Make the most of your student room

The times come, you’re leaving the comfort of your parents’ house, the familiarities of home life and heading in to the big world of independence (and budgeting). University!

There are pros and cons to student living, yes you may be able to go to bed whenever you like, leave the washing-up till the next day and binge watch your favourite series on Netflix till 2am. However, student life is not all house parties and pre-drinking, you’ll soon realise no one’s coming to empty your laundry basket or change your bed. Nope. That’s up to you now! Not to mention the downsize you’ll inevitably encounter!

Scenario, your car is bursting with your essential belongings, you’ve arrived at your new home for the next year, met all your new housemates, opened the door to your allocated room, and bam. Realisation hits. There’s no space for your impressive shoe collection, definitely nowhere to house your make-up addiction, not to mention masses of accessories! Your life now must fit into a small box room. But look on the bright side, it’s YOUR box room!

We’ve been there, done it and learnt a few lessons on the way. You’ll be happy to know we have a few space-saving tricks up our sleeve and we’re willing to share the wisdom…

Tip 1: Underbed storage

It may not be your dream built-in triple wardrobe (there’s plenty of time for that), but it’s a must-have for students. Get your hands on some underbed storage, and keep it organised. It’ll free up space in your ‘compact’ room and make the most of otherwise wasted space!

Tip 2: Over door storage

Another great tip that you’ll thank us for! Over door hangers are so versatile; too many scarves, coats, bags? No problem. There are many different varieties on the market so make sure you research one that’ll best suit your needs. For example, if you’re a jewellery hoarder like us, then a jewellery wrap is the one for you. It keeps your jewellery organised and on display but frees up space on your desk for other items. Also perfect for taking back home on weekends when you’ve run out of clean clothes.

Tip 3: Desk tides

Now these have come a long way in recent years. There are an array of practical AND pretty desk organisers on the market now. Keeping all your study essentials neat and tidy! And leaving space on your desk for other requirements such make-up and hair products.

Tip 4: Bed pockets

As we’ve identified, student accommodation isn’t known for its generosity in space. There’s not a huge choice of seating, you’ve got your desk chair, your bed and your… bed? You’ll find you spend a lot of time sitting on your bed unwinding from a day of lectures. A great space-saving trick is to invest in a bed pocket. A creative way to keep all necessities nearby, such as the remote control, mobile phone, study books, but without impacting on any vital surface space in your room.

Tip 5: More than just lighting

Fairy lights. Yes you heard us right, a simple string of lights can transform your plain room into a cosy haven. Fairy lights will save desk space and ingeniously double up as a place to hang your photos. Trust us, this small addition will add so much to your room and you’ll love adding photos from home and your new life at uni!

By the end of the year you would have come to love your little box room and most likely miss it when it comes to moving on. However, it’s highly possible you’ll need the space-saving hacks you’ve learned when you move into your next student house.