One of the most memorable parts of college for students is getting their first dorm room. Dormitory rooms are smaller than the bedrooms students had at home however, while typically having to be shared with another person on top of the reduction in space. Despite that, a dorm room is often a young adult’s first time having a place that’s finally “theirs.” To make these fairly tight confines as comfortable as possible, it’s important to optimize what little space you’re afforded. Fortunately, this process is part of what makes that first room so memorable, and can be something you look back on fondly. Here are a few tips to get the most out of your dorm room.

• Futons. Right up there with homecoming games and finals week, few things scream “college” like the futon. This piece of folding platform furniture has met the needs of students for generations, satisfying the need for seating and sleeping in a single piece of furniture. To optimize a futon, you can always replace the stock futon pad with futon mattress foam, transforming it from a stopgap purchase to a long-term solution by making it as comfortable as any individual bed or sofa could be. Even if you have enough space for a separate bed and couch, a comfy memory foam futon is great when friends are over.
• Lofts. The construction of a loft utilizes the vertical space in a room, opening up floor space. Lofts are often as simple as two stacked beds, or a single bed can be lofted with an open work or relaxation space under it. Some creative students have built tree-top living spaces, effectively creating a multi-story dorm room.
• Bean Bags. Good luck finding furniture that’s more enjoyable than a bean bag chair. Perfect for studying, relaxing, and anything else, today’s bean bag chairs are made in many fabrics, colors, and sizes, so you can find one that fits you and your space perfectly. The free-form build of a bean bag means they can be fit into tight spaces traditional framed furniture won’t go, and if you do need all the floor space made available, just toss them on the bed or in the closet. Not much chance of that happening with a recliner!