3 Sustainable Tips for Keeping a Zen Dorm Room

Setting off for college, particularly for your first time, is a milestone that most of us will never forget. Even for those returning to begin a new semester, the same routines of packing and unpacking, folding and unfolding, expeditions back and forth to IKEA and setting down fresh ground rules with new roommates never seem to change over the years. 

Organising your own space amidst the chaos and excitement of orientation, new faces, places, classes and teachers, can seem tricky when you’re eager for exploration. Luckily, we have three tried and tested hacks, that can help bring serenity to your new space to let you put your best foot forward this Semester while helping lower waste (and costs!) in the process.

1. Glass Jar Food Storage

There is nothing quite as classic for kicking off roommate politics as a good old-fashioned food dispute. Our advice? Invest in a durable set of glass jars to help organise your food both inside and outside of the fridge. Glass jars will not only make your items easy to distinguish from those of your roommates, but they are also cost-effective. One of the trickiest things to navigate whether sharing a space or living alone is becoming familiar with how much we consume on a weekly basis.

Having your food organised in glass jars makes it visible and easy to see at a glance through an open fridge door can help stop you from making unnecessary trips to the grocery store as well as encouraging you to store leftovers to bring to class for lunch the following day. Got someone else storing their food in glass jars? We suggest adding customised labels to yours for next-level organisation adding dates of preparation for extra freshness.

Looking for a good selection that will last the wear and tear of the semester? Check out our reusable and recyclable glass jars!

2. Get Your Lights Right

Your dorm room doesn’t need to be restricted to one hanging pendant light. Having smaller, ambient lighting dotted around your space can be an instant mood changer after a day of back-to-back classes, alleviating stress and creating an atmosphere of cosiness and the feeling of a home away from home. 

We recommend getting your hands on some LED light bulbs. Not only are they energy-efficient and last on average six times longer than traditional bulbs, but they can also cut energy consumption by over 80%. 

Since they have a better quality of light distribution, you can also expect to need fewer LED lights to achieve the same level of brightness as regular bulbs. We recommend a soft yellow glow to create a warm ambiance, however, you can also avail of bulbs on the market with interchangeable hues of blue and white glows to best suit your mood.

Another quick hack for ambient lighting? Take those glass jars you bought for food storage and use them as candle holders for a reusable and eco-friendly lighting solution!

3. Take a Breath of Fresh Air

Finding your feet in your first semester can take a few weeks, and before you know it finals can already be creeping in. One simple way of keeping your surroundings balanced and calm is having plants inside your dorm. Studying and staying up late to meet deadlines can often leave little time for wellness and the outdoors, and whilst we always recommend you get out and stretch your legs at any given opportunity, having a fresh reminder of nature and outdoors in your own room can make for a good temporary alternative.

Plants not only produce oxygen and help remove toxins from the air, but they have also been known to help increase productivity and decrease stress for a more relaxed environment. If you’re a first-time owner, don’t worry. There are plenty of resilient, low-maintenance species out there suitable for most households. In fact, our number one tip is to avoid overwatering – this can be a common mistake for eager first-time owners!

If you don’t have much outdoor space to work with, don’t fret! There are many plants to choose from that are happy to be kept indoors with enough lighting and water, check out this selection of some of the species for keeping at home!