Your dorm room is where you spend quite a bit of your time. Of course, it’s probably not uncommon for you to be at the library doing homework, grabbing dinner at your favorite dining hall, or going out for the weekend with your friends. But for those “Netflix and Chill” kind of nights, you and your friends will probably stay in for a movie and order a pizza. Here are 20 tips/items that will make your room the official hangout spot for your group of besties.
1) A Cute Comforter (get matching ones with your roommate if possible.)
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Your comforter is one of the main pieces of your dorm. It’s used for a huge piece of furniture in the room: your bed. Not only will you use it to sleep, but many of your friends will be sitting on it. If your roommate has the same one, or something similar to it, it will be easier to color coordinate with other objects in the room. Who wants to hangout in a color-clashing room, right?
2) Extra Lighting
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Rooms usually include awful fluorescent lighting, which is not very welcoming and cozy. Instead, use a floor lamp or set of string lights. They create the perfect homey feeling.
3) Storage, Storage, Storage
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Dorm rooms are tiny. You don’t have a lot of space to keep your stuff, and clutter is not an option if you want a spacious room for your friends to hangout in. Stacked drawers for your closet, shoe organizers, and underbed storage units are a must.
4) Bed Risers
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In order to keep storage under your bed, you will need to either loft it or raise it with bed risers. Storing items under the bed is a great way to conserve space, creating more room for more friends.
5) Seating
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Your friends need places to sit. Only so many people can fit on your bed. Foldable butterfly chairs are perfect since you can fold them up to keep under your bed until someone needs them. A storage ottoman is another great option. Not only is it a place to sit, but it is also a storage unit.
6) TV/Netflix
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You have to entertain your friends somehow. How else are you going to have awesome movie nights or viewing parties for The Bachelor?
7) A Small Speaker
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If you guys aren’t watching movies, you’re probably chilling with music in the background. There is no need for a huge sound system; a little wireless speaker is perfect.
8) Mini fridge
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This is essential for all your snacks and drinks. Who doesn’t love food?
9) Microwave
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Again, who doesn’t like food? This is a must-have in order to make popcorn on those movie nights. If possible, try sitting it on top of your mini fridge to save space.
10) Desk Organizers
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Your desk is a good place to sit and eat, so try to make it as clutter-free as possible. No one wants to hangout in clutter.
11) Cleaning Supplies
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I know this is college and you barely have time to eat, yet alone clean. But, a clean room gives you a clear mind and a better hangout spot. It doesn’t take too long to tidy things up to create a more welcoming space.
Here is a list of cleaning supplies that I use regularly:
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All-Purpose cleaning spray for any surface
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Lysol Disinfectant Spray
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Wet Wipes
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Paper Towels
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Swiffer Duster
12) Wall decor
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Make your room feel more like a home with personalized wall decor. Picture boards, maps, and cork boards with pictures are a great option.
13) Command Products
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In order to have wall decor, you need something to hang it with. Command products are a dorm room lifesaver. Specifically, I strongly recommend buying their hooks and adhesive picture strips, which make it a breeze to hang book bags and wall decor. And of course, it is damage free.
14) Dishes
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For all those nights you guys decide to order food, you’ll be happy that you have plates and silverware to eat it with. Depending on your preference, paper plates and plastic silverware will do, or a couple of Corelle plates and forks will work too. Just make sure you will wash them!
15) Area Rug
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This adds to that homey feeling and helps to cover up the awful tile that is usually in dorm rooms.
16) Curtains
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Most rooms come with a pull-down shade, but if yours is anything like mine, it is not very pretty. When you want some privacy, use some cute curtains instead. This way, you’ll also have a say in what color they are.
17) Air Freshener
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Or some way to make your room smell good. Small spaces tend to gain weird smells, so knock out those weird dorm room scents. No one wants to spend time in a small smelly room.
18) Situate Your Room So That There Is One Main Open Area
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Having one main open area makes it easier to socialize and have conversations. For example, try situating your bed against a wall, rather than having it face outward. Here is how my room is situated: