- Photo courtesy of Sissey, Grand Designs Week Upcycling Hub
Ah, the ever-burning question. How can a student possibly make their tinier-than-usual space look bigger than it is? For one of the most common solutions to this sticky situation, cast your gaze upon the looking-glass diva herself, a.k.a. Alice in Wonderland. Yep, you guessed it: mirrors.
“Less clutter always helps, but when you’re a student with a grueling schedule, it’s tough to set aside time to de-clutter and clean,” says Erin Marino, Director of Brand Marketing for The Sill.
“I have a ton of mirrors in my studio apartment to help bounce the light that comes from the single window. It helps to keep both me and my plants happy,” says Marino.
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Buy a couple of these babies yourself and you’ve got yourself a magical illusion solution that’s been proven to make even the tiniest spaces look more spacious. Peering through a looking glass may be just the trick you need to give your room that little extra pop.
Less is always more—and we know it. But the power of donating has proven to be a great way to give back to others in need when something no longer serves you.
“When I was an undergrad at Columbia in NYC, I remember that we could donate at the end of the year,” says Marino. “Any dorm room furniture we didn’t need or couldn’t bring home for the summer—instead of throwing it out, we could donate them. Not only would the donations be cleaned and put to use for someone in need, it was much more sustainable than ending up in a landfill. I always appreciated that, along with how easy it was to donate right there on campus.”
Bless others by donating your goods to a British Red Cross Charity shop, which you can search here.
Netflix tidying hit superstar Marie Kondo also gives some sound advice on how to ditch those ever-growing piles…or little monsters under your bed…or should we say clutter:
“To truly cherish the things that are important to you, you must first discard those that have outlived their purpose. And if you no longer need them, then that is neither wasteful nor shameful. Can you truthfully say that you treasure something buried so deeply in a cupboard or drawer that you have forgotten its existence?” —Marie Kondo
Marie Kondo’s new show is a cultural phenomenon, and in the words of The Atlantic: “The organizational guru’s new Netflix series isn’t about judgment, décor, or the spectacle of mess. It’s about cultivating empathy for the things that surround us.”
The world of tidying can seem a bit overwhelming to the student whose schedule is crammed with to-do lists. Sparking some joy may sound dull to some, but the key is to make it as simple as possible. As per the KonMari method:
- Start with clothes
- Move on to books
- Sort through your papers
- Get to nitty-gritty miscellaneous items
- And finally, finish off with sentimental items.
Find out more about this undeniably influential tidy-master by visiting her website here.
Are you brushing aside deadlines too often? A Vision Board may be just what you need.
Like a mood board, a vision board is a tangible object to keep your visions in the forefront of your mind. This ultimately becomes something you constantly think about, resulting in a super-helpful reminder of any short or long term goals, helping you be that goal-seeker you’ve always dreamed of being. Start your journey with these simple steps:
Photo courtesy of Sissey
- Visit your local charity shop, there are loads of different boards can find to pin up on the wall. Make sure you place it in a spot where you can walk by and catch a glimpse of everyday.
- Start salvaging used magazines or catalogs for inspiration.
- Look for key images that align with your vision: want to finish those exams on time? Tear out similar images—clocks, textbooks, or images of students will do. You get the idea. Keep this pattern going, and soon a pile of all sorts of magic will form.
- Glue to some colourful cardstock or pin directly onto your vision board for some rocket-fueled inspiration.
- Watch your dreams literally unfold.
In the words of Dale Chihuly—the mastermind behind the infectious colour and glass art illusions (seen on display at Kew Gardens and Victoria Albert Museum), he says that: “Glass is the most magical of all materials. It transmits light in a special way.”
Find your element and create your own magic, and get to creating some of your own illusions.
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