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Aug 10
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Back to School: College Dorms

By Blog, Checklists, Time Management No Comments

First of all – congratulations on your next big chapter!

 

Whether you’re a new or returning student, I’m sure you are bursting with excitement to get into the dorms and back into student mode!

Right now, you are probably packed full of all these different jitters. Excitement, eagerness, anticipation, and a general zest for life!

But alongside these thrilling emotions come the other half of our nerves. Anxiety, apprehension, fear, and nervousness. You may be asking yourself questions like:

When should I start packing?

What should I be planning to do on move-in day?

What things do I need to do before moving into the dorm?

What are some fun, entertainment things to bring?

How long does it take to move into a dorm?

But before you get too overwhelmed, let’s start with the very basics.

 

Before Anything!

Schools will usually provide a checklist of necessary items to bring for all students who are moving into student housing. If you haven’t received one, reach out to the administration and start from there.

You should also carefully read through your college dorm rules to know beforehand what kinds of things are allowed and what is prohibited. Make sure to check what is already included, too. Sometimes apartments will come furnished, with kitchen appliances or basic furniture. Dorm rooms may include basic things like a desk, chair, bed, and lamp.

 

Lists and Preparations

Okay, we’ve got the basics down and now it’s time to fill in the blanks! Let’s start making a list of necessities – but first, you’ll want to contact your new roommate to discuss who will bring what. The last thing you need is to waste money on duplicates to take up extra space that you won’t have!

Another money-saving tip is after you make your list, make notes of what you don’t already have. Then before you head to the store, check with friends and family members to see if they have any items on your list they would be willing to give or lend to you.

SEKINER
Hook for door

BRUSALI
Shoe cabinet with 3 compartments

ALEX
Drawer unit

Clothing

(Remember not to pack too crazy – college is all about comfort so you’ll likely just be wearing your favourites most of the time)

Must-have

Underwear
Bras/Sports bras
Socks
Pants (jeans, workout, casual)
Shorts (workout, casual)
Shirts and sweaters (bring things you can layer)
Sweatpants or cozy lounge pants
Pajamas
Jackets for fall and winter
Cold-weather apparel (warm hat, gloves, scarf, boots)
Runners, casual shoes, and sandals
Hat and/or umbrella
Belt
Wallet

Nice to have

Formal clothes (if you plan on attending events or interviews)
Purse
Swimsuit
Jewelry
Shower shoes
Slippers
Casual dress
Stain remover pen
Lint brush

Leave at home

Anything you already don’t wear often
Duplicates

Important Documents

(Electronic versions preferred)

Must-have

Credit and debit cards
Driver’s license
School ID (or your paperwork to get one)
Car registration and insurance
Health insurance card
Copy of birth certificate
Copy of social security card
Emergency contact list
Financial aid information
Class schedules
Meal plan card

Leave at home

Hard-to-replace/Irreplaceable original documents

Tech and Electronics

(Check with your roommate for what each of you will bring)

Must-have

Phone and charger
Extension cord power strip
Earbuds
Laptop, charger, and case
HDMI cable
Wall cube for USB cables
Login info for streaming services

Nice to have

Wireless mouse
Laptop stand
Tablet
TV and stand
Video game console and games
External hard drive
Portable phone charger
Printer and printer paper (check with your school, everything may be online)
Alarm clock

School Supplies

Must-have

Backpack
Pens and pencils
Highlighters
Pencil sharpener
Spiral notebooks or binders with lined paper
Binder section dividers
Index cards
Sticky notes
Stapler, rubber bands, tacks, paper clips, tape

Nice to have

Sticky tab page markers
File folders
Small whiteboard and dry erase pens
Paper wall calendar

Toiletries and Medicine

Shower caddy or small tote
Shampoo and conditioner
Body wash
Body oils or lotion
Loofah or wash cloths
Hair styling products
Hand soap and sanitizer
Skincare products
Toothbrush, toothpaste, floss
Comb or brush
Hair heat-styling tools (flat iron, curling iron, blowdryer)
Razors and shaving cream
Cotton swabs and pads
Sunscreen and bug spray
Make-up
Feminine hygiene products
Tweezers
Nail clippers, file, buffer block
Nail polish and polish remover
Extra contacts and solution
Eye glasses
Sunglasses
Toilet paper
Deodorant
Hair accessories
Retainer/mouth guard
Bathroom cleaning supplies and air freshener
Prescription medication
Inhaler
OTC meds you use regularly (acetaminophen, cold and flu, antacids, allergy)
Vitamins
Birth control
Sleeping mask

Yamazaki Caddy

Linens and Laundry

Must-have

Sheets
Bath towels, washcloths, hand towels
Pillows and cases
Blankets or duvet
Clothes hangers
Laundry basket
Laundry detergent and dryer sheets
Quarters for washer and dryer or laundry card

Nice to have

Mattress protector
Extra blanket for outdoor events
Clothing iron
Laundry bag for delicate items

Furnishings and Decor

Must-have

Fan or space heater
Under-bed storage pullouts
Additional seating (futon, folding chairs, etc.)
Mini broom and dustpan
Trash can and bags
Light bulbs
Vacuum

