Dorm Room Storage Ideas – The Most Genius Tips Right Now

This is the ultimate guide for dorm room storage ideas to save you tons of space in your small college dorm. Genius tips you need right now!

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​Why Read This Article?

A lot of blog posts are going to give you a list of generic options for college dorm room storage ideas like “use a caddy”, “get bed risers’, etc.

While those are useful items to bring, (and I definitely recommend you do) I want to offer you more… 

I want to offer you some unique and effective storage solutions and tips for things might not have even thought of!

I’ve thought through these dorm room storage ideas carefully to make sure you get items that are:

• good quality
• not horribly expensive (reasonably priced)
• multi-functional when possible
• multiple options, not just one
• not ugly or cheap looking (you can use them even after your college years)

Let’s begin!

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It can be tempting for first-year students (aka freshmen if you live in the U.S.) to want to bring a bunch of stuff to make your dorm feel homey.

There’s nothing wrong with bringing items to decorate your place and make it feel like home, but you don’t want to end up with too much junk that you have to haul in and out of your dorm room at the end of the year.

All it takes is a little planning and a little creativity to keep even super-small dorms a well-organized space.

Without further ado here are some clever ways to make a tiny space like your dorm room feel bigger and keep your various items organized!

Here are some great options and small Dorm room ideas for making use of limited space on the floor.

Rolling Cart

A rolling cart is a great idea for a storage solution because it’s portable, you can use it as extra table space, and you can easily move it around, and it’s great for hosting!

You can use a rolling cart as a beverage cart, as a place to store decor such as holiday decor, or for general items such as water bottle storage or toiletries like makeup brushes.

A storage ottoman is a good idea as long as you actually use the ottoman. It’s the perfect place to keep hidden items and general storage such as throw pillows or blankets, and it can make for extra seating.

However, if it doesn’t have storage, or is too small for significant storage please don’t purchase one. It needs to be a great place for storage and multi-functional. 

There can feel like a million different little items to bring to college.

Plus, with moving into your college dorm, it can be easy to misplace those items.

Losing track of your college essentials can be a huge pain and is easily preventable with some easy solutions…

Plastic Drawers

​Plastic drawers are an easy way to keep your small items safe and secure.

Plus they are an inexpensive way to stay organized.

You can use them for items like school supplies, toiletries, valuables, and more.

Small Baskets

Small baskets are a great way to store small items like keys, your wallet, jewelry, etc.

Having something simple and easy like a small basket can make a huge difference in your college dorm organization.

Drawer Organizers

Drawer organizers are a good way to stay organized.

College dorms often give students a chest of drawers for storage. Using drawer organizers prevents drawers from getting disorganized, especially for the little things that can roll around.

You would be surprised how easily shoes can contribute to clutter, especially in a small room.

They take up a surprising amount of space, they are easy to trip over, and if left out they can make a room look especially messy.

Therefore, here are some great items for organizing shoes. 

Shoe Rack

Shoe racks are a great and easy option for shoe organization. They’re lightweight, it’s easy to see all your shoes, and you can typically stash them anywhere without taking up a lot of space.

Shoe Basket

A basket for your shoes is a great recommendation and perhaps the easiest way to keep shoes because not only is it easy to store, but it’s easy to also transport all your shoes in it when moving.

Shoe Door Organizer

Shoe door organizers are great if you have limited floor space and need to make use of vertical space!

They are very affordable, the lightest weight of all the shoe storage options, and easy to see all your shoe options at once.

Door organizers are a great way to stay organized and make use of vertical space in your dorm room.

Here are some ideas for great door organizers:

Door Racks

Door racks are simple and a great option for storage.

I recommend getting something rigid and made of materials like plastic or metal if you need lots of storage space for lots of items, and something softer such as a fabric door organizer.

Door Jewelry Armoire

A door jewelry armoire is a fantastic idea for organizing your jewelry, and one that doubles as a floor-length mirror is a great multi-functional furniture substitute.

​Door Hanger Rack

An over-the-door hanger rack is a great and unique storage option for storing clothing items such as coats if you don’t have enough closet space!

Vertical space is a great way to store items when you have very little room left to store items.

Wall-Mounted Shelves

Wall-mounted shelves are a great way to store small items if you’re, for example, out of drawer space.

Wall Space Storage Baskets

Hanging storage baskets are a great and aesthetic way to store items like plants if you have a lack of table space.

Command Hooks

Command hooks are a classic way to store items such as decor that cannot be overlooked. They are cheap and if hung properly they prevent wall damage, especially if your college prevents inserting things into the walls.

