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Archives for College Life

Combatting backpack clutter

Reader Lisa, a college student, wrote in to Unclutterer asking if we might be able to help her with her backpack woes:

Pens and pencils, chapstick, scissors, flash drives, cell phone, iPod, granola bars, random electronics cables, pens, calculators, flashcards, earrings, more pens … etc, etc. And not only do I wind up with all this unwanted stuff, when I do want something I can never find it! I most definitely need some help.

I thought about saving this question for Friday’s Ask Unclutterer column, but with school starting for so many students I thought earlier might be better than later.

The first thing you’ll want to do is assess what you need to carry with you each day. The list you gave is a good starting point, but you probably also carry notebooks, textbooks, paper, folders, keys, and a few other odds and ends with you. Whatever these things are, set them out on a table so that you can see them all at once.

Next, evaluate these things. Are you missing anything you regularly need? Do you have duplicate items? Are the items in good condition? Are the objects durable for constant travel? Get rid of anything you don’t need and get your hands on those things you do need for the school year.

When evaluating durability, you’ll want to be honest with yourself about how hard you are on things. When I was in school, I found that I couldn’t use paper folders. Three or four weeks into the semester they would be torn and tattered. I had to use three-ring binders for all of my notes and an aluminum portfolio for my artwork (I started college as a painting major). This also meant that I carried a small three-hole punch at the front of each binder so that I could immediately store all of the handouts. (I also loaded 100 or so loose-leaf sheets of notebook paper into each binder for taking class-specific notes.)

Be sure to use sturdy containers for food stuffs, like your granola bars. It’s never fun to find smooshed up food at the bottom of your bag. And, don’t forget to regularly clean this container.

You will also want a backpack organizer of some kind to give all of your tools a proper place to live. I prefer the pocket organizers like the one pictured, but you could easily get a pencil case and put all of your supplies into one zipper pouch.

Finally, set up a routine for when you get home to immediately process all of the contents of your backpack. Much like you would sort mail, you will want to recycle, trash, scan, file, wash, and deal with everything from your bag. Within five minutes of arriving home, your bag should be empty except for your tools stored in your backpack organizer.

Lisa, I hope this advice helps to get your backpack organized. Good luck at school!

Popularity: 10% [?]

Posted by Erin on Sep 16, 2009 | 28 Comments | Tweet This

Heading back to college in organized style

Last summer, our intern Julia was heading into her junior year of college, lived in a dorm, and had great advice to share on getting a college dorm room organized. This summer, our intern Tim is working on his Ph.D., is married, and is a genius at writing computer code. Tim’s skill set is perfect for the technical needs at Unclutterer and Dancing Mammoth, but he has been away from a dorm room almost as long as I have.

So, we thought we would point you to three wonderful blog posts we have seen this week on Lifehacker on the subject of back-to-school issues for college students instead of asking Tim to stop writing code. Everyone wins. Enjoy!

Getting Things Done explained for students on Lifehacker:

… Contexts are an awesome way of organizing assignment to-dos. Instead of having one daunting list of homework, you separate each item by what materials you need to get it done. That way, when you’re trying do a little HW at your work-study job, you’re not trying to read books you don’t have with you or look up files that are on your desktop at the dorm …

DesignYourDorm takes the guessing out of moving in:

… Just supply your school, residence hall, and room number during registration, and if you’re lucky you’ll get a 3D model of your room. The site doesn’t have replicas of every room in every university in their database, but they allow users to add floor plans, meaning that in time it’ll only get better …

Also, 10 must-dos for the first week of college:

Start your (note-taking) engines: Get in the habit of writing everything down from the very first meeting of the class. Keeping your hands moving (we mean taking notes) will help you actively engage with the lecture, and will pay dividends when you discover that 80 percent of the midterm is based on class lectures.

Have you spotted any college organizing advice in the past few weeks on other blogs? Share them in the comments.

Popularity: 9% [?]

