You can spot parents who are helping children pack for college. They tend to have a dazed, traumatized look and are often in a state of shock.
August 19, 2006 (Press Release) --
They are remembering the days when they were this age and everything a new student needed fit into the back of their parents’ station wagon. And they are stunned at what today’s student NEEDS. And that the kids keep repeating, “These are not wants, they are NEEDS!”
As the parents survey the necessities for 21st Century College Kids, they can hardly wrap their minds around the need to rent a moving van (perhaps an 18- wheeler)
PLUS they are ready to curl up in a fetal position and suck their thumbs as they count the credit card trips to the college’s local Target, Wal-Mart and Bed Bath & Beyond. (Three stores that cater to college dormitory needs)
These parents never had to deal with all this stuff. How can they help or advise their offspring with getting some control over clutter? Here are 5 sure-fire tips to help Conquer College Clutter.
1. Assign a place for everything. Make a spot for all the books and documents the school gives you, for books and notebooks for each class, for your music stuff, computer stuff, playstations, televisions, clothes, etc.. If you don’t have a place for something, then … KA-BOOM! You’ve got clutter.
2. ASAP, purchase or borrow the containers you need in order to put things in their place. Everybody has different systems – maybe you need a small file cabinet, book shelves or storage bins. Think it through – if you buy a file cabinet, buy the file folders that you’ll need. You’ll need some kind of containers or baskets to keep all your kitchen and bathroom/shower stuff together so you’re able to grab and carry it where you need it. Don’t buy a closet organizer or shoe rack; they take up too much space. Put a large plastic bin on your closet floor for all your shoes.
3. Cleaning your room involves making decisions. The more you simplify the room, the easier the cleaning and the decision-making becomes. To help you remember where everything goes, make labels. In a month or two, when you can remember all your new systems, you can get rid of the labels.
4. Get a big trashcan and clothes hamper. If you can make sure to put trash & dirty clothes in their containers, you’ve eliminated a mountain of clutter.
5. Unless you have tons of room, don’t give precious space to things you never (or hardly ever) use. If you have a room mate, can you avoid duplicating things by sharing? (ex: printer for computer, blow dryer)
Parents should encourage their college students to pay attention to ideas other kids are using. For example, one freshman hung a plastic shoe holder insider her closet door, but she didn’t use it for shoes. She kept cosmetics, gloves, socks, school supplies, Band-Aids, suntan lotion and a harmonica in it. She called it her “Grab & Go” system. She could open the door, spot what she wanted and easily grab it.
Sometimes an idea as simple as that can make the difference between constantly spending hours searching for things or just grabbing it and going.
As the parents survey the necessities for 21st Century College Kids, they can hardly wrap their minds around the need to rent a moving van (perhaps an 18- wheeler)
PLUS they are ready to curl up in a fetal position and suck their thumbs as they count the credit card trips to the college’s local Target, Wal-Mart and Bed Bath & Beyond. (Three stores that cater to college dormitory needs)
These parents never had to deal with all this stuff. How can they help or advise their offspring with getting some control over clutter? Here are 5 sure-fire tips to help Conquer College Clutter.
1. Assign a place for everything. Make a spot for all the books and documents the school gives you, for books and notebooks for each class, for your music stuff, computer stuff, playstations, televisions, clothes, etc.. If you don’t have a place for something, then … KA-BOOM! You’ve got clutter.
2. ASAP, purchase or borrow the containers you need in order to put things in their place. Everybody has different systems – maybe you need a small file cabinet, book shelves or storage bins. Think it through – if you buy a file cabinet, buy the file folders that you’ll need. You’ll need some kind of containers or baskets to keep all your kitchen and bathroom/shower stuff together so you’re able to grab and carry it where you need it. Don’t buy a closet organizer or shoe rack; they take up too much space. Put a large plastic bin on your closet floor for all your shoes.
3. Cleaning your room involves making decisions. The more you simplify the room, the easier the cleaning and the decision-making becomes. To help you remember where everything goes, make labels. In a month or two, when you can remember all your new systems, you can get rid of the labels.
4. Get a big trashcan and clothes hamper. If you can make sure to put trash & dirty clothes in their containers, you’ve eliminated a mountain of clutter.
5. Unless you have tons of room, don’t give precious space to things you never (or hardly ever) use. If you have a room mate, can you avoid duplicating things by sharing? (ex: printer for computer, blow dryer)
Parents should encourage their college students to pay attention to ideas other kids are using. For example, one freshman hung a plastic shoe holder insider her closet door, but she didn’t use it for shoes. She kept cosmetics, gloves, socks, school supplies, Band-Aids, suntan lotion and a harmonica in it. She called it her “Grab & Go” system. She could open the door, spot what she wanted and easily grab it.
Sometimes an idea as simple as that can make the difference between constantly spending hours searching for things or just grabbing it and going.
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