i’m going back to college in a few weeks, and although there are a lot of things i am looking forward to, decorating my dorm room is definitely at the top of my list. this post is for anyone else who is excited to decorate their room!
consider your space
if your room is set up the way mine is, you might only have half a room (assuming you have a roommate), a bed, a desk, and a dresser. it is important to decorate your room to work with the amount of space you have.
some tips if you don’t have a lot of room:
loft your bed, if possible/allowed. this allows you to put your desk, dresser, mini-fridge, etc. underneath your bed. a downside to this is it takes a little more effort to climb into bed, but it does allow for more floor space, which is probably worth it.
don’t overpack! this is more of a packing tip than a decorating tip, but a room with too many things in it can look cluttered. so keep in mind what you are provided. if you don’t have many drawers in your dresser and you don’t have a large closet, don’t bring more clothes than you absolutely need, for example.
communicate with your roommate ahead of time. some items can be shared. for example, only one of you might need to bring a tv or a fridge. sharing these things might allow you to have more room space.
also! think about wall space! do you know if you have tall ceilings? if so, you might have more room for posters/art/banners. if not, you might not want to bring too many wall items, but you definitely should put some things on your wall. (sidenote, keep in mind what your college allows. you most likely will need to buy command strips or command hooks to hang things, because most schools will not allow holes in the walls)
consider your aesthetic
this is my personal favorite part of decorating a room. like your blog theme or your bullet journal, your bedroom can be designed to fit your exact aesthetic preferences!
have a color scheme! get items that complement each other. you can get matching bedding, rugs, etc. that bring your room together.
let your room represent your personality. this is easiest to accomplish through the items you hang on your walls. you can get posters and art that you find aesthetically pleasing, and you can get posters of your favorite musicians, etc. it really is all up to you.
even simple decorations can go a long way. just putting magnets you like on your fridge can make your room look less like a boring dorm room and more like your room. hanging lights above your bed can change the appearance of your room a lot more than you might think.
as a member of the studyblr community, which i assume you are, you might like to put a lot of effort into your desk space. keep a balance between aesthetic and efficience. have motivational posters above your desk, keep your desk organized and looking nice, etc. and you can decorate your desk with succulents!!
consider your budget
you might be reading this and thinking “lmao i’m barely able to afford the necessities, let alone my aesthetic preferences.” if so, here are some tips on how to decorate your room without spending your entire life savings
make your own decorations! pinterest will probably be your best friend if you decide to do this. there are a lot of diy decorations for dorm rooms. you can find creative ways to hang pictures, or you can make creative wall art yourself. this is also a great way to have a more personalized room
go to thrift shops. you never know what you might find, but it could be good!
some smaller decorations (like i mentioned before) aren’t too expensive anyway. potted succulents don’t cost too much, and they’re typically cheap. using washi tape around your room (especially in the desk area) can transform the look of your room entirely.
transform! so many items can be turned into other items. use a sheet or some other kind of fabric as a tapestry. use cans and mugs and jars to hold things, like pens and pencils. simple paintings and pictures can look so much nicer when put in a frame. be creative!
