Going to college is an exciting time…

You leave the nest, meet lifetime friends, explore new surroundings and – if living in the dorms, you get to cram all your stuff into a tiny little room.

Here are some ideas to maximize space and be the cool kid on campus! And with Plastic Jungle’s help, you can fatten up your Starving College Student budget by using discounted gift cards!

STORE

Living in a dorm means making use of Every. Last. Inch. These modular bins from The Container Store can be stacked in endless combinations both vertically and horizontally.

LAUNDER

Need a place to stash your dirty clothes before the next trip to Mom’s washing machine? This spiral pink pop-up hamper from Target has a convenient collapsible design with see-through mesh.

DECORATE

Keep track of everything from your final exams to frat parties with this dry-erase calendar decal from PBTeen. The peel-and-stick decals are easy to use and your R.A. will be happy that the self-adhesive backing doesn’t ruin the dorm walls. Study and save – select pinboards and decals are available now at PBTeen for 25% off!

EAT

When the dorm cafeteria or the 1:00am drive-thru Taco Bell won’t do, look to your very own mini-fridge. Stock all your favorite foods and drinks into this Black & Decker NuCool Compact Fridge, available from Walmart for $65 (rolled back from $79). Not only is it lightweight and portable, it’s environmentally friendly with its enhanced coolant and compressor-free cooling technology.

CLEAN

Taking a shower down the hall? You’ll need something to lug all your stuff. Check out this mesh shower tote from Bed, Bath & Beyond. It has a spacious center compartment and several pockets with plenty of room to hold your soap, shampoo, razor, towel, hairbrush and more.

STUDY

Fluorescent dorm lighting isn’t fabulous, especially when trying to study. Try supplementing with these Lite-n-Up lights from Home Depot. They can be mounted anywhere and each light provides three bright LED bulbs. Batteries and mounting materials included.

FIX

You never know when a screwdriver might come in handy! I love this Pink Toolset from Lillian Vernon. It comes with everything a girl might need: hammer, 4 screwdrivers, pliers, utility knife, tape measure, scissors, nails, screws and picture hangers!

MEND

When you’re away at college, you can’t rely on mom to kiss your boo-boo. Be prepared with a First Aid Kit instead. This one from Sports Authority has all the supplies to treat cuts, scrapes, sprains, insect bites, headaches, muscle aches and allergic reactions.

STUDY SOME MORE

Study in comfort with this Lap Desk from Amazon.com. The reversible tray is perfect for writing and the raised edges
prevent your pencil from rolling off. And with the tray’s dimpled sides, your laptop won’t overheat.

Have fun decorating your new home-away-from-home!