Dorm Room Peace

BY COLLEEN DIXON

If you’re the parent of a college-age kid, you’re likely in the thick of dorm room prep and wondering, “Do we actually need this thing?” or “What am I forgetting?” While we at House Peace are not here to give you an exhaustive list of what your college student is going to need in their dorm rooms, we can offer some basic organizing tips that might guide you in your purchases for his upcoming milestone. Let’s get into it!

#1 - UTILIZE VERTICAL SPACE

An often-overlooked aspect of small-space living is the amount of vertical space we have available to us. Items like shelf risers can be helpful on a built-in bookshelf or closet shelf to create additional shelving. Shoe organizers can be stacked to add more storage without taking up extra floor space. Over-the-door towel racks are great for towels and washcloths waiting to be reused (because we know these students aren’t doing laundry frequently enough), and over-the-

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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 26 door coat hooks can be handy for coats and jackets that need to be grabbed quickly (because we know these students aren’t getting up in time to make it to that 8 a.m. class without rushing out the door). And, while we ordinarily think “up” when we’re talking about vertical space, don’t forget about the unused floor space beneath beds or futons. These under-bed storage bins are great for items that don’t need to be accessed regularly, like off-season clothing.

#2 CREATE A DROP ZONE

Everyone likes to have a place to set their things when they first walk in the door. Classes can be exhausting, and when your college student gets back to their dorm room after a long day, putting things away immediately might not be a priority. Why not help them establish a small drop zone to keep things from ending up in a big pile, helping to keep the room tidy at all times. Something as simple as a few sturdy hooks for backpacks and purses, and some smaller hooks for keys and fobs can be a simple and affordable option. Depending on space, you could even get a small shoe rack or shoe cabinet for your student to remove their shoes right away if that’s their vibe (that’s my vibe).

#3 ESTABLISH CHAOS RESILIENCE

The concept of “chaos resilience” is the ability to quickly recover from a chaotic moment or season. The idea is that we can get a space exactly how we like it, but life can get in the way of maintenance,

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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 27 so we need to set up systems that allow us to recover when things get a little disheveled. The best way to establish chaos resilience in a space is to have a home for things and to label that home so there’s no guessing about where anything should go. We often use drawer organizers, bins, and baskets to contain like items, and then label with a label maker or clip labels. You’ll need to get an idea of the space and maybe even take measurements to get the right items for your child’s space.

Hopefully these tips help frame your mindset as you begin/continue to shop for your college student. We’re always here to help! We have some fun ideas for additional items your college student might enjoy, so be sure to follow the House Peace page on the LTK app to get those links!

Colleen Dixon is a wife and mom of four who helps people maximize their spaces. For more information, visit housepeace.net.

KIDS WHO SHINE BEN CAPPS, JACOB LEE, AND WES ELLISON

Ben Capps, Jacob Lee, and Wes Ellison, who recently graduated from Hewitt-Trussville High School and were enrolled in the school’s Engineering Academy, presented their project to engineers at NASA this past spring.

In their PLTW Engineering Design and Development course, the students followed the engineering design process to produce a solution to an open-ended problem. “They work through the steps to produce a workable prototype that will solve the problem,” says teacher Jason Dooley who, along with Tom Moulton, mentors the more than 200 engineering students each year. Jason, the first engineering instructor at HewittTrussville, is a former engineer who worked at U.S. Steel for 10 years before making the switch to education. The program uses Project Lead the Way curriculum, a nationally recognized high school engineering program.

Students spend a few weeks brainstorming problems and then pick their 15 top problems and present them to classmates on a large sticky note. After presentations, students choose the problem they want to solve during the school year. They can work as individuals or in teams of two or three.

Ben, Jacob, and Wes formed a team and got to work on their chosen issue: How will NASA clean the solar panels on the moon? Their solution involved a prototype of a system that utilized a row of electromagnets to attract and remove dust from the panels. The team monitors the voltage on the panel. When it drops, the magnets sweep across the panel and pick up the debris, then deposit it in a bin. Their unique approach—a contactless removal system—prevents the abrasive moon dust from scratching the panel.

“NASA representative Bob Zeek presented our students with opportunities to design for them,” says Jason. “He is one of the leaders of High Schools United with NASA to Create Hardware (HUNCH) outreach programs. A common theme to the problems this year was establishing a lunar base. Three of our teams chose to work with NASA on different projects.”

NASA requires students to follow their design procedures. After submitting a preliminary design review in November 2022, Ben, Jacob, and Wes presented a critical design review to a NASA representative in February 2023. Following this second presentation, HUNCH officials chose teams to present their projects at the final design review at the Johnson Space Center in Houston.

“The students were outstanding representatives of our school and engineering program,” says Jason, while noting this same team earned third place for the same design in UAB’s Science and Engineering Fair in the Energy and Transportation category. “They detailed their project to several NASA engineers and other visitors to the space center. The trip was definitely part of the experience—we made the 11-hour drive in a minivan with the students and their project. We enjoyed having the time to talk about their experiences and future goals.”