Avoid Writing a Roommate Horror Story — Organize the Neatnix Way

You’ve heard the horror stories and are hoping your college story won’t become a tale of roommate terror. With Labor Day quickly approaching, you’ll find out soon enough whether you’re in for happiness or horror with your new dorm roommate. Ideally it would be happiness, as many colleges work hard to match your habits with your future roommate’s.

Remember that housing questionnaire and those questions about your sleeping habits and your study habits, your social preferences and your cleanliness preferences? Your answers are supposed to magically match you with your perfect roommate.

But sometimes magic fizzles. You scrub the baseboards with a toothbrush, but your roomie uses the floor as a laundry hamper. She blasts Beyoncé when you’re trying to study. And while you’re busy majoring in a serious career path, she’s majoring in frat boys. You wonder if the matchmaking computer paired you up on Opposite Day.

Even if you and your roommate are polar opposites, don’t worry—college is full of differences. Part of growing up is learning to tolerate those differences and to accept and even appreciate them. Who knows, this might be an opportunity to expand your horizons and develop some beautiful friendships!

To get there, you’ll need to reach inside yourself and find compromise and communication skills you didn’t know you had. The right attitude and a preplanned strategy will make that process much easier with your roommate.

• Reach out in advance. Many colleges provide your roommate’s contact information well before move-in day, so take this opportunity to call your future roomie and get to know her. Find out about her interests and personality, and let her know about yours. This will make your first in-person meeting much less awkward—you might even look forward to it!

• Decide what to bring. You don’t need two mini-fridges or two TVs, so during those first phone calls, divvy up who will bring shared items. The college should supply each of you with a desk, so it’s safe to bring your own computer and school supplies. Of course, you’ll each bring your own personal items. A good organization strategy can help keep those items safe from the “borrow without asking” roommate. From cosmetics organizers to jewelry organizers to school-supply organizers, Neatnix has the solutions to keep your personal items organized and away from prying eyes.

• Communicate. Even if she brought six suitcases, your roommate left her crystal ball at home, so don’t expect her to read your mind. Politely let her know if something is bothering you. If you don’t like her borrowing your clothes, tell her you’d appreciate if she would ask next time. This will help avoid building resentment that could explode in a nasty argument.

• Agree on the rules. Establishing a set of house rules will help avoid misunderstandings down the line. This doesn’t have to be a big ordeal; choose the issues that matter most and decide on boundaries. Cleanliness, overnight guests, and late-night phone calls are all hot topics. Remember to be considerate of each other’s needs and differences, and that compromise is key.

• Accept you don’t have to be besties. Though your roommate will be the first person you meet at college, she may not be your closest friend—and that’s OK. The goal is to live the next nine months in harmony, not pick out wedding dresses together, so don’t feel pressure to start a lifelong friendship. If friendship blossoms, fantastic, and you’ll have a ready-made roommate for next year!

Tags: college dorm room, cosmetic organizers, jewelry organizers, Neatnix Organization, Neatnix Organization Systems

Back to School Checklist: First Apartment ‘Must-Haves’

Lately, we’ve been focusing on dorm life in our back-to-school blog series, but we know many of you are taking that equally important step to move into your first apartment!  That can be an exciting but daunting task, because you’ll need a lot more self-reliance and a lot more “stuff” than ever before, even in the dorms.  For tips on self-reliance, our blog on “Tips for a Trouble-Free Transition” might help.  When you’re set with that, let’s talk “stuff”!

In your first apartment, you’ll have more space than in the dorms, but not much.  Personal space will still be tight, especially if you have multiple roommates.  So that’s one important thing to remember: carefully organize your personal items to make the most of your space (and to keep your private things private).  As for shared space, you’ll have a lot more of that, including a kitchen and bathroom, which need to be stocked with supplies.  And don’t forget—you’re responsible for cleaning up your own common areas, now.  So where to begin with that shopping list?

You’ll remember to buy daily essentials, such as dishes, flatware, bath towels, and bed sheets.  But you may be surprised how many items you’ll overlook until you hit that, “Oh no!  We don’t have that!” moment.  Unfortunately, that moment usually strikes at the worst time, such as cooking dinner and realizing you don’t have a can opener.  To help avoid unpleasant surprises, follow our checklist of commonly forgotten first-apartment must-haves.