Nice to have

Lamp for desk
Wall art
Poster tack to hang things
Area rug
Full-length mirror
Make-up mirror
String lights
Plants or fake plants
Small vacuum or hand vac

Food, Snacks, and Kitchen

Special snacks and food you can only get at home
Cereal and/or oatmeal
Tea bags or loose leaf tea with infuser
Small coffee maker or french press, coffee, filters
Your preferred coffee or tea condiments
Hot chocolate mix
Some easy-to-prepare meal options you can make in your room (ramen noodles, soup, and microwavable entrees stored at room-temperature)
Microwave popcorn
Quick-energy snacks (granola bars, nuts)
Reusable water bottle
Can opener
Toaster
Mini fridge and microwave (if not provided, make sure you’re allowed to have them in your room)
Dishes that you can wash or compostable plates and cutlery
Mug
Travel mug
All-purpose cleaner and rags
Dish soap
Kitchen sponges
Paper towels
Drying towel
Reusable straws and cleaning brush

Recreation

(Search up the fitness and recreational facilities on campus, they may have some of your desired equipment already)

Sports equipment (basketball, baseball bat, etc.)
Yoga mat
Journal
Religious texts
Books or magazines to read for fun
Music instruments
Art supplies
Duffel bag or small luggage for weekend travel
Bicycle, helmet, lock
Skateboard or longboard
Hiking boots
Gym bag
Playing cards or board games
Hand weights

Safety and Miscellaneous

Flashlight
Earplugs
Mini toolkit (screwdrivers, hammer, wrench)
Picture hanging kit
Small first aid kit

Closing Advice

While this list covers just about all you’ll need, remember to jot down anything else that comes to mind. Prepare, prepare, prepare, so your university experience will be as smooth as possible!

Hope to see you back with a successful year under your belt!

Did we miss anything? Comment below your must-haves for any time spent away from home!

 

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You’ll love this one👉 Planning for Back to School

Aug 05
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Planning for Back to School

By Blog, Checklists, Quick Organizing Tips No Comments

It’s never a surprise when parents start to feel an extra sense of urgency come August every year… Summer is coming to a close, back-to-school shopping is around the corner, and then planning for back to school begins!

 

Consider this article a quick checklist with an added few of my tips to help you start this busy time of year as productively as possible. The goal here is to help you prevent some of the forgetfulness and stress that can happen when crunch time comes. These tips are very basic but are often underestimated as they are great time savers.

 

Let’s begin with how you can plan a successful return back to school!

 

Contact your children’s school for updates

You may or may not be on your school’s email list, but either way – sometimes schools share more information about the first day back to school than you might think.

This includes bus schedules, start times, finish times, upcoming pro-d days or special events, sign-ups for the PAC committee, other volunteer jobs, and so on. The more you know early on, the more at peace you will be with planning for back to school during this whirlwind time of year. And the less the school schedule will be a shock to your business schedule as well.

Get back in touch with your carpool partners

It’s not unusual that if you previously carpooled with someone to get your children to and from school, you have not spoken to them all summer. Well, now is an excellent time to touch base again! Especially since you now know the schedule for school.

Remember to keep in mind any after-school activities your child or their child might do; both parents should be on the same page with this. And what about your business travel times? Will those conflict with the carpool schedule? Do you know of your travel plans in advance enough to even bring that up? It might not be a bad idea to think about, especially if it has a chance at interfering.

Get these apps – (you’ll thank me later)

Download “Google Keep,” and one of either “Google Photo Scan“ or “Artkive.” These apps will eliminate the paper clutter that piles up fast in most homes. Check them out, use them for a month as a trial to plan for back to school and see if they’re a fit for you. These apps make it easy to share information and plan with other family members.

Google Keep is my #1 app to keep track of all my grocery lists. It’s also handy to capture items you need to buy from a specific store, plan out errands, books to buy or download, packing checklists, gift ideas, bits and pieces of information, kids clothing sizes, and what they will need for the upcoming season. You can add a location reminder and it’s easy to share lists/notes with family members, friends, and business clients. You can even add photos and use the handy audio feature with transcription. Google Keep is always within reach as it works on all your mobile and desktop devices. Set up is less than 5 minutes then you can start typing your to-do lists and unloading everything on your mind!

Google PhotoScan is the smartphone app I use to scan kids’ artwork, memorabilia, and art projects, like clay and pottery. Use a black surface as your background for best results when scanning items or odd sizes of paper. The app will scan whatever you want a photo of, save it to your smartphone, and from there you can sync it into your photo sharing app. (I use Google Photos as it costs a lot less than using Apple Photos)

Artkive is another handy app that will help you organize and capture your child’s artwork, schoolwork, and pictures of them in their activities. Get rid of paper clutter once and for all, and save yourself a lot of space in your home! And why not use it to organize your own childhood memorabilia? Organize by child and age, print quality books, frameable prints, or pillows for them to enjoy and celebrate these precious memories. Shareable with family and friends. Also check out their done-for-you “Artkive Concierge” service. Organizing memorabilia has never been easier!

