If you are heading to college this fall, you probably have seen the small rooms and Spartan, institutional furniture. And chances are you will be sharing it with a roommate.
Before you start packing for the move, take some time this summer to research and find some neat furniture and storage items that make great use of the space and put your personal imprint on your digs.
First, double check the size of the room and the available space you have for bringing personal items. If you are sharing your room with a roommate, reach out to discuss common interests and needs. Then plan out quickly who is bringing what so that you do not have any duplicates and optimize your use of the space.
Here are 10 ideas for furniture that can do double-duty as storage and can usually be found at affordable prices.
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- Sleeper Chairs
These chairs act as both a chair and a comfortable bed and in a reasonable footprint. These chairs come in various sizes and colors and you can pick one to match the color scheme for your room.
Credit: Target.com - Storage Bench or Ottoman
The storage bench is a clever idea to squeeze items such as blankets, pillows, extra clothes or books. A storage bench or ottoman can also serve as a table for placing books or food when entertaining.
Credit: Wayfair.com
- Bed with storage drawers
If you are allowed to bring your own bed in the dorm room, you can feel a lot more organized with a storage bed with drawers for your clothes, shoes, books or personal items.
Credit: Wayfair.com
- Folding Chairs
You can easily store a few folding chairs in your closet or a corner for days where you have company without wasting valuable space in your room.
Credit: Amazon.com
- Book shelves that double as a room divider
In college you will need lots of space for all the books and papers you will accumulate and having a bookshelf that can double as a room divider is a great way to make use of your small space while providing a bit of privacy in your room.
Credit: Hayneedle.com
- Murphy bed desks
This is a queen wall bed with a built-in desk. It functions as a desk during the day and a bed at night. It comes with matching side panels that are sold separately for extra storage. Supercool for tight spaces, this is something you may even more likely consider for your first apartment off campus.
Credit: Costco
- Rolling Drawers:
Drawers provide a great way for organizing items in your closet or to move the unit around for easy access when it is needed. An alternative idea: Raise your bed using PVC pipe or blocks over the bed corners (if your school allows), use low height rolling storage under the bed.
Credit: Target.com
- Customizable shelves and cubes:
These are especially handy in dorms where cubbys and closets do not come with built in space. They let you use virtually every square inch for storage.
Credit: Bed Bath and Beyond
- Hanging shelves and shoe hangers:
Hanging shelves are great where you have fewer clothes to hang and many items that require folding. Shoe hangers free up space on the ground for more storage and offer fast and easy access to your shoes without searching when you are running late.
Credit: Kohl’s
- Two-tiered workspace for laptop, monitor and keyboard
There are numerous workspace units on the market these days that allow one to setup a flexible station on a flat surface. These are height-adjustable solutions that turn a desk into a standing desk. The multi-tiered design provides an upper area for a laptop and a monitor, while the lower area has room for a keyboard, a mouse and other items.
Credit: Varidesk.com
- Sleeper Chairs