Kitchen

• Shelf liners (trust us, your pantry shelves may have permanently caked-on food and other nasties)
• Food storage containers
• Utensil set, including spatula, ladle, slotted spoon, and veggie peeler
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Bottle and can opener

Bedroom

• Drawer organization solutions, including sock organizers, bra organizers and underwear organizers
• Decorative storage boxes and bins
• Extra blanket or throw
• Reading lamp

Bathroom

• Cosmetics organizer, like Cosmetic Stax, also great for organizing other small bathroom products
• Bathtub mat
• Shower curtain (if your shower has a rod instead of doors)
• Toilet brush

Cleaning and Utility

• Stuff Stax stackable organization trays, perfect for storing hard-to-place utility items, such as batteries, zip ties, and nails and screws
• Vacuum
• Step stool
• Extension cord
• Laundry bin

For all your storage solutions—and you’ll need many in your first apartment—check out the tools Neatnix has to offer.  From bathroom to bedroom, we have a solution for every room of the house, and now through the end of August, you can save 20 percent on everything in the store with promo code BACK2SCHOOL.  Hurry—school is just around the corner!

Tags: apartment living, Back to School, bathroom storage, bedroom storage, kitchen storage, Neatnix Organization, Neatnix Organization Systems, Organizing solutions

How to Combat Clutter and Win

Clutter strikes many unsuspecting households with its stealth and persistence.  Good, clean houses fall victim to clutter’s slow, almost imperceptible build up, until they’re left wincing under its weight.  But how can clutter get out of control without you noticing?  The answer is in your daily habits.  Do you buy gadgets you don’t need?  Do you keep clothes you haven’t worn in years?  Do you toss mail on the coffee table to deal with it later?  These self-destructive habits often slip by unnoticed as part of a daily routine, until clutter becomes a real problem.  You may not even notice you missed in a bill in that pile of mail until your electricity gets turned off.

Don’t let clutter keep you in the dark!  Fighting clutter is as easy as making small changes to your daily habits and changing the way you think about possessions.  When you’re suited up for the challenge, combat clutter with these handy battle tips:

1. Just because it’s a bargain doesn’t mean you should buy it. Bargains have lured many frugal shoppers into buying something they don’t really need.  Those unneeded items, in turn, chip away at wallets and become fodder at ugly sweater parties.  So how can you separate the “nice to haves” from the “need to haves” in the heat of the moment?  To determine an item’s value to you, forget about that red-tag sale and ask yourself, “Will I regret not buying this today, tomorrow, or a month from now?”  Better yet, put that regret to the test by walking past the deal and going home.  If you’re still pining for that kitty sweater in a day or two, go back and buy it—but first ask yourself where you’ll store it!
2. Just because it’s nostalgic doesn’t mean you should keep it. Certain objects will always have a special place in your heart and home: the pressed rose your husband gave you on your first date, your grandmother’s wedding band, your child’s first drawing.  Other items you might have kept for nostalgic reasons, but how many times have you actually worn that tattered Nirvana T-shirt in the last year or ten?  And would you even know what to do with those taco plates Aunt Bessie gave you for your wedding?  With all of these physical memories taking up space in your home, it may be time to realize that emotions are not inherently tied to possessions.  Happy memories live on in your head and heart, so ask yourself how important it is to keep all those physical reminders.  You can always take pictures of nostalgic objects to make a special memory book.  It puts reminders of all your treasures in one place, plus it takes up a lot less room!
3. If you don’t need it, donate it. You’ve probably heard it before, but it’s a good rule of thumb to prevent clutter: If you haven’t used it in a year, toss it.  This is especially true of clothes, which frequently go in and out of fashion (and size).  If it’s tough for you to part with your possessions, think about giving them to someone who could really use them.  If you’re done having kids, see if a pregnant friend would like your maternity clothes and baby items.  There are also charities, such as Goodwill and The Salvation Army, which give you a one-stop-drop for all your donation items.  Regularly going through your closets and drawers will help keep clutter at bay.
4. Combat clutter with a “clean routine.” To keep a clean house, don’t wait for the mood to strike.  Chances are, it will strike less often than you intended—or only during spring cleaning. Instead, choose a time when you regularly feel motivated, such as right after work or first thing Saturday morning, and make that your “clean routine.”  Every day/week at that time, tackle your house’s clutter and make sure all your surfaces (such as tabletops and counters) are clean.  To make this job even easier, you can create a clutter zone for items like mail, bills, report cards, party invitations, and appointment reminders. Stacking letter trays and magazine holders are fantastic for organizing paperwork, making it easy to sort through clutter during your clean routine!

Ready to hop on the organization bandwagon?  Neatnix is here to help with more than just tips to keep your space looking great.  From closet organizers to cosmetics organizers to jewelry organizers, we have an organization and storage solution for every room of the house.  And what’s better—for the month of August, we’re offering amazing back-to-school savings on everything in the store!  To get started on your clean routine, check out our Facebook and Twitter pages for a special promotional code.

Tags: closet organizer, magazine holders, Neatnix Organization, Neatnix Organization Systems, stacking letter tray