SHOPPING! | Seniors | Hampton Roads Portrait Photographer

Hi!

Now that graduation party season has died down it's time to talk DORM SHOPPING!

 

WhenI was a freshman in college (*cough* 2006 *cough*) we were forced to live with at least one other person-- that is unless we paid EXTRA to have our own room-- and if we did it usually ended up being a tiny broom closet at the end of the hall. SO, needless to say one learned VERY quickly how to NOT be a pack rat and how to get creative with their organizational skills ;)

 

I've learned from some of this year's Seniors that their dorms are apparently going to be much nicer and a lot of them are even getting a shared kitchen space and semi-private bathrooms!! (i'm a little jelly!)

 

Either way I can pretty much guarantee you'll still need to find some unique ways to store your stuff and get the most out of your space.

 

SO to save you some headache and creative brain cells I've compiled a list of some of what I deem as the MUST HAVES for your dorm (and a few fun gadgets thrown in, too-- just because):

1. First thing's first: check out your dorm rules.
Some places will let you hang any and everything on the walls and some will require an oath in blood before you can even LOOK at the walls- so it's a key piece of the shopping puzzle to first know what you can and can't have (for example I was NOT allowed to have a hott plate in my dorm. Did this include candle warmers --ya know, the things that melted the wax so you didn't have matches?--no one knows. But i had one anyway! shhhh!)

If you can hang things on the walls my first "MUST HAVE" is shelves!
-Shelves get things up off the floor and help spruce up the place! You can place pictures of you and your besties, pictures of mom and dad, pictures from your senior session we had, flowers, mini-vases, the teddy bear your boyfriend won at the fair for you last summer, a framed hand-written note from your gramma, cards your mom sends you, and on and on and on.

Shelves are an obvious choice to help decorate AND help with clutter (that is IF you're allowed to have them).

 

2. If you can't actually drill holes into the walls to hang shelves the next great option are these:
http://www.target.com/p/over-the-door-6-hook-rack-chrome/-/A-10788144#prodSlot=medium_1_25&term=hooks

 

It's not a shelf, of course, but it will help get little things up off the floor or keep them from getting scattered all over the bed and night stand. Use it on your closet door or even the door to the room. You can use it to hook purses, hats, umbrellas, or even your bath robe!

I also used the individual ones with the sticky gum on the back and put them all over one wall to make a sort of decoration with the purses i had to hang up.
Like these:
http://www.walmart.com/msharbor/ip/SCOTCH-Scotch-Command-Adhesive-Mount-Metal-Hook-Large-Brushed-Nickel-Finish/14881957?action=product_interest&action_type=image&placement_id=irs_middle&strategy=PWVAV&visitor_id=79468684548&category=0%3A4044%3A90828%3A1075664&client_guid=46f7f0d7-8c59-4949-8dca-c7ea6b062588&config_id=0&parent_item_id=32512007&guid=6d963302-2879-4ac2-99a8-c669f8152790&bucket_id=irsbucket011&findingMethod=p13n

Gets them off the floor AND helps decorate just a bit!

3. LARGE MIRRORS (and decorations)

Large mirrors, if positioned strageically in a room, can really help open up a place. Plus, decorating a room instantly makes it feel more inviting and a little bit more like home- so don't be afraid to go a little extra mile in the decore department. You'll be happier to come back to your room and it may even make you feel better about having to study ;) Just tell your parents that when they're telling you that you don't need that super cute throw pillow or awesome multi-colored bedside table.

"Mom, if my room is nicer I'll want to spend more time in it and I therefore won't be out at Jackie's apartment gossiping about Pretty Little Liars and ignoring my studies. I'll actually WANT to be in my room- and when I'm there I can't help but pick up my books."

{See how that works? ;) }


4. Cube Units

I love these. Hands down they're AWESOME. I have a set in my office, in fact, and I am in love with them. They not only help keep things organized but they are cute and space for decorating, too!

(My office!)