Posted by Erin on Aug 13, 2009 | 19 Comments | Tweet This

Workspace of the Week: Dorm room diligence

This week’s Workspace of the Week is Xeraphine’s collegiate corner:

Keeping a desk in a dorm room in an uncluttered state is difficult work, even for the most organized of students. Reader Xeraphine keeps this Yale University space well maintained and efficient. The wireless keyboard gets rid of cord clutter, the dual purpose task lighting and pen cup saves space, and the sliding shelf provides storage for notebooks and paper. To the right of the desk is a printer and stand with four drawers (I imagine Xeraphine’s books are kept in the drawers). Recently, Xeraphine added a DIY cardboard computer stand that hides cables and props up the computer. Thank you, Xeraphine, for sharing your inspiring dorm room office with us.

Want to have your own workspace featured in Workspace of the Week? Submit a picture to the Unclutterer flickr pool. Check it out because we have a nice little community brewing there. Also, don’t forget that workspaces aren’t just desks. If you’re a cook, it’s a kitchen; if you’re a carpenter, it’s your workbench.

Popularity: 15% [?]

Posted by Erin on Oct 24, 2008 | 11 Comments | Tweet This

Workspace of the Week: A back-to-school space

This week’s Workspace of the Week is Mamichan’s office in aqua and white:

The reason I chose this office this week is because it would be extremely practical for a student in a small space. The deep shelves (which I think are from Ikea) could hold the largest of books. The desk has a small, but satisfactory footprint with a pocket drawer/shelf for supplies. And, the cork board on the right could easily hold schedules, reminders, and inspiration. Thank you, Mamichan, for your submission and I hope it inspires a few students with school at the forefront of their minds!

Want to have your own workspace featured in Workspace of the Week? Submit a picture to the Unclutterer flickr pool. Check it out because we have a nice little community brewing there. Also, don’t forget that workspaces aren’t just desks. If you’re a cook, it’s a kitchen; if you’re a carpenter, it’s your workbench.

Popularity: 11% [?]

Posted by Erin on Aug 22, 2008 | 12 Comments | Tweet This

College Life: Invest in a laptop

Today we present Intern Julia’s third installment in her series on back-to-school preparations.

Have you ever lost a notebook or a folder the day before an exam? Do you find yourself recycling pounds of notebooks at the end of the semester? Is there always that one irritating classmate who never goes to class, and then shows up before a test begging for you to Xerox your notes for him?

Taking notes on your laptop eliminates all these problems. If you make sure to backup all your files on an external hard drive or online storage system, you’ll never have to worry about losing your notes at the last minute. You’ll save trees, and you can say goodbye to spirals that eventually warp into wicked metal spikes that get tangled together and slash up your Ultimate Frisbee hand. You also can e-mail the irritating kid your notes, and, in the college bartering system, now he owes you a good turn if you ever happen to miss class yourself.

A laptop at school also eliminates the need for a physical CD collection and a phone in your room with the help of services like Skype. You also can set up an account with Picasa or Flickr and keep all of your photos online instead of littering what little surface area you have.

Get yourself a good lock for your laptop for when it’s in your dorm room, and choose one that is light so that it’s easy to carry with you. A cord that is at least five feet long is also good because you’re not always going to have a fully charged battery and you won’t want to trip people coming into class late. I also suggest that you buy a major brand of computer so that it will be simple to find someone to help you when you inevitably run into technical problems.

Finally, be sure to check out The Unofficial Apple Weblog’s article “Back to School: collecting and organizing information” for many great programs to keep your work organized this year. A number of the programs mentioned in the article have PC counterparts, so don’t be fooled by the site name. The article is a must-read roundup.

Popularity: 10% [?]

Posted by Intern on Aug 19, 2008 | 48 Comments | Tweet This

College Life: Making your dorm room livable

Today we present Intern Julia’s second installment in her series on back-to-school preparations.

Most everyone, college student or not, has periods in life when we have more stuff than space. Beyond the obvious solution of vastly reducing the amount of stuff you have, here are more ideas for making do with the space you have.

