Your student accommodation isn’t just a place to sleep: it’ll be where you recharge, unwind and spend a large chunk of your time. The changes that you’ll have to get used to being a fresher is overwhelming enough, and so it’s important to make your room a haven – it’ll be your home for the next year. It’s also likely that you’re used to a bigger space back home, making it difficult to adjust to student accommodation. Keep reading for some quick tips on clever storage solutions and ideas to make the most out of your personal space at university! 

Invest in smart storage solutions

Consider spending a bit more money to store things smartly, you’ll be using them every day so you’ll find that it’s worth it! 

• Use hidden storage: under-bed storage, like flexible fabric bags and rolling storage boxes, can be a great way to keep items you don’t use on a daily basis out of the way, but still keep it easily accessible. This is also a great way to clear up ‘dead space’, which is especially important in a small student room!
• Get closet organisers and go vertical: you’re probably sensing a theme… Like everything else in a student room, your wardrobe will likely be quite small. One way to take advantage of this is to use vertical storage. Use rolling storage chests, shoe organisers and hanging shelves to fit more into your wardrobe be able to get ready in the morning without sifting through piles of clothes

Reduce clutter 

A cluttered room can make even the largest of spaces feel cramped – make sure to make an extra effort to keep your room feeling and looking clean. 

• Use storage containers or baskets to keep your belongings organised and out of sight. Things that usually get messy and can sprawl over the floor or on tables can make your space feel cramped and messy, even if it isn’t!
• Your desk is important: it will be where you complete most of your university work, so it’s important that it’s a clean and stress-free space. Get organisers and trays for your pens, stationeries, notebooks, and wipe down your desk frequently.  
• Make sure to clean your room. With a busy student schedule, your room can easily get messy and this can easily get out of hand fast! Once a week, clean out any empty water bottles or food, empty the bins, have a sweep, or wipe down the surfaces. It may seem like a chore, but a clean room will help you more than you know!

Trick your brain: mirrors and natural light 

Natural light and mirrors are useful illusions, and can work wonders in small spaces.

• Invest in a cheap mirror to prop against the wall opposite a window, which will make your room feel more spacious. Remember not to hang them up as student accommodation prohibit drilling nails, and even smaller things like hanging posters, for risk of ruining the walls
• Not only will it make your room feel more spacious, it’s a great tip in general and an item that a lot of freshers forget to bring to university. It’s common for student accommodations not to have full-length mirrors in rooms, so bringing a mirror will be a great convenience and save you from wearing odd socks to your lecture! 
• Natural light can make a small space feel more inviting. You likely will not be able to change the curtains provided to you, but you can do other things to make your room feel more spacious. Make sure to keep your windows clean, which can affect the light coming in. Make sure no furniture is blocking the windows, and even think of finding another place to store your big textbooks or folders if you keep them on the windowsill

Embrace minimalism 

When it comes to small spaces, less is often more. If there’s unnecessary clutter in your room, now’s the time to address it. 

• Give items away: think about giving away clothes, books or shoes that you don’t use anymore to charity shops. Here’s a quick tip if you find it difficult to give things away: go through your wardrobe and place all the things that you know you don’t use much into a pile. If you still haven’t reached for those items within 2 weeks, you know that you won’t miss them if you donate them to a charity shop
• Create a capsule wardrobe: if you want to take it a step further, consider an idea that has been gaining traction online. Create a wardrobe of 30-40 pieces, made up of staple jeans, t-shirts and blazers, picking out mutual hues and good cuts that you can dress up or down. It’s a great way to be mindful of your purchases and think twice about what you really need 

Be sure to check out the Roome website, where we post loads of tips and tricks for university students every single week. Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok and Facebook to learn more about how we’re revolutionising the student housing market!