Your dorm room becomes your new home while you are at college. Trying to think about the best way to decorate and personalize your room can get stressful. How can you transform a shared space into a relaxing, safe space for you to go back to every day?
Here are some suggestions to help you create the best dorm style for you. You would be surprised with how much you can do with just a limited amount of space.
Look for inspiration:
Pinterest has inspiration boards for every style. If you are feeling stuck, look at Pinterest for project and decorating ideas. Often the pins have links to a particular piece you may love and you can shop online for. YouTube is another good resource for step-by-step decoration tutorials. Some popular channels to look out for are House & Home and Ann Le (Anneorshine).
DIY projects:
Do It Yourself projects are great ways to style your dorm in a personal way. Not only can you create exactly what you want, DIYs are often more cost efficient. Some popular projects include self-made make-up holders, picture frames, desk organizers and macramé. They add a personal touch to your decorations.
Repurposing:
If you are a returning student, save some money and use the decorations that you had from last year. There’s nothing wrong with repurposing. If you have a new color theme, try painting any decorations that can be reused for a fresh look. If they are in great condition, why not try it?
If you are in a different resident hall building than you were last year, you can also decorate your room in a different style to create a new dynamic.
Bring from home:
You don’t have to buy all new decorations. You can save some money buy bringing some of your favorite pieces from home and setting them up to your room. It adds a personal flare and can make you feel a little more comfortable if you are feeling homesick. Whenever you feel stressed, you can have that piece of home with you.
Talk to your roommate:
Coordinate with your roommate to see if you can organize a set up for your room. You can also decide who is going to buy what for the room, such as a rug, extra seating, curtains or a TV. It’s also a good idea to have a layout in mind, so you aren’t trying to reorganize your room a more efficient way half way through the semester.
Buy and bring only what you need:
Remember that you are sharing a space with another person and your roommate will be bringing stuff with them, too. Try to limit your dorm shopping for what you need. You can always make a Target run or order something online if you have the space later. Your roommate and your wallet will thank you.
A suggestion would be to keep your room neat as you possible can. We are all guilty of having our room super messy at one point. You never know - one day you will have guests over and they will see the messiness of your room instead of all your hard work that you put into decorating it. You want your work to be acknowledged.
Do not feel like you have to have your room decorated and perfect right away either; take your time and create a space that you are comfortable and happy in. A comfortable dorm can positively impact other areas of your life, such as stress levels, health, and happiness.
Remember the key is to utilize your minimal space to its maximum potential. Do not be afraid to throw a little of your own style in. Moving in can be a mix of emotions but adding your own personal touch can make you feel right at home.
