organize

Clean Room, Clean Mind

Posted on July 17, 2015July 17, 2015 by Tori Leggett

It’s getting close to the beginning of the new school year, which means new teachers, new classes and maybe even a new dorm. Having a tidy room can have many benefits: it can relieve stress, it can help focus when you’re working on homework and its an added bonus that you don’t have to speed clean when friends and family come over. These are simple ways to keep a clean room and make the most of your space.

Small Space Doesn’t Mean Small Things

Rooms vary in size and having a small room is an actual problem. It means you don’t have as many places for your things, which leads to your room feeling cluttered. To “de-clutter” your space go and get some storage drawers to place around the room. This can keep things like makeup, hair tools, shoes, hats and extra clothes up off the floor and out of sight until you need them. It keeps them well organized and doesn’t take up a lot of space. This also allows for a makeshift book case if you don’t have enough room for one.

A Lot Of Things Doesn’t Mean A Lot Of Clutter

Everyone has something that takes up a lot of space, whether its clothes, shoes, books, movies or what have you; we’ve all got something. Instead of getting rid of things (which note: you might need to do that too, more on that later) try different ways of organizing them. If you have things you don’t use, let’s say at least once a month, pack it up in a storage tote. You still have it on hand but it isn’t taking up space. For clothes, if its the wrong season, pack it up in a tote. You don’t need a winter coat in the middle of July, and you don’t need shorts in the middle of December. This allows more room for the clothes you wear all the time.

More Clothes Doesn’t Mean More Options

Admit it, you have a favorite pair of jeans, a lucky shirt, a special hoodie. You also have clothes in the back of your closet that you or someone else bought that you don’t wear, or you’ve grown out of. Take all of your clothes out of wherever you store them, and sort. The ones you haven’t worn in the last, say three, months put in the give away pile. Ones that are special and you don’t want to get rid of, pack them up in a tote. After you’re finished, you should have a smaller amount of clothes, that you can now fold and put away.

For a different way to fold clothes to make more space, check out these organizing tips.

Organizing your room can relieve stress, help with anxiety, and let’s face it, having a clutter free room makes it easier to clean. These are just a few tips on how to keep a clean room.

Comment down below other ideas you have for tidying a room. Good luck!

8 Organizing Tips for College Students

Posted on February 6, 2015August 1, 2016 by Amanda Drazen

Another semester has started and you want to get a fresh start! Staying organized is the best way to ensure this happens. Here are some simple, yet effective organizing tips for college students to help you get your fresh start this semester!

1. Date Your Notes.

Make sure to write the date at the beginning of each lecture to keep your notes organized. This organizing tip makes it a lot easier to figure out if your notes are missing. If your friends practice the same strategy, you guys can compare before midterms and finals and swap missing lectures.

2. Color Code Your Subjects.

Use color coding within your schedule and make sure your notebooks match. You will eventually associate your different classes with their assigned color. That way, you can make sure you grab the correct notebook for each class even if you’re in a hurry.

3. Store Your Computer Documents by Class.

Instead of just adding papers and lecture notes to your desktop or a catch-all folder, create a folder for each semester, with sub-folders for each class to keep your hard-drive neat. You will thank yourself for the organization when you need to find a document quickly during class or studying.

4. Note Q&A’s in Lecture.

When a teacher poses a question to the class, write your notes in the form of that question and include the answer the teacher gave (and highlight the question). It could be the same question that appears later on in the semester during a pop quiz or exam.

5. Keep Your Quarters in a Cup.

When you’re in college, having spare change on you is essential for doing laundry, parking your car and grabbing a snack out of a machine. Keeping your quarters in a cup allows for easy access when you’re in need. If a cup doesn’t work for on-the-go, try a little change purse you never take out of your bag.

6. Invest in a Pencil Pouch.

Investing in a pencil pouch will help you keep all your writing utensils in one place and keep you from losing them. This will save you money in the long run because you won’t need to continue to buy more pens and pencils!

7. Clear Out Your Backpack.

Each time you get back to your dorm room you should empty your backpack to keep important things like notes and study guides from getting lost in the mess. This way you could never wonder if something you lost is hidden in your messy bag.

8. Keep Your Room Clean.

Studies show that having a clean and organized area around you can help you focus more clearly on what you’re studying. It also helps to come home from a stressful day of classes and the library and not have to worry about cleaning you room. Do yourself a favor and spend a couple minutes each morning to make sure your room is clean for the day!

I hope these organizing tips help you get the fresh start you need! Have a great semester!

4 Alternative Spring Break Ideas

Posted on February 24, 2014February 24, 2014 by Alexandria Ramos

With March just around the corner, Spring Break will be here before you know it. With more free time than usual, you may be tempted to spend the entire break watching cat videos but there are plenty of alternative Spring Break options to make the most of your time off.

1. Travel

Vacationing over spring break is an obvious and popular choice. Shake off your cabin fever from spending all winter indoors with a nice getaway. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy or exotic (although it certainly wouldn’t hurt) to be an amazing vacation. For any traveling needs like finding out flight, hotel or car rental prices, Kayak.com is one of the leading search websites in doing so.

http://highheelsandddp.blogspot.com

2. Volunteer

Spending time helping others is always time well spent. Spring break is a fabulous time to help out around your community or in another city. Some colleges even offer programs to volunteer in communities abroad. Habitat for Humanity is a great organization to get involved in as a student, for more information, you can see if your college has a campus chapter at http://www.habitat.org.

