Setting Up Your College Dorm Room

College is usually most people's first time away from home. Therefore, it's almost like starting from scratch, setting up a new home. No doubt you're excited and a little apprehensive as well. The fact that you're usually on a shoe string budget and have to put up with strange companions doesn't help either. Moving day just got so much better.

The first thing to when you move in to your dorm room is to settle in and hang out a little with your dorm mates. You also need to take a good look at the room itself - how large it is, what you can fit in it, what you might have to sacrifice, how much space you can have to yourself, how much you might have to share, etc., will all need to be taken into account. Talking things out with your dorm mate(s) is important since you will be co-habiting and any changes you make is going to affect them as well and vice versa. So in the first few days it makes good sense to set some ground rules as to how much personal stuff each one of you can stock, and how space sharing is going to work.

Once you've figured out what you can store and what you can't, you need things to store it in. Your trunks can work well to store your clothes for a decent amount of time. IF your dorm has a closet, you can work on sharing it - decide how many shelves to each person. If your trunk is too large, storing them underneath the bed is the best option. In case you find this a messy job try folding your clothes in neat piles in a milk or plastic crate, covering it with newspaper and then pushing it underneath the bed.

You might have to get new bedding - mattresses for example. Before buying new ones check with the college and see if they supply any at a discount. If you have to buy it yourself - don't spend too much. A twin feather bed would be quite enough. Ensure it is cheap, but good quality as a good night's sleep is important. If you have some cash to spare you could also invest in a good futon mattress. Dorm beds are usually large and a futon mattress can be very comfortable.

You might want just one desk to share, or if you're lucky you may get two. If you have separate ones, the best way to keep your property yours is to label everything (a label maker is an essential buy). You can also get real cheap CD racks, book racks and containers for all your stationary, online. Wal-Mart may be easy, but scouting around online will get you some discount. A laptop will be a necessary expense - however the Internet connection may not so check with your college for Wi-Fi access. If they don't provide it, you may want to get an Internet connection on a sharing basis with your room mate. A desk lamp is another basic necessity. Again, check with your college if they provide one or buy one off a garage sale.

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