Once you’ve finished your back to school shopping, another challenge awaits: staying organized.

Keeping everything in your dorm room organized can be a lofty goal. Fitting everything you’ll need for the school year into tight living quarters is hard enough. Maintaining orderliness of those items is a whole other feat. Thankfully, you can purchase some college dorm essentials that will help you keep your dorm or apartment organized. Here are some organizational supplies worth adding to your college packing list.

 

Storage containers and other holders

You can plan to maximize your closet space, desk drawers and any other vacant spaces. Try to look for organizational supplies—such as storage boxes that fit easily under your bed, in a drawer or on a shelf in your closet—that will give your college school supplies and other college dorm essentials a “home.” Having a designated spot for your stuff makes cleaning and organization faster, because you’ll automatically know where everything belongs. We recommend finding out the layout of your dorm room, desk and closets before you leave for college so you can plan accordingly.

 

Cleaning supplies

Don’t forget to bring along sanitation and cleaning products that will help you rid your living quarters of dirt and dust. This includes paper towels, trash bags, a mop and broom, cleaning detergents and a hand vacuum.

Desk and supply organizers

Having designated holders for your school supplies will help you keep your desk organized—and that’s a big deal when it comes to studying and getting coursework done. Consider desk organizers such as pen, highlighter and paper clip holders and stacked wire shelves that can hold mail, bills or other documents you need immediate access to.

 

Make cleaning and organization a routine

Your dorm room or apartment will get messy fast if you’re not making a point to clean and organize regularly. Try to reserve a convenient time every day to spend 15 or 20 minutes to tidy up, such as putting things lying around in their designated spot and organizing your desk and supplies. At least once a week, you can allot time for a deeper cleaning, such as vacuuming, mopping and dusting.

As you do your back to school shopping, don’t just think about supplies you’ll need for coursework and studying. Try to remember what you’ll need to keep all those supplies and your entire living space neat and clean.