Halley Bondy - 77 Things You Absolutely Have to Do Before You Finish College

Y oure about to embark on a whole new life phase: You: The College Years. Do you really need that camp T-shirt from when you were ten? Or that N Sync poster from seventh grade? Probably not.

Old items have a way of sticking around a lot longer than they should. Sure, some have serious sentimental valuelike a family heirloom or a photo of high school friends. Then theres the random junk youll never use againlike those ratty old pants that became highwaters long ago or the collection of Lisa Frank erasers that you just... have. This stuff, if hauled from your parents house to your dorm room to your apartment and beyond, will take up precious space and keep you from getting newer things you really want.

Setting aside a couple of hours to bid adieu and toss out old junk will give you a surprising sense of calm and accomplishment. So roll up your sleeves and start sorting out the good, the bad, and the weird.

HOW TO DO IT

Block out some time in your schedule, put on some good music, and clean out all the nooks and crannies where junk hidesdrawers, boxes, forgotten storage bins, under the bed. Put everything in plain sight and then commence sorting. It helps to divide things into piles according to need.

1 / Definitely need

2 / Might possibly need

Or... donate!

Some of your expendables are headed for the trash no matter what, like worn-out shoes or notebooks full of freshman years world history notes. But some things are likely in nice enough condition to donate to someone who needs them. Check out the local Salvation Army, Goodwill, or local donation drives (commonly run by churches and community centers), to find out what, where, and when items will be accepted.

3 / Probably wouldnt miss it if I never saw it again

4 / No way I ever need to see this item again in my life

Shove piles 3 and 4 into garbage bags (or recycling bins) and say good riddance!

After tossing out the junk, wait a week and review pile number two. Anything you can get rid of? Do it. Itll be easier the second time around. While youre at it, recall if youve even thought about the stuff in piles 3 and 4. The answer will probably be no way. (Theres a life lesson in there somewhere.)

2	Convert your dorm room into your personal temple

Y our room is your solace. You have to wake up there, work there, and crash there at the end of a stressful day. A gloomy, stark, cramped dorm room can put a damper on your mood. Imagine what it would be like to open your door and feel genuine relief, rather than Ugh, this place again.

While you may not be able to change some aspects of your living situationfor example, your roommates or the lack thereof you can take some simple steps to make your room your personal temple. In some cases, you dont have to spend a dime. In others, you can find cheap ways to upgrade your space.

HOW TO DO IT

1 / REARRANGE. Sometimes the path to a refreshing, open room is simply a matter of rearranging the furniture you already have. Make some space to open up the room. Create natural walkways, and try not to cram furniture together in one area. If your furniture is heavy, draw a map of the room and sketch different arrangements on paper first. Experiment with a few arrangements before settling on one, and purge the items you dont need. (That is, the items that you dont need and that actually belong to you. This is not a license to trash your roommates favorite beanbag chair without her previous consent.)