Habitat for Humanity

http://northsidemadison.org

3. Get Organized

The middle of the semester is a good time to get organized. Clearing out old papers from last semester and cleaning up your living space will make a huge difference in your work ethic and stress level. When you are throwing all those papers away, remember to recycle. Its a great option to take when getting organized because not only are you cleaning up, you are doing something good for the environment, and if you would like to know more about recycling check out Earth911.

http://www.healthinharmony.com

4. Revamp and Refresh

With winter gone, a new fitness routine is in order. Spring break is the perfect time to trade in your treadmill run for a run in the park or on the beach. Fresh air and sunshine are sure-fire ways to motivate your workout (and let’s face it, summer is getting dangerously close). If you would like some work out encouragement, check out some of the videos on Fitness Magazines website that you can use during your routine.

http://www.dailyhiit.com

Try out this list and you’ll feel refreshed and ready to take on the rest of the semester by the end of the break!

WARNING: By the end of your awesome spring break you may feel an urge to start a countdown to summer break. Side effects include procrastination, loss of motivation, and an urge to burn textbooks.

Why You Should Spend a Beautiful Day Inside

Posted on April 12, 2013June 12, 2013 by Rachel

Spring is finally in the air. The days are longer, the temperature is warmer, and the sun is here to stay. Now that summer is right around the corner, it’s hard to resist spending the day outside. However, before you head out into the sunshine for the next few months, taking a day to do some cleaning and organizing from the months you’ve spent inside the house will be well worth it.

The transition from winter to summer is a great opportunity to de-clutter your life. We spend so much time inside during the winter months, and thanks to the holiday season we have a tendency to accumulate more than we need. The summer redirects our attention from our material items indoors, to the simple beauty of the outdoors.

Trading out your thick winter sweater for a t-shirt and pair of shorts can be the greatest feeling in the world. While switching out your wardrobe this spring, take the time to go through and get rid of those winter clothes you haven’t worn in years. Also consider getting rid of those gifts you received that you know you have no use for. Then, take advantage of the nice weather and have a garage sale. You’ll be able to enjoy the weather outside while getting rid of your old things and making a little extra money. Have old books lying around? You can sell those too!

Summertime also rejuvenates our spirit to tackle new projects. If you’re looking for something to do, check out websites like Pinterest or OrgJunkie for fun ideas that will help you organize the items you do have, in fun and unique ways. If you don’t have any need to de-clutter, take time just freshening up your house. Pull back your curtains to let the sun in, and spend your day vacuuming, dusting, and trading out your warm winter sheets for a lighter, more colorful set. Having a clean and organized home will allow you to enjoy the summer even more.

Spring cleaning doesn’t have to be dreaded. If you use our tips above you can face summer head on with an organized home, a little extra cash in your pocket, and a few new projects to get working on!

What do you do to get organized for the Summer? Let us know in the comments.

Make Your Workspace Work for You

Posted on January 19, 2012January 17, 2012 by Amy Esselman

Dorm rooms are great escapes for things like naps, and make-shift study parties. In fact, our dorm rooms get so comfy that sometimes we forget that we have to live, and more importantly, work there too. So as fun as the popcorn pop quizzes and movie night mosh pits are, we need to make room for the books. So let’s buckle down and figure out the best way to make a functional workspace out of your humble abode away from home.

First things first… DECLUTTER that desk of yours!
Make sure to purge all of your old, used spirals and notebooks and get ride of any papers and flyers you no longer need. Nothing screams “study buzz kill” like old paperwork you can’t remember if you need or not! Is this assignment due? Or is this one? Where did that form come from? Who knows! Save yourself the stress and just don’t go there!

Second, prioritize, prioritize, prioritize!
What are your staple study savers that you need close by at all times? What are your absolute must haves? Can you conveniently plug in your laptop charger? Do you have enough light? Where are your pens? Do you even have pens? The real key to a functional workspace is making sure the space is working for you just as hard as you are working on your work. If you can’t access your study tools, the space is doomed to fail. It might be time to rearrange and redesign the feng shui of the room. Try your desk in a new spot, or flip your bed the other way— whatever it takes to make the light ample, and the cords reach! But also keep in mind you have to comfortably live and study so make the necessary changes with a grain of both salt and practicality.

Third tip’s the charm! Organize your space
So you’ve taken the time to consider the feng shui so now it’s time to cross your T’s and dot your I’s. Is your stuff where it needs to be? I’m famous for the “junk drawer”— the throwing everything that doesn’t go somewhere else into one spot never to be seen again— which includes bobby pins, loose change, paperwork, hair ties, and even candy! I wouldn’t recommend a junk drawer. Besides being messy, they are incredibly inconvenient and swallow just about anything you decide to place within it. Instead, invest in proper organization like file folders, desk caddys, binders, penholders—the options are endless! Every store under the sun now carries cute, affordable organization knick knacks so don’t hold back! Channel your inner nerdiness and get smart with your study stuff—your assignments (and your room) will thank you!

Fourth and finally, disconnect!
Regardless of your study space it’s important to remember that distractions won’t turn themselves off. You need to make yourself and your space as comfortable as possible. When you are studying turn off your distractions and try to pry yourself away from Facebook and twitter and really focus. Then take a break and distress—grab some ice cream, or some cookies and watch a few episodes of Internet TV. When you shut off and disconnect and really buckle down your can reward yourself later with treats, and hopefully, higher grades!

All these tips combined and a touch of determination will help you not only maximize the functionality of any space, but will also help you reach your super focused study potential!

-Ring Queen

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