I Finally Did It

I have never had a clean room, not even when I clean it. It always, immediately, descends into pure chaos midway through, and I give up and sit on the internet. However, this past week (before I got sick, obviously), I finally managed it. What's more stunning, though, is that (once I started feeling better and dealt with some accumulated mess) it's still clean, a week later. How'd I do that? Oh, right, I'm cleaning every weekend. That's how the whole 'clean' thing works. I'm also not throwing stuff on the floor, and I'm putting things back where I grabbed them from when I'm done using them. You know, everything my mom told me to do as a kid that I didn't believe her about... Don't let her know, though.

My roommate's side doesn't show in this, for the record. She and I both tend to be very messy, so I didn't think I'd let you have a glimpse of what my side is normally like. ;)

The Totoro occupying my desk chair was a birthday present from my ex (a post-breakup one, so no awkward memories attached, luckily, because I could never give up a Totoro), and it's one of four plushes in my room - you can see the other three, though you may not spot the fourth (he's hiding on the shelves in my window that you can only partially see). That green sign you see next to the photos on my desk says "Keep Calm and Buy Shoes", which is kind of the motto of my life. (No, really, the only thing that got me through my Econ homework last night was that I couldn't look at shoes until after I'd done it... I'm reeeeeaally easy). The pictures on my wall are a mix of Homestuck and Pinterest-spotted things, mostly Homestuck. Homestuck is...a highly interesting sci-fi webcomic that has characters who usually look like they don't have arms. But they do. That's only one of the multitude of odd things about it, but we'll leave out the fun and interesting alien romance system that I, personally, adore. Basically it's my fictional obsession of the moment (my floormate keeps telling me I need to read Small Gods and that I'll instantly have a new one, but I haven't managed to actually finish it yet and I feel guilty, because I keep getting distracted from it). The program taped to my desk is from The Last Five Years, which you should go see if you have the opportunity, because it's a fantastic musical, even if it is really sad! Just make lots of noises and flail afterwards, I promise it helps to handle the emotions evoked by the musical. Lastly, my to-do list is in post-it notes on that whiteboard and OH MY GOODNESS does it work. I have been so much more productive in these first weeks than I was all of last semester, not to mention, pretty much my entire high school career.

Now, aside from the decor, my dorm organization tips:

• STACKABLE SHELVES EVERYWHERE

I promise you, even if they're ugly (my window ones are soooo ugly, they're white plastic), the function of them is completely worth it. I have my stereo (that I stupidly decided to bring along - I used it once, before I got my computer in), plastic bottle vases holding various things, some figurines, one of my plushes, all my dishware and utensils, and a giant arm-chair pillow on those shelves. I have another shelf that keeps all my "office" supplies organized, which is hidden, in the pictures, by the stack of Deltora Quest books (sidenote, you should read those, if you haven't, because they're a fantastic kids' fantasy series - and surprisingly dark for one, too, refreshingly so, I think).

• hooks, hooks everywhere

I'm also not kidding. I forgot to take pictures of the other side of my wardrobe, but there are hooks on it holding bags and a windbreaker, and there are hooks inside of it to hold jackets (you see the hoodie hanging? Yeah!) and my purses. There are hooks on the wall holding my jewelry and other things. 3M was brilliant when they made those.

• remember that in dorms, function trumps form

I know, I shouldn't be advocating that, because ~fashion~ and ~pretty~, right? Unfortunately, much as I adore things looking lovely, unless you have a lot of money, you have to sacrifice that in most residence halls, because everything is in short supply. If it doesn't look lovely, but it works, learn to live with it until you can come up with an idea that makes it lovely.

• see if you can repurpose things

Repurposing things is really, really helpful, sometimes. My roommate burned out my lamp (the one on the fridge is the replacement she bought). How on earth do you dispose of a LAMP? I think you're supposed to take it somewhere or something? I didn't - I took all the burst bulbs out, got rid of the melted shades, and turned it into a hat rack. I needed storage for my colored pencils after the thing holding them broke, so I chopped the top off a water bottle and used that. Anything can be useful, even when it seems it's outlived its purpose, you just have to look to see it. (But not actual trash - I mean recyclable things, in general).

I hope this helps you with something in your life, or, at least, entertains you. Feel free to give any suggestions on dealing with res. hall life or cleaning (or both!) in the comments.