If you want to spruce up your windowsill or just show off your green thumb, plants are a great way to decorate and enjoy your dorm space. The key is finding the right plant for the right person. Here are five simple plants that any student can cultivate inside a dorm room.
1) Lucky Bamboo - These decorative plants are hardy and require only water to grow. They are generally sold in small, decorative pots that can be used for many years. The bamboo itself can be nestled amongst a handful of small pebbles and a few cups of water. The plant will grow with time, so be prepared to upgrade the pot as needed (usually once every three or so years).
2) Venus Flytrap - Exotic, creepy and definitely cool! Venus Flytraps are small and simple to take care of. Suspend the pot over a cup of water and continually fill the reservoir so that the soil is damp and swampy. The plant does not require bugs to thrive, but if you swat an annoying fly, you can pop it into a trap and watch nature take its digestive course. Every so often (usually in the spring), a long white flower stalk will appear. Snip this stalk--it eats up energy that the rest of the plant can use. And don't trigger the traps unnecessarily--the plant will die off if you do.
3) African Violet - Another small plant, the African Violet is beautiful and simple. Keep the soil nice and moist and avoid keeping the plant in a windowsill that gets direct sunlight. The plant doesn't like drafty conditions and will burn out with too much sun. A nice home on a shelf or desk will suit it just fine, and the blossoms will add to the space's charm.
4) Bonsai Tree - These gorgeous mini-trees are both fun to care for and fascinating to look at. Constant care is needed, though the work is far from difficult. Trimming branches, removing old leaves and providing enough water are the most common tasks. The pot itself can be decorated as a sort of mini-landscape limited by only the imagination. These plants vary from variety-to-variety, so be sure to do your homework before you purchase. They also tend to be rather expensive. However, if properly cultivated, the trees will be fantastic additions to any room, dorm or otherwise, for years to come.
5) Mini Herb Garden - If you have a bit more space and a little more time to care for your green friends, an herb garden can provide you with beautiful, delicious results. Many supermarkets and home-supply stores sell pre-boxed herb gardens with pots, soil and seeds. However, a trip to the local garden center will allow you to cultivate your own choice of herbs and spices. After growing them, you can truly savor the fruits of your labor. Fresh basil, pungent chives and spicy spearmint can turn any salad or main course into a culinary delight. The herbs will also provide luscious aromas when picked and dried.
These plants are all simple to care for, and if properly attended to, they will provide you with many rewards. Enjoy them!
Saturday, June 23, 2007
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
The Art of Dorm Laundry
Laundry and dorm life aren't known for coexistence. It takes a little discipline, a bit of diligence and a lot of tricks to get the wash done before it piles up.
First, keep your time in the laundry room to a minimum. Laundry rooms are generally not particularly nice, and most laundry-related tasks can easily be accomplished in the comfort of your own room. Buy two inexpensive vertical hampers. By avoiding bulky baskets, you can save yourself quite a bit of floorspace while maximizing efficiency. After you've worn an outfit, separate it however you'd like (personally, I separate my laundry into colors and whites). Use the two hampers to differentiate so you don't have to sort later on. Pretreat deep stains before you leave the room--a brief consultation with Martha Stewart's Stain Removal Chart might just save your stained shirt!
Next, set your laundry schedule. It might sound odd, but it will save you the hassle of rushing to finish a few loads of laundry at the last minute. Count the number of outfits you have, minus one. This number will determine how many days you can go before having to do the wash. So if you have eight pairs of pants and thirteen shirts, you subtract one from eight (the number of pairs of pants) and find yourself doing laundry once a week. That way, if something comes up and you can't fit laundry in on that day, you'll still have one clean outfit left.
Decide on a common time to put the wash in, but aim for off-times. For example, I usually try to do all of my laundry late on Friday nights (after 10:00 PM) or early Friday mornings (6:00 AM). There are no lines, there is no one around to move your delicates into an overly hot drier and you can work on homework or other housekeeping projects while you wait for the loads to finish. If you have to do your laundry during the day, try to get it done while many people are at class--approximately 10:00 AM and 2:00 PM. It'll save you from unnecessary headaches! You should also time your laundry and pick it up in a timely manner. It is rude to keep others waiting while your fresh linens sit in a long-forgotten machine.
I recommend folding laundry in one's room. It is easier to organize everything, and you can listen to music or the television. I always fold my shirts in a neat, organized manner as seen in this video. The fold is a bit tricky at first, but after you figure it out, it takes just under two seconds to complete. Pile your folded shirts, pants and other laundry in stacks of similar items so that you can quickly and easily transfer the piles into your drawers.
Most people think of dorm rooms as havens for old, smelly laundry. But with these tips, you can avoid the stigma and always be assured that a fresh, crisp outfit is waiting for you.
First, keep your time in the laundry room to a minimum. Laundry rooms are generally not particularly nice, and most laundry-related tasks can easily be accomplished in the comfort of your own room. Buy two inexpensive vertical hampers. By avoiding bulky baskets, you can save yourself quite a bit of floorspace while maximizing efficiency. After you've worn an outfit, separate it however you'd like (personally, I separate my laundry into colors and whites). Use the two hampers to differentiate so you don't have to sort later on. Pretreat deep stains before you leave the room--a brief consultation with Martha Stewart's Stain Removal Chart might just save your stained shirt!
Next, set your laundry schedule. It might sound odd, but it will save you the hassle of rushing to finish a few loads of laundry at the last minute. Count the number of outfits you have, minus one. This number will determine how many days you can go before having to do the wash. So if you have eight pairs of pants and thirteen shirts, you subtract one from eight (the number of pairs of pants) and find yourself doing laundry once a week. That way, if something comes up and you can't fit laundry in on that day, you'll still have one clean outfit left.
Decide on a common time to put the wash in, but aim for off-times. For example, I usually try to do all of my laundry late on Friday nights (after 10:00 PM) or early Friday mornings (6:00 AM). There are no lines, there is no one around to move your delicates into an overly hot drier and you can work on homework or other housekeeping projects while you wait for the loads to finish. If you have to do your laundry during the day, try to get it done while many people are at class--approximately 10:00 AM and 2:00 PM. It'll save you from unnecessary headaches! You should also time your laundry and pick it up in a timely manner. It is rude to keep others waiting while your fresh linens sit in a long-forgotten machine.
I recommend folding laundry in one's room. It is easier to organize everything, and you can listen to music or the television. I always fold my shirts in a neat, organized manner as seen in this video. The fold is a bit tricky at first, but after you figure it out, it takes just under two seconds to complete. Pile your folded shirts, pants and other laundry in stacks of similar items so that you can quickly and easily transfer the piles into your drawers.
Most people think of dorm rooms as havens for old, smelly laundry. But with these tips, you can avoid the stigma and always be assured that a fresh, crisp outfit is waiting for you.
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