Even though it’s still summer, the excitement and anxieties about going away to school are never far from the back of our minds. Especially if you’re a new incoming college freshman, but let’s face it, those feelings hit all of us no matter what year we’re in. But I do know, those feeling hit the most with students who have food allergies, restrictions, and special diets, like Celiac Disease, due to their health. I personally know how scary it can be to be thrown into the “unknown” with the added responsibilities or dealing with Celiac Disease and food allergies. I’ve already outlined my 6 steps to a safe college experience and today I have some extra advice to share.
Organization! One of my favorite things and something crucial to have good skills and a plan in when you have food allergies or autoimmune disease. Not only should your college food allergy plan include organization, but of course you want to do so in style. Every other college student will be picking out fun things to make their dorm room fun, relaxing, and feel a little more like home. There is nothing worse than being stuck in a tiny room all year, with your stress of food allergies, and nothing to brighten the mood and piles of supplies/food in sad boxes. I’ve partnered with Pottery Barn to share my ideas with how to organize your food allergy life when you go away, safe, and in style!
1. Mix ‘N’ Match Storage Bins – Storage bins are a must! You can easily organize your boxes of snacks, cereals, bags or grains, beans, cans, etc., right in the bins. You can easily move them around, as they have handles, and like me, lug them down to the kitchen with supplies to possibly make some pancakes 😉 I love open bins like these since you can see what inside and have different height supplies in them. I’d put my essential products in these types of bins which can be stored right on a shelf out in the open for easy access. You should also dedicate a bin or two to your cleaning supplies. Think Lysol, sanitizing wipes, etc. These need to be used constantly to avoid cross contamination in your dorm room!
2. See-Thru Underbed Organizers – I think have underbed storage was one of the most important things I had in my room. Not only can you store extra clothes and sheets like a normal student, but you can store bulk and extra food items, pots, pans, and bulkier appliances that you don’t need everyday. I brought down a ton of “extras” with me and a ton of cooking supplies (like my waffle maker), but I didn’t need them all the time and sometimes not for months. I loved being able to store extra bottles, cans, boxes, etc. that I had stocked up on, away and out of sight, but still giving me the peace of mind that I would never have an emergency and run out of something I would need. Before you move-in, don’t be scared to bring “too much”. Have a surplus of your allergy-free essentials and any small appliances you think you’d like to have and simply store them under the bed! Plus, these have a see-thru cover so you know what you have and where everything is when you do actually need it!
3. Ready-To-Roll Storage Cart – A movable cart with storage is great to the little things! Think medications and more personal items that are small and you’d like to keep out of sight. If you’re like me though, you might think of storing small food stuffs like spices in there. Another great option would be storing your own silverware, bowls, cups, and plates. This way no crumbs or contamination can get on these items but you still have easy access to them!
4. Dry-Erase Calendar Decal – Not only do you need organization for your material belongings, but you also should have a place to write things down! You can keep all your events and important notes all on one big calendar that can easily be changed. Reminders for appointments, tests, events. But most importantly for your food allergy needs, a wonderful place to write down a meal plan if you use one! you can also use the side space as a grocery list for things you need next time you go to the store or need to place an online order. Having this calendar will make things a lot easier with planning safe meals and keeping yourself stocked with everything you need when your have a packed schedule already and don’t want to forget a thing!
5. Supercool Fridge – I was lucky enough to have a full fridge and small freezer in my room, but not every college dorm (especially for freshman) include one. I was also given the option of getting an extra small fridge like this if I found myself needing more space for all the food I had to have on hand. If you are provided a small fridge, I would ask to see if you could be provided another one or are allowed to bring your own extra one. When you have food allergies, the perishable groceries you need on hand are going to be a lot more than the typical college student. You also don’t want to take over the whole fridge so your other roommates(s) don’t have space for their stuff. Having a little extra fridge space will really come in handy. It can also give you peace of mind that your roommate didn’t accidental cross-contaminate you peanut butter with gluten (as an example!)
6. Supercool Fridge Cart – If you have an extra fridge, why not include some extra storage while you’re at it! I wish I had this last year in my dorm! I think this would be a wonderful space to store what would typically be counter-top produce if you had a kitchen. Think potatoes, squash, lemons, onions, plantains, bananas, avocados, that sort of thing. I stored my many potatoes and the like reusable Whole Foods bag that I got at one of the service fairs on campus (haha!). But this is also a great place to store pans, baking sheets, foil, plastic wrap, plastic baggies, etc.
Organization while still having options for style, color, and fun is what everyone wants. With food allergies, autoimmune disease, and special diets, we learn to appreciate that even more. There’s so many ways you can customize your space to fit your needs and preferences. Pottery Barn has some wonderful options, as you can see from the ones I picked here, but also a ton of other options for storage and of course everything else you need to style your dorm room! So even though thinking about going back to school may not be the most “fun in the sun”, it always pays off to have a head start and start planning! (You’ll thank me later). The better storage you have, the better organization, the easier your allergy-free transition will be! Less stress and more fun!
