Decorating Your Dorm Room on a Budget

One of the biggest adjustments for students aside from starting College itself is adjusting to the small confined space of a dorm room. Whether you are rooming with another student or on your own, your dorm room can get crowded and cluttered. Even on the tightest of budgets, you can easily decorate your dorm making it organized, practical and stylish on the tightest of budgets. All you need is a little creativity and the basic organization rules to get you set up.

Before you set out shopping, you will want to keep this important detail in mind — Organization. You will want to purchase pieces that are both stylish and can offer the ability to create extra storage in your living space. For instance, instead of buying that really cool coffee table, consider purchasing a vintage trunk or ottoman. That way you can quickly and efficiently organize all of your textbooks and other school related items. If you cannot find a trunk or ottoman that fits within your budget, try and find a coffee table that has shelving underneath for extra storage space.

Having at least one shelf in your dorm room is an important aspect for any student wanting to stay on top of things. You can easily find inexpensive shelving at Wal-Mart, IKEA or even better, thrift stores. Split the cost of the shelf with your roommate to make it even more cost-effective. Summer garage sales are also great options for great deals.

Just because you are in a small space, doesn’t mean you can’t entertain. Even in the smallest of spaces, seating options are always available to you. There are some pretty interesting space-saving pieces out there including round coffee tables with seating options that slip underneath when not in use. You can also purchase large cushions, bean bags or even one long couch to keep your space clean-lined and clutter free. You can also get some great ideas from IKEA.

Here are some more tips to make your space seem larger and airy:

• Wall or stand up mirrors

• Round area rungs to anchor the space and create the illusion of invisible walls

• Try and purchase furniture that serves multiple purposes. A table that also serves as a desk and a bed frame that also serves as storage space

• Purchase a collapsible, folding shoe rack to organize all of your footwear

• Wherever you see a door, hang multiple hooks on the back of them. These are great for everyday items like robes, pajamas and towels

• Organize your toiletries by purchasing a plastic bath tote. This is very handy when you need to quickly head down the hall to the common bathroom. Don’t forget to include your washcloths, shampoos, moisturizers etc

• Try to keep all of your furniture in neutral colors. This will help the space appear larger. To make your space pop with color introduce your favorite colors with accessories like rugs, drapes, cushions ad throws

•Raising the bed with cinder blocks will not only make your space appear larger, but it will also give your dorm room that sunken living room feel

• Instead of having post it notes and papers lying all around your dorm that quickly clutters up your space opt for an oversize dry-erase board to keep you on track

• Install inexpensive shelving in your closet to utilize space

As you can see there are numerous ways to create the illusion of more space and keeping your life organized at College. There are also multiple resources online where you can get great tips – so get shopping and happy decorating!

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3. Healthy Snacking In Your Dorm

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