Contributed by Lindsay Shugerman, Catalogs.com Top 10 Guru

Dorm life is something no one is really prepared for.

If you shared a room with your sister or brother it might be a little easier. At least you’re used to negotiating for floor space and dealing with who controls the stereo and TV, or what time the lights go out.

But when you move into a dorm, it’s a whole new world. Instead of a sibling you’ve known for years, you’re suddenly sharing a room with someone you just met. And just outside your door, there are a couple hundred more people doing the same thing. Now what?

Here are a few ways to make adjusting to dorm life a little easier.

10. Communicate with your roommate before school starts

If your college provides you with contact information before the semester starts, use it to get to know your new roomie before you meet. Connect on Facebook or talk on the phone. This is also a good chance to coordinate on who’s bringing what for the room.

9. Bring familiar things

Make sure you bring a few familiar things from home when you head off for college. A favorite poster, stuffed animal, pillow or decoration can help you feel at home in your new surroundings.

8. Keep clutter under control

Odds are, the room you shared with your sibling was bigger than the dorm room. Since a dorm room is for sleeping, studying, eating and entertaining friends, it’s really important to keep it free from clutter.

Having baskets or bins for school supplies and papers, and making good use of closet space will make dorm life easier for you and your roommate.

7. Be prepared for shared bathrooms

One of the most uncomfortable parts of dorm life can be sharing a bathroom with strangers.

If you have one to share with just a roommate or a few suitemates, make sure you take your personal items out after you shower.

Whether you have share with only a few people or the whole floor, a plastic basket or tote can keep your stuff together and make it easy to carry.

6. Invest in good headphones

Noise is one of the hazards of dorm life, so a pair of good headphones are critical. Make sure the ones you pick keep noises out…and keep your music in. Nothing’s more annoying than the mosquito-like buzz of music coming from someone else’s headphones!

5. Keep healthy snacks on hand

Your waistline and your budget will benefit if you keep a supply of healthy snacks on hand. Not only will it head off the dreaded “freshman 15”, but you’ll save money by not ordering pizzas and Chinese food when the midnight munchies strike.

4.Keep laundry under wraps and up-to-date

There is no pretty way to say this. Dirty laundry stinks. Make sure your roommate doesn’t have to deal with your stinky socks and moldy towels by using a good hamper and keeping up on the wash. If you don’t know how to do laundry, learn before you leave for college.

3. Make use of a bulletin board

A good bulletin board is the best way to keep schedules and other important papers in sight. If your college doesn’t provide one for each student, inexpensive ones can be found at most craft and office supply stores.

2. Respect property and privacy

Just because your roommate isn’t there doesn’t mean you can use his TV or borrow her hair dryer. Respect for your roommate’s possessions and privacy is the best way to keep the peace in a dorm room.

1. Be considerate

Want to read at 2 a.m. and your roommate is asleep? Use a book light or go down to the common room. Does your roommate have an early class? Put on your headphones when the hour gets late.

Showing respect and consideration for your roommate and the other people in the dorm will make dorm life better for you and everyone else.