Trust me, everyone can use more shelf space for clothes but these are best used for storing books, picture frames, gadgets, purses, and all the other little things that don't have a good "home" but need to be up off the floor. PLUS you can pick really cute baskets in multiple colors to really add decoration to your space!

Here's a great one from Bed Bath & Beyond: http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/store/product/real-simple-6-cube-storage-unit-in-white/201339?device=c&network=g&matchtype=&mcid=PS_googlepla_nonbrand_storage_&gclid=CjkKEQjw_N-cBRD2k73X3OjJ8eMBEiQAbdPic2l_riesgQqfE4f-i6ViNGBA3H50xqrMcuBEeMPBkcTw_wcB

So, to wrap things up, when you go dorm shopping start looking for things that do the following:

- help you stay organized and get things UP (off the floor, the bed, the desk, etc.)
- don't shy away from getting things that help decorate the space and truly make it your own
- and be SURE you check out the dorm rules before you head to the store! No need to have to make a whole trip back to return it all later

What's the first thing you're going to purchase? Tell me in the comments below!
 

XO,

Sarah

Planning a Styled Shoot Part V | Sending Out An S.O.S.| Hampton Roads Stylized Portrait Photographer

Hi!

OH. MY. GOODNESS. it is just THREE DAYS until the styled shoot! The weather is currently forecasted at 70, partly cloudy, and 10% chance of rain. RAIN! Yes, rain. But only 10% That's ok, right???

  

Can you tell I'm anxious?

  

But i'm the BEST kind of anxious! I've been totally freaking out for like two weeks now. Ok, ok, if you ask my team I've been freaking out for longer (shhhh!). But now that we are three days out I've found this weird calm. This sort of... oh my gosh lets rock the frickin PANTS off this thing and just have a flipping blast doing it!

WOooooo!

Ok, but there is ONE thing left I want to put out there in my "how to do it the easy way by reading how I did it the hard way" series on planning a styled shoot. I am, without a doubt, very much looking forward to this shoot. NO QUESTION. But one thing I should have done from the very beginning was:

 ASK. FOR. HELP.

I am a control freak. Just ask ANYONE who has ever met me. But asking for help is not at ALL about relinquishing control.

I had this idea that if I asked someone to help me design the set or collaborate with a professional event planner to bring this vision to life that I would somehow be relinquishing the genuineness of my vision and it would automatically become the event planner's shoot with me just taking the pictures.

Not true.

Of course, this is where you would need to make sure you knew how to explain your vision and your limits and have them help you-- not sit back and watch them do it all for you.

But asking someone for help isn't cheating. (I thought it was)

Asking for help is simply asking for help. It's asking people to help you make the very best out of your vision and your goals. It's asking people to be on your team and work WITH you to reach beyond your dreams.

Asking for help is good for you.

I learned this the hard way and tried to answer all of my questions on my own. But then I realized "Hey! You've got a pretty awesome team on your hands that KNOWS about this stuff- ask them their professional opinion!" Unfortunately I did this later than I could have and probably missed out on some pretty awesome stuff had I asked for help earlier. But I still asked for help. And next time I plan to actually collaborate with a professional.

Is my shoot still going to rock? You fricking bet it is!

But could it also be something totally awesome with an event planner? For sure!

There is no right or wrong. Alone or with someone else- doesn't matter. Both will be awesome! But just don't let yourself believe that asking for help or collaborating with someone means it isn't still your vision.

It is. It's just your vision developed side by side with someone who does this kind of thing for a living.

I'm a photographer! Not a party planner or set designer. What makes me think I should be able to do all of this without any issues? That's silly! And you shouldn't let yourself think that way either. ;)

Best,
Sarah

P.S. DO NOT even think about missing the shoot this weekend! Stay tuned to the facebook page to see sneak peeks!!

P.P.S. Any guesses as to the theme yet? If you get it right there might be a surprise in it for ya! ;)

Last clue before the reveal!

In case you missed the others: Part I, Part II, Part III, Part IV