So tell me:
+ Did you have a messy dorm room or were you super organized and clean? Very clean! I didn’t do much decorating at all! Our common room actually went unused.
+ Did you bulk buy and stock up on staples or did you always find yourself running out of important things? My roommates loved me. My dad was able to send hundreds (I mean hundreds) of plastic forks, spoons, knives, paper plates, garbage bags, and toilet paper the entire year. We never ran out!
**This is a sponsored post in partnership with Pottery Barn Dorm and Her Campus Media. All words and opinions are my honest own.**
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Raia says
I spent most of my university days ignoring all my allergies and being sick instead. No fun. I hope this post will help a lot of students. 🙂
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
O no :O
I hope it does too!
HonestMum says
Brilliant tips here to help those with allergies.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
Thanks!
Laurel says
Amazing post! I’m gluten free and I will be using all these tips for when I go back to Uni. I am also going to mention this post on a new series I am starting Tuesday called Articles on Scroll! <3
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
Awesome! Thanks dear!
kimmythevegan says
Great post! I love a good way to keep organized. I didn’t have any of these cute storage spaces, but I definitely had a super organized room when I had a dorm. I liked keeping it neat & tidy and adding a personal touch to make it my own.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
It’s nice to come back to a nice organized space to work!
Elaine Hodges says
I wish these cute things had been available when I went away to college.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
Haha! You can just get them now for any bedroom 😉
Megan @ C'mon Get Crafty says
These are fantastic ideas for organization – I can see where allergies would keep you hyper vigilant about making sure you know what’s what! I don’t suffer from those thankfully, but I can still implement a lot of these ideas for myself! Thanks for sharing on Merry Monday!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
Everyone can use good organization no matter! Thanks Megan!
sue says
Great ideas here and not just for a dorm room. I love all the organization- that is my personality.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
Totally! Me too!
Allergic Butterfly says
Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
Thank YOU!
Sandy Sandmeyer says
I didn’t have such cool stuff when I went away to college. I did have my mini-fridge and that was a lifesaver when I was eating on my own on the weekends. Thanks for sharing your great tips at the #AnythingGoes Link Party.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
I hope to have more stylish things this year now that I see my options!
revealed says
what a helpful post!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
Thanks!
Ashley says
What great tips! I’ve been out of college for longer than I’d like to admit but I was definitely super organized 🙂 Always have been like that! lol
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
Thank you! Haha, yes! I’ve always been an organized person!
Alisa @ Go Dairy Free says
What a fun post – I totally need those cute storage bins!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
Thanks! I know right! Storage can be fun, haha 😉
Elizabeth Shaw says
What a great post!! I will definitely share with the new students at UCSD!!! Thanks for the great tips 🙂
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
Thanks dear!
Jessica @ Nutritioulicious says
What a fun post! Love those mix and match storage bins!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
Thanks Jessica!
Jessica @ Moxie and Mischief says
Great tips! I love that super fridge cart.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
Me too!
Jeanette | Jeanette's Healthy Living says
All great tips! I love the underbed storage and fridge cart especially, and all done so stylishly!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
Thank you so much Jeanette!
Farrah says
My dorm room was definitely neverrrrr that pristine, haha. Then again, I was barely ever in my room because I was usually in class or at some kind of extracurricular, so I really just used my bed to sleep in, haha. Those storage bins are the best though, and dry-erase boards are the best! (I don’t have the calendar version, but I use for when I’m studying!)
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
Hahaha 😉
I wish I had had that calander! It would have been super helpful!
Evolve with Mary says
I’m about 10 years removed from college but I’ve never met a color storage bin that I didn’t like. I’m thinking about getting a mini fridge to make sure I drink plenty of water at night.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
Haha, you should do it! I always wanted a mini fridge for my room at home since I was a little girl! Hahaha!
Laura says
Such a useful post. I’m with you, and am big on organization. Makes all the difference when everything has a place to go and especially in all the cool organizers you showed:) Thanks!!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
Totally! Thank you Laura!
Harriet Emily says
Fantastic post, Rebecca! This will help so many people 🙂 love the suggestions – especially for the food bins. They also make a great way to hide your snacks from others to stop them stealing them lol!!!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
Of course! And specialty foods are expensive so people need to keep their hands off!
Amelia @ Eating Made Easy says
Those storage carts are essential! There is so much more fun and functional dorm room accessories now then when I was in college.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
Yea, there are great options!
Michele @ paleorunningmomma says
I really wasn’t organized at all in college until I lived in an apartment. Nowadays with 3 kids and small quarters I actually need these tips more than I did back then. Love all the PB storage bins!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
Hahaha 😉
I’m the “mom” in the house with the organization!
