With the fall semester rapidly approaching, dorm décor is at the forefront of every collegiette’s mind. If you’re anything like me, you’ve already spent most of the money you made this summer on new clothes, shoes, and (unfortunately) textbooks, leaving little to work with when it comes to turning your dorm room into a more unique space that really feels like home.
That being said, it’s time to get crafty! I’ve put together a few DIY decoration ideas that are cheap, easy to make, and most importantly: completely customizable to reflect your personality.
1. Photo Collages
This is probably the easiest way to bring a little bit of home with you to Boston. Start by creating an album of all your favorite pictures of you and your girls, and get them printed. Once you have all your pictures ready to go, there’s a thousand ways to make a collage. Personally, I like to get a poster board and cut it into a fun shape – like a heart or the first letter of your name. You can cut the pictures and fit them together over the board like a puzzle. I recommend getting these types of collages laminated or framed – that way they won’t get ruined throughout the year and can easily be reused.
2. Wall Quotes
Let’s face it – we all have certain song lyrics, mottos, and movie quotes that we are totally inspired by. Use these quotes to create cute wall hangings that you can look at every morning before you head out to face the day. Stop by your local arts and crafts store and get a small canvas and some fabric paint in your favorite colors. I usually like a neutral background (white, beige, black) and a bright color to write in (pink, turquoise, yellow). If you don’t trust your handwriting, grab some stencils or wooden letters for an eye-catching 3D effect.
3. Paint Chip Art
This is something my lovely roommate did in our room last year, and I absolutely loved it. She constantly got compliments on how cool and different her wall looked, and it really helped transform our dorm room into our own little space. All you have to do is go to your local home improvement store and start “borrowing” paint chips. Pick a color, or a few complimentary colors, and try and get all different shades. How many you need depends on how big of a space you want to cover. Once you get the paint chips up on your wall, consider hanging Christmas lights from the ceiling – they reflect really nicely off all the colors and brighten up the room even more!
Helpful Hint: If you’re going to be trying out any of these DIY decorations, stock up on 3M storage tape. It’s super easy to use, can hold up to a few pounds, and won’t ruin your walls at the end of the year.