From organizing papers, bills and school work to the bigger jobs of taking a living space from disaster to ideal, there is a way to achieve any level of organization given the right level of dedication to the project.

So, muster up the strength to make the work worthwhile and note some of these tips, tricks and traps to make your path to organizational bliss easier than you think.

Small spaces

One common pitfall of student living that we all face is the issue of limited space. For many, this basic fact is the No. 1 reason they are unable to keep an organized living area. So, fixing this can be as easy as knowing how to best put to use your small area.

“I didn’t utilize a small space, myself,” said history freshman Matthew Bryan, which seems to be a trend among students.

Wilhelm has several suggestions for those finding themselves with more stuff than room, stressing most of all the concept of “thinking vertical.”

“(It’s) a good concept, using every bit of space,” ?Wilhelm said. “Why not move it up instead of spreading out? See how much of that wall space can be used for things that can help.”

Wilhelm said a good way to put the thought into practice is by using simple things that you can find just about anywhere if you don’t already have them. Try stacking a shelf on top of a desk instead of next to it, freeing up as much floor space as possible, because after all, a little space can go a long way.

“Using every last stitch of space, without making it totally cluttered,” she said.

Easy things to institute in your room such as door hangers to hold things from shoes to clothes, hooks that you can find for under five $5 at many stores and easy-to-stack milk crates that offer storage for anything from books to knickknacks.

Interdisciplinary studies in social science and community relations sophomore Lauren Hayes agreed. She said keeping things off the floor makes a world of difference.

“Getting storage bins and putting things under sofas and stuff,” Hayes said. “Not letting things pile up on the floor.”

Keeping things in their place is also key to maintaining a manageable miniature environment.

“Like animals and people, your stuff also needs a home,” Wilhelm said.

Knowing where things go will make it easier to make sure they get there.

Movers and shakers

Another pitfall for many students is the fact that they move around — a lot. While many people stay in dorms or apartments for the length of the school year, there is still a sense that unpacking isn’t worth the time you put into it if you’re going to be moving out in less than a year.

For those people who live the nomadic life, one of the things Wilhelm suggests is keeping the necessities easily accessible.

“Have a container for the things that are most essential and that you use all the time, so you’re not fumbling around for the things that are most important,” Wilhelm said. “Things that you would need to function ­— the things you would go crazy trying to find.”

Staying organized within your room is crucial to those people who do tend to move around a lot. Being able to locate important documents or other items that you would find yourself needing in a crunch is definitely something to keep in mind when you find yourself in the middle of an upheaval.

Wilhelm has a good idea that she tends to favor for college students who want to be able to stay organized no matter the conditions.

“A filing cabinet,” Wilhelm said. “That would be my number one (suggestion) for any college or graduate student for keeping your papers nicely organized so you can finds things.”

In addition to a filing cabinet for important papers, bills and documents, Wilhelm said a bulletin board is also ideal for odds and ends that you want to remember. You can nail it on the wall and not worry about it being in the way or taking up space.

She also suggests using clear, plastic containers to store away those things you know you will inevitably find yourself looking for, noting that even if they are see-through, you should still take the time to make clear and precise labels for them.

“Just make sure you have your most essential things accessible all the time,” she said.

All worth it

In the end, the real benefit of staying organized — besides being neat and able to find things — is the mental sanity found in the simple act of being surrounded by a tidier environment. Even the act of cleaning itself can be cathartic for some individuals.

“Sometimes when I feel like I just need to clear my head and just clear my situation, I clean up,” interdisciplinary studies in social science and human resources and society senior Kyle Hurtt said. “I don’t know what it is, but the feeling I get when I have a clean place makes me feel a lot better.”

Being tidy is a good way to get other things done as well. With many people not being able to focus in a messy setting, staying organized can be beneficial to not only your things, but your motivation.

“When I’m organized, I get things done,” Bryan said. “That’s cliché. But when you have that mind-set going, you definitely know what you’re doing and how you’re doing it.”

Keeping one’s stress level down also can be an added bonus of having a clean home.

“If you can’t find stuff, it can be quite maddening,” psychology professor Lauren Harris said. “There have been cases where I’ve misplaced things, and I got very mad at myself. I’ve learned my lesson repeatedly.”

A word of caution, however; this feeling of neat euphoria won’t last if you don’t keep it up. But as usual, anything worth having is worth working for. Staying organized definitely falls into the category of something worth striving toward, so try your best to keep up your dedication to the cause.

“It’s an ongoing thing,” Wilhelm said. “It’s not something you do once and all of the sudden ‘Boom!’ you’re organized — it’s a process.”