It is inevitable that when you initially enter your dorm room, you will be disappointed by how dreary and drab everything appears; however, once you make the room your own by adding your own personal touches and decorations, it is possible to transform the room from prison cell to a fun and exciting place you can call home. Here are 15 items I suggest adding to your room!
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A Tapestry: There are plenty of cute, cheap tapestries on Amazon or other websites that can be easily attached to the walls by pinning them with tacks or double-sided tapes. There is a tapestry to match any room set up imaginable! When I first moved in, I felt like my side of the room looked like a jail cell until I put my tapestry on the wall. The tapestry serves to beautify the dingy, dirty dorm walls and add a pop of color.
Photo by Brianna Walton
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A Rug: While I prefer a furry rug, almost any rug can make a huge difference in the room. They can be found online and in stores such as TJ Maxx, Walmart, and Target. The addition of any rug can really pull a room together by taking the attention away from the boring dorm floor.
Photo by Sonnie Hiles on Unsplash
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Curtains: These can be used to provide more privacy in the room as well as to provide a more put together, sophisticated look for the room. You can buy them in Bed Bath & Beyond, Kohls, Target, JCPenney, and many other stores.
Photo by Steinar Engeland on Unsplash
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A cute lamp or or desk light: A lamp provides a softer alternative to the harsh and overbearing lights coming from the overhead bulbs. These can be found in TJ Maxx, Target, Walmart, Big Lots, etc.
Photo by James Pond on Unsplash
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An extra chair: If you have the space, adding an extra chair can not only give you more options to sit comfortably in your room, but it also allows you to provide your friends with an area to sit that isn’t your bed or desk. These can be found in TJ Maxx, Burlington, Walmart, Target, etc.
Photo by Sonnie Hiles on Unsplash
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Posters: Posters are a very fun way to personalize your room by decorating it with your own interests. These interests can include music artists, TV shows, movies, or artwork. These can be bought in stores such as Five Below, Hot Topic, Walmart, and other online stores including Amazon.
Photo by Ellen Auer on Unsplash
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Throw Pillows: This year, I have added a ton of throw pillows on my bed, which gives off the JCPenny These can be found in stores such as Ross, Five Below, TJ Maxx, Target, Walmart, and even Dollar Tree.
Photo by DESIGNECOLOGIST on Unsplash
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Throw Blanket: While these can serve as decor, personally, I find it easier to sleep during the winter when I have my comfy, fluffy throw blanket to sleep. These can be bought at Burlington, Target, Walmart, Kohls, etc.
Photo by Kari Shea on Unsplash
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Succulents or other plants: Plants are a fun way to make your room greener and your air cleaner! You can buy them at Flower shops, Walmart, TJ Maxx, etc.
Photo by DESIGNECOLOGIST on Unsplash
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Desk Accessories: These can include anything from pen holders to tape dispensers and even document trays. The can be found in stores such as Office Depot, TJ Maxx, Target, Walmart, Dollar Tree etc.
Photo by Ella Jardim on Unsplash
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Whiteboard or Regular Calendar: These might not be as aesthetically pleasing as other things on the list but they are extremely practical. They can be placed above your desk to help to stay on top of your deadlines. They can be bought in Office Depot, Walmart, Target, etc,
Photo by Charles Deluvio ???? on Unsplash
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Photos of Family and Friends: While they can’t be bought anywhere, it’s always a nice way to add a personal touch to your room. It can also help you avoid missing your family members and friends back at home while you’re on campus. You can frame these photos if you want using frames from stores such as Dollar Tree, Kohls, Walmart, etc.
Photo by Mike Marquez on Unsplash
- Christmas Lights: I tend to place my Christmas lights around my tapestry, however, they can also be placed in other areas like across the top of the wall, and around window sills. These can be bought at Target, Walmart, Amazon, etc.
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Mirror: While some dorms such as the dorms in Walters, Winship and Inman do already have mirrors full body, others do not. If there is not one in your dorm, you definitely cannot go wrong with buying one so you can see how your outfit looks in its entirety. If you already have a full body mirror in your dorm, a smaller one makes it much easier to do your makeup. They also are painted with fun borders to match your room. They can be bought at KMart, Target, Walmart, Amazon, etc.
Photo by James Lindsay on Unsplash
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A vase with faux or real flowers: These can be easily and cheaply made with items from the Dollar Tree, but they can also be bought premade at Walmart, TJ Maxx, Target etc.