Living in the Den

Since I didn't decide to attend Iowa State this fall until May and didn't register for campus housing until then, I was put in interim housing - a residence hall den.  The university didn't have enough housing for everyone (even though I know they could have made room and put more people in dorm rooms), so they started putting us late registers in the dens.

We are only supposed to be in the dens for the first semester.  It is up to us to find where we are going to live next semester.  At first, it was stressful thinking that I was going to have to find a place to live, and once you find a place they have you move out quickly.  But, since we can stay in the dens till the end of the semester, why not just stay there until then since everything is working out fine with the roommates?  At the end of the semester there will be people moving out and others switching rooms.  So, there are going to be openings for us and for us to stay right on our same floor!

Luckily, I think I know where I am going to be moving to next semester... right down the hall!

I really like the residence hall that I am in and the location of it on campus.

Living in the den hasn't been all that bad.  It is a bit more crowded... with 4 girls living in one pretty small room - but it isn't too bad.  I basically have my own little corner, where no one else has to go through.  I find that I have quite a bit of storage space, or at least enough.  I have my own dresser, a little hanging space, and a storage area above the hanging space, plus the drawers in my desk.

Another plus to being in the den is that we are offered a free tutor for a class of our choice!  It is the university's way of saying they understand that being in the den can be stressful.

My mom made me this super cute bunting.  Thanks Mom!

On my dresser, I have 2 baskets.  One is for my bathroom stuff and the other is for extra notebooks, folders, and that sort of stuff.

Next to my dresser I have 2 crates, my laundry bag, and my yoga mat that I sometimes roll out to stretch on.

I got the laundry bag at TJ Maxx and I love it - it is so cute!  It has been a bit floppy lately though.

The top crate mostly has cleaning things in it - detergent, dish soap, garbage bags, and paper towels just to name a few things.

And, in the bottom crate, I have some baking supplies!  There isn't a kitchen in my residence hall, only a kitchenette, which is a counter space with a kitchen sink and microwave.  But, in a residence hall next to me, there is an unlocked door, so I can get into there kitchen.  I have used that a couple times.  In my baking crate I have a some flour, sugar, chocolate chips of course, and more.

This is my desk.  I sit here a lot.

I keep my books, notebooks, folders on the top shelf, along with a weekly dry erase calendar.

In 2 of the drawers on my desk, I keep lots of random school supplies (markers, pens, paper clips, etc.).  In another drawer I keep cords for my laptop and phone.  And, in another, have beauty supplies - lotion, make-up, extra kleenexes, ect.

Next to my desk, I have my fridge with another crate on top that is filled with food!

Here is my little hanging area with some storage area above.  This hanging space isn't in my little corner, but behind the door. 

That is my little corner back there!

Sometimes I do wish that I had more than a corner to live in, but I guess this is what I've got.

I like to try to keep my place clean and organized.  I have been making my bed every morning because it is way nicer to get into a nicely made bed at night.  It is hard to make a bunk bed though.