The Art of Organization

An unidentifiable stench seeps out from under the bed, textbooks from the first week of class have been missing all semester and there is no room for clothes, let alone a place to study. Yep, these are the signs of a dorm room out of control. Luckily, apartment life allows for more freedom. But first timers be warned, even freedom comes at a price.

Vu Tran, current Couch resident and Oklahoma City freshman, is doing his best to build good habits now, so he can easily adjust to apartment life next semester. “I try to be as organized as possible and not be dirty,” Tran says.

Unfortunately, apartment dwellers have much more than clutter to worry about.

$1,035 is the maintenance fee for damaging carpet in the living room at Traditions West, the popular on-campus apartment. This is just one of many probable offences on a lengthy list of damages the university will slap on any violator.

Traditions West is not the only apartment to charge fees, so keeping a tidy home is essential for every student looking to trade up from the dorms.

“In order to prevent mess, I keep a vacuum handy right next to the closet, and if it’s a spill or something, I am quick to wipe it up,” says Jeremy Gaither, industrial engineer senior. “I try to handle it before it becomes a bigger problem.”

If damages and spills aren’t worrisome enough, space will definitely be an issue. Leaving the dorms or moving out of mom’s place is a liberating feeling, but fitting a whole life’s worth of knick-knacks, shoes and all other college essentials is slavery in and of itself. Before downsizing, think of ways to maximize space.

“Put everything against the wall, in closets and boxes, just keep it organized,” says Carley Overstake, marketing sophomore.

There are so many things that go into the perfect room. From dozens of T-shirts to school supplies to decorations, these things leave little room for free space and a lot of room for mess.

Many Norman apartments come furnished, but it doesn’t hurt to bring bookcases, shoe racks or other space savers to maximize space to combat the inevitable clutter.

“Make sure you have a lot of stuff to hang things on and shelves,” Overstake says. “You’ll have more space to move in to.”

If clutter and mess don’t suck the air from the room, cranky roommates will. Living with newfound besties or even life-long pals will stretch friendships to their limits.

“Know who you are moving in with and get prepared to take them, flaws and all,” Gaither says.

Staying on amicable terms with roommates can be a challenge. Even the best of friends have difficulty adapting to each other’s lifestyles.

“[I’ve] known my roommates for four years and just moving with them [and] living with them for the first time, I am learning some stuff about them that has really irked me,” Gaither says.

It’s not a lie that apartment life is a completely different experience than another year in Walker Tower. There are many positives like a personal bathroom, a kitchen and a washer and dryer set, but it is not the easiest transition.

When apartment hunting, keep in mind cleanliness, space and potential roomies. Separately, these are minor issues, but all at once they make even a cramped dorm room look like heaven.