Mikayla says
This was so helpful since I am helping my sister move in to her dorm. I definitely have to suggest that cute, mini fridge.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
Totally! Thanks dear!
Clare Speer says
Wonderful tips and love those “roll out” carts! Wow!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
Don’t they look awesome! I love that you can easily move them around!
Aurora@Fitness is Sweet says
I wish I could say I had a clean dorm, but since my college is near home, it was easy to just accumulate a ton of stuff by the end of the year! Organization is key to packing a ton of stuff into a tiny room though!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
Haha, totally! I just liked staying super organized as a way to keep the stress down while in my room too!
Linda @ Veganosity says
This is great advice for every college kid. I love those boxes on the top left!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
Totally! Everyone needs way more storage than they think!
Megan Rogers-Reilley says
This is such a great post! My mom is gluten sensitive so I always find posts about allergies interesting to see everyone’s perspective! xo
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
Thanks!
Austen Tosone says
Wow, what a great way to frame this post! This is amazingly helpful, thanks for the tips!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
Sure, thanks!
Miranda | SlashedBeauty.com says
My best friend and roommate my sophomore year had the worst allergies, to food and more. I had to be super conscious of things I used on communal belongings like pans and such so as to not trigger a reaction from her. These organization tips are really great for making the process a little easier!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
Yea! It’s super important to be open and understanding to those of us with severe allergies and health needs!
Annmarie says
A fridge cart in a dorm is such a great idea and a wonderful way to stay organized!!! Wish I had a list like this when I was in college 10 years ago (AAAAH I AM OLD!) 😉
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
Hahaha 😉 The fridge cart is super awesome though!
Angela @ Eat Spin Run Repeat says
Ok, as an organization nerd this is making me want to go back to university so that I can buy ALL the pretty bins! I had a pretty neat dorm room as a student and continue to keep my condo that way today, and I definitely appreciate a good shopping trip for storage supplies. As far as stocking up on things as a student went, I didn’t do it so much when I lived on campus but after I moved into a house with roommates, I was allll about Costco!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
Organizing and knowing where everything is, is just fun to!
Haha! Costco! Good stuff!
Natalie @ Feasting on Fruit says
One of my long-time dreams was to have a room that looked like it came straight out of a PB catalog! They make college look so cool and so much prettier than my walmart storage stuff 😀 haha I got a Pottery Barn chandelier light thingy for christmas once and it’s still hanging in my room at home…it’s pretty awesome and totally doesn’t match my room at all, but I still love it! Never thought to use the storage stuff for food, but I do pretty much have food jam packed in every cabinet of my kitchen, so organization would probably be a good thing 😉 haha
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
I wish I had had prettier things too 😉 My storage was rather….well, you know 😉 But I made it work!
Lisa @ RunWiki says
These are amazing tips. I don’t have college aged kids, but I’m not too far off. Even though my kids don’t have allergies, so many of their friends do and we are very respectful and careful about it. It’s important to teach them to think before pulling out nuts and other food items high in allergens.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
Yes! Living in close quarters with new people who may not ever fully understand, can be scary!
Amber says
Love these tips 🙂 I need them for my apartment, I forever am storing my bulk food items and getting crafty with where I put all my surplus food, I NEVER want to run out of anything EVER so i am with you on that!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
My kitchen is FULL of stocked up items, unopened! Haha, I never want to run out either!
Chelsey says
SUCH great ideas! I did many things you mentioned without realizing they were really for my allergies! Plus, it helped that my roommate really understood and never brought any nuts into our 12×12 room freshman year! Great read 🙂
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
O my god! That would be terrible! But yea, if everything stays neat and tidy, things are so much safer!
Dannii @ Hungry Healthy Happy says
I wish I had of been this organised when I was at uni. I was organised with paperwork and stuff, as I am obsessed with stationary, but my room was a different story!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
Haha, I would have felt so claustrophobic if my little space wasn’t neat!
Liz Mays says
I never thought about this before, but it’s so smart! I think anyone could benefit from these organizational tips, even if not dealing with food allergies.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
Totally! Anytime you can keep organized, with anything, there is so much less stress!
Taylor @ Food Faith Fitness says
I would have NEVER thought that a dorm would have to be organized for food allergies! This is such a great post!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
Thanks Taylor!
Emily @ My Healthyish Life says
I had a very clean dorm, despite it being so small that it looked cluttered. I had my own mini-fridge and tons of storage bins for my food. I kept some bins directly under my bed so it was perfect for snacking at any time 🙂
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
I’m so happy I had a decent sized fridge! And really the only thing in my room was food storage! Haha!
Rachel @ Athletic Avocado says
I wish I saw this before I went to college haha! Love this post!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
Thank you dear!