Desk Drawer Organizers

Desk drawer organizers are a great way to keep items such as school desk supplies organized, especially if you have limited drawer space.

​Plus they give you easier access / easier reach to grab items quickly.

Desktop Organizer Shelf

A desktop organizer shelf is a great way to store items like textbooks and other miscellaneous items.

Plus they can be very aesthetically pleasing.

Rotating Desk Organizer

A rotating desk organizer is a great idea for organizing items like pens, makeup brushes, and other slender objects.

Mini fridges are a great college dorm necessity. It’s a great place to store all your refrigerated snacks, drinks, and leftovers.

Here are some great ideas for mini fridge organizers:

Clear Plastic Storage Bins

Clear plastic storage bins are great for snacks and other items that might be harder to stack.

Food Storage Containers

Food storage containers are a great option for storing items like fruit and other opened snacks.

Fridge Drink Dispenser or Holder

A drink dispenser for your mini fridge is a great way to keep your drinks lined up neatly and for easy access.

Closet organizers are a great way to keep your closet space organized.

Cube Shelves

Cube shelves/cube organizers are a great way to store foldable clothing items, shoes, blankets, etc.

Slim Hangers / Transforming Hangers

Clothing hangers are a great way to organize your closet items and are often overlooked.

Hangers can be a great way to keep clothing items from getting wrinkled and ones that transform are even better for more storage.

Closet Storage Shelf Organizer

A shelf organizer can stack on top of a closet, but it can also keep the bottom of your closet organized.

Dorm Clothing Storage

Foldable Baskets

Foldable baskets are great for storing foldable clothing. They can be easily stored on a shelf of a closet and taken down easily when you need to move out.

Under Bed Clothing Storage Bins

​Under-bed storage is a great place to store clothing that doesn’t need to be hung up like bulky sweaters or jackets.

Baskets For Dirty Clothes Storage

A wicker basket is a great way to store dirty clothes and if you get a nice-looking they look a lot more aesthetically pleasing in your space.

Toiletries are often one of the easiest contributors to clutter, especially in a small dorm room. 

They can leave goey messes, they often don’t look very cohesive, they take up limited tabletop space, and they can make a space look cluttered and disorganized.

When stored neatly it makes for a significantly more organized dorm room.

Here are some simple toiletry storage items for your dorm space:

Shower Caddy

A shower caddy is one of the most traditional toiletry organizers, especially in your first year if you share a bathroom and have to transport them back and forth.

Over-The-Door Organizer

An over-the-door toiletry organizer is a great option for being able to store many items, it’s lightweight, it’s inexpensive, and it prevents items from getting lost or hidden from view.

Bathroom Cabinet

A small, narrow, lightweight bathroom cabinet is a great, unique way to store your toiletries.

Plus, if you get one of good quality you can use it even after your college years for other vertical storage that doesn’t take up much space.

College students often have dorm beds that are often very messy. Plus, with limited tabletop space, they essentially become a tabletop storage vessel.

Therefore, for easy reach for your items here are some great options to make the space around and under your dorm much better.

​Bed Risers

Dorm room beds are notoriously short, and being able to use the space under the bed is one of the greatest dorm storage solutions. This is why they are so popular and well-known.

​Under-Bed Storage Bins/Boxes

Under-the-bed storage bins and boxes are a very practical way to store your items in your small space. Bonus points if they have wheels to make accessing your items even easier.

Bed Side Shelf

​Tabletop space is oftentimes very lacking in a college dorm, so a bedside shelf that attaches to the bed is one of the best dorm room organization ideas.

You can store so much stuff on them such as some of the most important things like your phone, or just for decorative items like a picture frame to keep you grounded during this exciting and crazy time.

Hidden storage is a great idea for when you are in college. You never know if your new roommate or their friends will go prying into your items or worse.

You can keep items of significance like money or photos or even just simple items like your favorite necklace.

This will ensure your personal belongings are safe when you are out of the room and there are tons of storage options for hiding personal items.

Ottomans are great dorm room storage ideas.

​Here are some great ideas for dorm room cleaning supplies everyone should get for this exciting and busy time to keep your place clean and prevent them from getting sick.

• Swiffer + Wet Pads
• Small Vacuum or Broom
• Brush + Dustpan
• Multi-Purpose Cleaning Solution
• Paper Towels
• Disinfecting Wipes
• Glass Cleaner
• Duster

I hope that these tips were helpful your the big move-in day to keep your place clean and organized and to help you find the perfect dorm room storage ideas to make your limited space feel bigger and better!

If you enjoyed this article I recommend my recent article on dorm room ideas!