Shelving: Most dorm rooms don’t come with it, and with a minimal amount of square footage to work with you want to utilize as much vertical space as possible. If your college allows you to put nail holes in your walls, I highly suggest floating shelves for your lighter possessions. Otherwise, go for a tall, cheap bookshelf, and use it for everything from books to files to your shower caddy. If you can’t afford a cheap bookshelf, never underestimate the power of the classic plank-and-cinderblock construction.

Loft Your Bed: If your school will allow it, lofting your bed is another great way to maximize space in your dorm room. Some colleges provide beds that can be lofted on their own. If not, you can buy a lofting structure that supports your bed on a metal frame. You can tuck your dresser or desk under your lofted bed to free up some floor space.

Store Information Digitally: Most colleges encourage students to have laptops, and digitally storing your information is a great way to combat clutter of all kinds. First of all, invest in an external hard drive. And, no matter what, make sure you buy a light laptop you can lug around easily.

Feel welcome to read and add more space-saving advice in the comments.

Popularity: 12% [?]

Posted by Intern on Aug 8, 2008 | 23 Comments | Tweet This

College Life: Back-to-school basics

Today we present Intern Julia’s first installment in her series on back-to-school preparations.

As students everywhere start preparing to head to college this fall, I want to talk about the art of small-space living. College students are a demographic that have particular stock in simple living, as well as anyone with more possessions than space. Whether it be a 500 square foot New York City studio apartment or a shared room with a sibling, it can be difficult to live in a space the size of a dorm room.

Most students arrive at campus for the first time, all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, with a minivan containing all of our worldly possessions. This is great until we’re affronted with a dorm room approximately the size of a large closet.

If this sounds like it could be you, here are a few basics for maximizing your living space. For my first post in my series on tiny living, I want to begin with the obvious tip:

Reassess your stuff.

The best way to fit your stuff into an itty-bitty space is to have less stuff. Only take the essentials with you. You shouldn’t abandon all of your trinkets at your parents’ place, either. Photograph and get rid of the napkin from prom and donate those t-shirts from your middle school musical to a local charity.

If your dorm room is a suite and has a kitchen, do you really need that minifridge, toaster, and microwave? Are any of your roommates bringing those items? There is no sense in having three blenders, even if you really like “smoothies.”

Do you really need to have your CD collection at college, in the age of iPod? Or DVDs? Take advantage of your school’s student programming and see films for free.

Unless you are in the business school, do you need that suit? Do you really need that commemorative Coors Light bobblehead, under any circumstance?

Good luck to everyone heading off to school in the fall and stay tuned for more back-to-school tips in the coming weeks. Also, even if you follow this advice, be prepared to bring a lot of things home for Thanksgiving break.

Popularity: 21% [?]

Posted by Intern on Jul 24, 2008 | 28 Comments | Tweet This

Help Evan find the perfect desk

Reader Evan sent us the following question:

I’m an engineering student, with tons of books and papers, so I love having a big open desk to work on, but I won’t have the space in my new flat. I have an idea of using a folding desk so that when it’s not in use, it’s not in the way. Plus, it’ll force me to put away all my junk! The problem is, I can’t find anything that seems to fit the bill — all I see are cheap card tables! Can you help me find something functional, yet attractive? Of course, if you have any other tips, I’d be delighted to hear them!

I immediately thought of numerous possibilities for Evan … and then noticed he said “flat.” An inquiry proved that he, in fact, is in London. Not a single one of the options that came to my mind could be found in the UK.

Instead of sending him a reply of “sorry, I can’t help,” I thought I would open up the comments to our European readers to lend Evan a hand. What suggestions do those of you across the pond have for him? Evan and I are interested in seeing your responses!

Popularity: 16% [?]

Posted by Erin on Jul 19, 2008 | 32 Comments | Tweet This

A simple reminder

I had a conversation the other day with our summer intern, Julia, that has stayed with me. During the conversation, she talked about how college forces many students to live with very few possessions. That a dorm room can only hold a limited number of things and most kids survive on a couple dollars a day.

