Caring Is Sharing

            When I say, “caring is sharing,” I am not referring to the creepy Juicy Fruit commercial. I seriously mean it. Living in a suite is so much easier if you share bathroom items. For example, I know people who have their own hand soap, wastebasket or toilet paper in the bathroom. Why?!
            If you share all of these items, it will make your life so much easier for two main reasons.
           

1.     It’s cheaper. Think about it. If you share, you’d buy ¼ of what you would buy if you used your own. And with a 12-pack of toilet paper costing about $13, that’s a lot of money you could use for something much more exciting.

2.     It’s more convenient. You have to run to the store 75 percent less than if you were always buying your own supplies.

            As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, this is just another reason to have a good relationship with your suitemates. That is ultimately the best advice I could ever give. Without even an ounce of friendship between you and your suitemates, I guarantee you’ll experience problems. So do your best, make some new friends and make living in a suite-style dorm an experience you’ll never forget.

            Thanks for a great semester, and I hope you enjoyed my final posting. Good luck to everyone!

Buying for the Bathroom

            Figuring out who buys what for the bathroom at the beginning of the year can be tricky, and depends on different things.

- Do you already know your suitemates? If so, it might be easier to delegate who contributes what

- Do you already have a bathroom rug or shower curtain left over from freshman year? Some suite members might already have bathroom items from years past. If so, this will obviously affect what needs to be bought.

- Is anyone particularly picky? If anyone in the suite has special requests, then have them buy that item. That way, you’ll be sure to have what they want or need.

The shelf in my own bathroom doing
what it does best —store my suite's
stuff.

            Through my years in using that tiny suite bathroom, I’ve realized there are a few items to buy that can make your, and your suitemates’, lives much easier.

- A shelf. You can purchase a small shelf for a low price at stores like Walmart, Target or K-Mart. I purchased the shelf pictured for about $20 at Target, which allows everyone in the suite to store their toothbrushes and toothpaste on it. The lower shelves are used to store feminine products, extra toilet paper and extra razors.

This is what that shower curtain
looks like filled with your everyday
shower needs.

- A practical shower curtain. This shower curtain was a little more expensive, but definitely worth it. I bought this at Bed, Bath and Beyond for about $30. With this shower curtain, there are enough pockets for each suitemate, along with two extras. This way, no one has to worry about a shower caddy or remembering to bring their shower accessories into the bathroom, or cluttering up the small space with shampoo, conditioner and body wash. Just remember to buy a liner to put in front of it — unless you don’t mind a see-through shower curtain.

Up next week: Sharing is Caring