “collapsable lifestyle” for the past three years. I have to echo what’s been said about waiting to buy things until you get to college, packing the bare minimum, and not bothering with the clever containers, shelves, etc.

A few other things – try not to use suitcases or boxes. Pack with things you’re already bringing. I like to use laundry baskets. Otherwise you’re left with random storage containers you only use to move back and forth.

I also like to have my DVD’s with me. However, the boxes can really take up a lot of space, so I like to put them in a CD case/booklet. I’ve heard it’s not fantastic for the DVD’s in the long run, but I’ve never had a problem, and taking one CD case is much easier than 100 DVD cases.

By: Katie

Katie — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 22:50:16 +0000

No suit? I disagree. A suit takes up a very small amount of space and is invaluable for career fairs, banquets, job interviews, etc.

Totally with you on the Coors light bobblehead, though.

By: Katieinthemountains

Katieinthemountains — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 17:33:05 +0000

“five subject notebooks were my savior in college”

I had two three-ring binders, one for MTW classes and one for TR, with looseleaf paper. I could take as many or as few notes as I needed without waste. Post-graduation, I put related subjects together and labeled the spines of the binders.

By: Deb

Deb — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 16:02:02 +0000

I wish I had understood decluttering in the 1970’s when I went away to college. My family is of the “store it for future generations” mentality. I left behind a lot of stuff, not knowing if I would need it when I visited or came back to live there later.(I never lived there again) Then my sister went away to college and left her stuff. My youngest sister had to live in the space we had all shared, only she was still sharing the space with our junk. How depressing!

By: sue

sue — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 13:59:01 +0000

“I live in a major college town, and every year when the students leave, they just dump loads of ‘crap’ on the curb and go.”

I, too, live in a Big 10 uni town, and there is always major discards when they move out—however, I would be hard-pressed to buy and use the couches they leave—ICK!

By: Karyn

Karyn — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 12:15:12 +0000

My freshman year in college, I had a single room in a dorm that was once nun’s quarters. You can imagine how small those rooms were–a built in desk with a teeny bookcase, room for a bed, a very, very small closet, and a sink. A lot of the other students had “closet shock” because they brought their whole damn wardrobe and huge stereos, and it just didn’t fit. Some of us had “lofts” that elevated the bed above the desk and left a wee space for a tiny couch/fridge. But I got rid of that loft after I fell out of it and broke my back. Lesson learned—some space saving furniture can be dangerous! It was actually liberating to live in such a small space, and to this day I tend to not accumulate knicknacks.

By: ChristineB

ChristineB — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 10:58:17 +0000

I live in a major college town, and every year when the students leave, they just dump loads of ‘crap’ on the curb and go. A few years ago, someone started collecting all the stuff abandoned (much of it almost new) and having a big tent sale. It’s been a good way to reduce some of the waste. But, please students. If you think you need more stuff, see if there is a way to get it used and just get what you need. Seeing the amount of waste generated every year from students moving in and out is really disheartening.

By: Ryan Hiller

Ryan Hiller — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 07:42:07 +0000

Instead of taking the DVDs, use a program like “Handbrake” to rip them (keep only the one copy for yourself and store the DVD as an archive for yourself, anything more would be copyright violation, heck the one copy probably is). There are cheap 10-30 dollar cables to tie an iPod to a TV (or LCD/DLP projector).

So … keep the DVDs and CDs elsewhere, and still get to gather up your old chinese food and some friends and watch the princess bride. (Heck, now you can also watch it on a tiny screen while standing in some long line …)

By: Drew

Drew — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 03:56:00 +0000

I’m just starting college…

For the second time. I’ve been going through boxes that I had at my old apartment. I had 15 rather large boxes of “stuff” coming out of my apartment. That wasn’t essentials like plates, cutlery, pots, pans, clothes, things of that nature… It was just stuff.

I started sorting through all of it and I’ve donated and/or tossed about 8 boxes worth of crap. Old papers I’ve held onto, books I’ll never read, old cables and cords, boxes, cd’s I haven’t listened to in YEARS, and other little things that I should have thrown away years ago.

My goal is to get everything I own (excluding my 5 pieces of furniture: Mattress, TV, Bookshelf, TV Stand, Couch) to fit into my Subaru wagon and move it all in one trip with furniture in my trailer.

I need one more solid week of sorting and I’ll be good to go with a lot less baggage and clean clutter free life. Ive already got my new place planned out so I know where everything goes when I get there.

Moving is going to be a breeze! Woo!

By: cdelphine

cdelphine — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 23:31:28 +0000

I’m going to be a junior in the fall. I would also recommend packing as much as possible into containers/bags that you are taking (backpack, trash can, etc) That way when you get to school you don’t have the problem of storing a bunch of suitcases.

Oh and I definitely agree with waiting to buy things like closet sweater hangers, extra chairs, and other decorative items until you get there, meet your roommate and see the room.

By: JuneBug

JuneBug — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 23:07:30 +0000

I went to college in the States from Alaska. I arrived at my dorm with 2 suitcases and an apple box. I lived in apartments after my freshman year. When I graduated, I returned home with the same two suitcases full of books, one boxed sewing machine, and three packing boxes of other accumulated stuff. (Not bad for four years) I didn’t have the money to buy stuff.

The week before I left for college, I packed everything I thought I might want in four years and it was stored under my parents’ house. The week after I left, they had a yard sale and sold my bed and dresser and the stuff I hadn’t boxed.

By: Clare

Clare — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 21:20:40 +0000

As a recent college grad, I agree with everything but the DVDs. Sometimes it was really nice to gather up my friends, order Chinese food, and watch The Princess Bride or But I’m a Cheerleader just because we felt like it. Even if you don’t have a TV in your dorm room and the common room TV doesn’t have a DVD player, you can play them on your computer.

By: Laura

Laura — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 19:31:51 +0000

My oldest will start college this fall, and this little clotheshorse thinks she will take everything in her room with her. Funny, no matter what I tell her, or what anyone else says (including me having her read this blog) she is going to do whatever she wants. I guess that’s the difference between incoming freshmen and and their “more experienced” soph, jr and sr classmates. Perhaps one day she will come home and say, “Mom, you were right!”

By: Battra92

Battra92 — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 19:03:55 +0000

Two words: Trapper Keepers! They’re back and one of the best ways to stay organized out there. Unfortunately they don’t have the classic Velcro (they have magnets now.)

My other advice is perhaps simple and self-evident but five subject notebooks were my savior in college. After grabbing the wrong notebook too many times and having to recopy notes in the right one wasting time and paper I just broke down and got the 5 subject and never looked back.

I miss college. Thanks Unclutterer! You just made me depressed and lonely again!

*goes off to cry over memories*

By: Queen Planning Bee

Queen Planning Bee — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 18:58:57 +0000

When I started college, I thought I was being so smart by purchasing all these clever storage solutions, like stackable crates, sweater “shelves” that hang in the closet, a printer stand, etc. Well, all those sensible solutions just ended up more in the way than anything. Definitely bring just the bare minimum, then after everything is unpacked, decide what you need to buy.