I thought about my own experience, and she was right. I had a lot of fun in college even though I didn’t have much money or much stuff. I have a few more responsibilities now, but not many. I had a part-time job, 18 hours of course work most semesters, and a car. Now, I have a full-time job, no classes, a spouse, a house, and a car. The list isn’t drastically different, but I have acquired significantly more stuff since college.

I’ve made a sign and hung it above my desk that reads “Simple living frees you to simply live.” I need it to help me remember that it isn’t stuff that makes me happy, but the people and experiences I choose to bring into my life. Thank you, Intern Julia, for reminding me of this valuable fact.

Popularity: 11% [?]

Posted by Erin on Jun 10, 2008 | 24 Comments | Tweet This

Workspace of the Week: Student office

This week’s Workspace of the Week is Natasha’s writing, photo-editing, bill-paying, and studying home office:

One of the features I like best about this workspace is how the books in the room are only those Natasha needs for her current semester of school. I also applaud Natasha for posting a picture of the inside of her desk drawer.

Want to have your own workspace featured in Workspace of the Week? Submit a picture to the Unclutterer flickr pool. Check it out because we have a nice little community brewing there. Also, don’t forget that workspaces aren’t just desks. If you’re a cook, it’s a kitchen; if you’re a carpenter, it’s your workbench.

Popularity: 21% [?]

Posted by Erin on Nov 23, 2007 | 9 Comments | Tweet This | Tags: office, workspace

Managing collegiate paperwork

Reader Cody wrote to us a few weeks ago asking if we had any back-to-school advice for college students. Matt started our response to this question by addressing ways to organize a dorm room. Now, I’m going to discuss managing the constant flow of paperwork associated with college life.

My first piece of advice is to get your hands on Captio’s CollegeCase or a similar product. I wish I would have had something like this back in my undergraduate days. In times of emergencies, being this organized would have really helped. If you’re ever burglarized, in a car wreck, curious as to which cafeterias your meal plan includes, you can find all of these answers in one well-designed notebook.

Continue reading this post »

Popularity: 9% [?]

Posted by Erin on Aug 16, 2007 | 21 Comments | Tweet This

Organizing your dorm room

College dorm life can be rather trying. Reader Cody recently e-mailed us asking if we had any advice to share on how to handle life in these tight living quarters.

We agree that it is difficult to keep the small dorm rooms organized and in an uncluttered state. Here are some tips and products to help achieve the nearly impossible task:

• One of the worst things about dorm life is taking a shower. You have to gather up all of your things and take the walk down the hall to the shower facility. Make sure you have all your products in a tote that you can carry with you. You don’t want to forget anything and have to make that walk again.
• Next on the list is doing your laundry. Again, you must walk somewhere to do your laundry and you have to make sure you have everything you need to clean your clothes. With this hamper tote the clothes are already separated and there are storage pockets for laundry supplies.
• Closet space is at a premium and you can’t really install anything into your space, so go for the hanging organizer that adds six shelves to your tiny closet. Also, try and put normally unused space to use. An overdoor shoe rack with hanging hooks can do the trick behind your door.
• Under bed storage bins can come in handy. Put them to use by storing out-of-season clothing, extra blankets, and school supplies.
• Dairy crates are great for storing and stacking books, media, and whatever else you can think of. They also come in handy when you are moving to and from school.
• Try and pack the bare minimum when you first move into your dorm room. The less you have the better. If you find that you need something, go ahead and have the parents bring it when they come and visit or pick them up when you’re home for a break.

I hope these tips help out. We’ll try to get some more ideas your way in the coming weeks before classes start back up in the fall. Now let’s just hope your room mate lives an uncluttered lifestyle. Good luck on that one.

Popularity: 17% [?]

Posted by Matt on Jul 26, 2007 | 7 Comments | Tweet This

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