Start planning childcare arrangements

Your summer childcare may have consisted of half or full day day camps, and it simply worked with your schedule as if by luck.

But will it work when the kids are back to school, finishing earlier, or enjoying their pro-d days off again? What about sick days and snow days – do you have a service on call for this? Now is the time to start planning for the back to school season.

The last thing anyone wants is to miss one or several important meetings because you don’t have your personal life in order. It’s also ill-advised to bring the kids to work after school most days. Even if you work from home, having “fresh-home-from-school” children running around and asking for late lunches, begging to go play outside, etc. – it will be a distraction. In-home childcare may alleviate some of this if you cannot take the time to pick the kids up and drop them off with a sitter.

Set some guidelines

One of the best ways to keep peace in your home is to have a calendar, schedule, and a routine. Summers are often chaotic with schedules all over the place and almost always void of any routine.

Because of all the freedom and travel in your itinerary, summer sports, tournaments, and so on – it’s just madness for even the most sane of families. Back to school is the perfect time for resetting a routine! We can all breathe again when routine is in place.

Even though it can be hard to get back into it, setting a schedule for before and after school will be very beneficial. Setting a routine is important not only for you but your kids as well.

Don’t forget the little things… checklists, checklists, checklists

Sometimes we forget just how much there is to do on an average school day (which also happens to be an average work day for most of us too). If you take inventory of these things early on it will be that much easier to make checklists for them so that they don’t become routinely forgotten by everyone.

Use Google Keep to create checklists for clothing items to buy for the fall, uniforms to order, shoe and clothing sizes, and morning routines. And just about everything else you keep in your head to remember while planning for back to school! It’s time to get it out of your head and into somewhere useful.

 

Here’s to your organizing success!

What are some of your must-do’s before September? Share with me below!

 

 

 

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You’ll love this one👉 7 Psychological Benefits of an Organized Home

Jul 15
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Why the Kitchen is the Heart of the Home

By Blog, Home Organizing, Quick Organizing Tips, Simple Living No Comments

What’s one thing we can all agree on about our homes?

 

It’s that no matter where you live, whichever the size of your house, how many heads are under the roof… The kitchen is the heart of the home 💝

It’s the place where we gather for all things important; breakfast, after-school lunchbox drop off, baking, and hosting social events.

And by optimizing this space in our own unique ways, we can craft a specific aesthetic through a mix of organization and color.

Setting a schedule for decluttering and cleaning will also help your kitchen to become more efficient. It will do so because you will not have to clean irregularly or at a moment’s notice for guests, and there is less of a buildup of “stuff”. 

Download your free Kitchen Cleaning Checklist here.

But beyond just the look of a kitchen and pantry, what often stands out most is the feeling we get when we step in 😌 This is something we can curate, too.

Personalize. Add color. Textures. Are you looking for warmth and liveliness? Or cool tones and calm relaxation?

All styles are welcome here, and I invite you into my guide for optimizing your kitchen space.

Our Influence from Kitchens

Let’s talk about efficiency.

If the kitchen is not efficient, we will not be efficient in the kitchen either. It’s important to understand the flow of how a kitchen works, and then to dive into the fun decorating part!

You will soon be able to minimize cooking time and maximize family time with these optimizing tips.

🥣 Cooking

Near your stove and serving stations, the closest drawers can be used for cooking and serving utensils. These can be sectioned with either acrylic or wooden drawer dividers.

This way, you’re not running to the other side of the kitchen for a wooden spoon as your pasta boils over!

You can also keep your plates and meal dishes in a closeby cupboard or drawer for easy serving. Use plate dividers if you’re going to store them in a drawer to avoid chipping.

🥂 Beverages

A convenient location for drinking cups is your cupboard next to the fridge.

If your beverage zone (coffee, tea, drink mixes) is also in this area, at-home and to-go mugs can live here as well. Try a few ideas of arranging them in a decorative way!

💦 Kitchen Sink

Have you heard the saying “everything but the kitchen sink”?

People often forget that under the kitchen sink can be a very useful storage spot, if fitted correctly. Utilize a cleaning caddy and small shelving unit to maximize the space.

Here you can store your kitchen cleaning products, extra sponges, garbage bags, and a compost bin.

💐 Decor

Undoubtedly the best part of styling any home, decorations!

You will want to limit the number of decor pieces on counters. Be cautious to not clutter surfaces, make sure you refresh often (seasons, holidays, change of taste), and dust frequently.

A fun way to make your kitchen more of a social hub, is to incorporate interactive decor pieces. This allows guests to interact with the room itself, therefore feeling more at ease and engaged.

Share more of YOU in your kitchen

Become the home where everyone who stops by wants to be invited in. The comfortable one where kids will not feel distracted or embarrassed by clutter.

One where you wake up and smile, already looking forward to brewing your morning tea 🍵

What features are you most proud of in your kitchen? Share with us below!

 

 

 

Like this article?

You’ll love this one👉 Clutter + What You Eat