If you’re like me, you’ve returned from winter break with a suitcase or two full of stuff — and then some. With holiday gifts, new clothes, and maybe a new gadget or two, you have more clutter on your hands now than you did last semester. So, in order to start the semester off right, here are a few tips and tricks to decorating and organizing your (probably very) small dorm or apartment.

1. Revamp Your Dressers

I have a ton of t-shirts and tank tops. I don’t know how I get them, they’re just there. So fitting them all into a dresser has always been difficult. However, one handy trick is to fold your shirts smaller than usual, then fit them vertically into the dresser, like so:

Photo: www.darkroomanddearly.com

I can’t tell you how much of a game changer this was in my life. Picking a t-shirt for the gym or for class has never been so easy.

2. Wall Space

Whether your in a dorm, apartment, or even your own house, finding ways to store items is never easy. Floor space is tight, sometimes shelves are shared spaces, and crates still take up a bunch of room. If you’re somewhere that allows you to use nails, utilize your wall space for storage (and even if you’re “not allowed to use nails,” just do it and spackle the holes at the end of the year).

Photo: www.cortinsession.com

Whether it’s for jewelry or old football tickets, a decorated cork board can be a cute and effective way to save desk space and decorate your walls. Here’s a nice DIY on how to create a fabric-covered cork board like the one you see above. Another idea: I bought a wire shower shelving unit like this, nailed it to my wall, and use it to hold all sorts of school supplies.

3. The Power of Mirrors

It’s an old trick, but an important one. If you’re feeling cramped up and totally singin’ the winter blues, mirrors help to add depth and space to your surroundings. If you don’t have a mirror on your closet door, I recommend getting one immediately. Not only will it help to seemingly expand your room, but it also makes it very easy to check yourself out before going out on the weekend. Win win!

Photo: www.fabandfru.com

If you’ve got some extra mirrors lying around, or if you and your roommates aggregate a handful, hanging multiple mirrors together can be a great way to expand your space and decorate your walls. Do that instead of trying to find some statement piece of art or spending way too much at the HUB poster sale.

4. DIY Headboards

Photo: www.twoityourself.com

This is not an easy project, but the benefits are so worth it. This is just one DIY of many that teaches you how to create your own upholstered headboard. If you’ve got some time, some cloth, and some plywood, you could be well on your way to fashioning a personalized headboard that will add focus and color to your room. Don’t have plywood? This DIY uses only cardboard! The possibilities are endless.

5. Closet Hangers

If you have some extra space in your closet but a whole pile of shoes under your bed, a hanging shoe organizer can be an effective way to organize it all.

Photo: www.brookstone.com

These don’t only have to house shoes — you can also fit school supplies, clothing, jewelry, or any number of things into this little organizer. It’s small, compact, and you can find it just about anywhere.

6. Magnetic Bathroom Rack

At this point in the year, we’re over halfway, and the living situation can be less than ideal. With everyone in a school groove, apartment and dorm cleaning and organization can fall by the wayside. If your bathroom is a clutter and you find yourself fumbling through everything when trying to get ready in the morning, this could solve a lot of problems.

Photo: www.darkroomanddearly.com

Just take a moment and imagine never losing a bobby pin again. I know, it’s almost impossible to imagine, right? Nail clippers, scissors, tweezers — if it’s magnetic, it’s good to go on this strip! These sorts of magnetic strips are sold at Lowes, Ikea, and most home goods stores. Just attach to your wall or mirror, and you have an organized bathroom.

Magnetic strip isn’t your thing? Here’s a DIY for a magnetic makeup board! Ladies or fellas out there with makeup galore, this DIY may be right up your alley.

7. Rearrange and Think New

Finally, never underestimate the power of feng shui. After months of living in the same space, it’s easy to become bored or tired of your living space. If this is the case, just take a free afternoon, throw on some music, and move things around. You never know what you might be able to throw away, or where you could find neat storage for some of your belongings. Reevaluate and utilize things you might have thought were trash. For example, I’m currently using an old shoebox as a Keurig cup holder. If you don’t have the resources to DIY or the money to buy new organizers, sometimes it’s worth it to simply take a look around your room and begin to find new purposes for old items.

Good luck, and happy organizing!