You’ve moved in for another year (or your very first year) here at the University of Alabama, and fall semester is upon us. You’ve spent oodles of hours looking at Pinterest and Anthropologie and Target to attempt to capture that new semester you in your dorm decor. The comforter, the curtains, the cozy Christmas lights were all painstakingly selected in the weeks leading up to your move-in…but did you forget something? That boring, blasé corkboard that’s hanging above your desk is really cramping your style. But lucky for you, we happen to have a curated list of the most heart-eye inducing bulletin boards on Pinterest. Take your pick, collegiette!
1) The Headboard Bulletin Board
Are you guilty of hitting snooze one too many times? Do you seem to be perpetually late to your 8 AM? Consider putting your bulletin board directly by your headboard. The example above is adorable but functional. Hang your hat where you rest your head to avoid some serious bedhead in the mornings. Keep important papers and homework in a pinned folio so you never forget your thesis again. Don’t forget your Alabama pennant and your sorority letters as some spirited decoration.
2) The Small Spaces Pinboard
Living with a roommate means things can be a bit cramped already. But don’t let the traditional dorm living get you down! Utilize those nooks and crannies, collegiette! Take the space on the wall beside your desk or your dresser and make it your own. You can get cheap fabric from any hobby store to cover up the old corkboard underneath, and a few cute pins and pictures will have the place looking like home already! Don’t forget some posters, washi tape and a cute calendar to keep you up to date on all the home games this season!
3) The Vision Bulletin Board
If you log on to Pinterest more than you log on to Blackboard, a vision board you can curate might be the move for you. Print off your favorite pictures, quote, logos, celebrities, dog pics, really anything that you can think of. Pin them all over your corkboard and accentuate with some pictures from home as well! The idea here is to not be able to see any of the corkboard underneath. Make it a modge-podge of images that perfectly encapsulate your personality.
4) The Calendar Corkboard
Your classes are starting to get a little overwhelming, and your Lilly Pulitzer planner just isn’t cutting it. Make a mega calendar using your corkboard! You can use stickers and washi tape or string to create a calendar from your corkboard, and you can pin notes, your class schedule, birthdays, tailgates and more all in one place. You’ll be able to glance at your day before you walk out the door, which means less chances of showing up to your Wednesday 10 AM on a Tuesday.
5) The Minimalist Makeover
Brown bulletin boards not quite your style? Looking for something a bit more mature? Wire boards provide all the functionality of a corkboard, with a little less bulk. Invest in some cute post-it notes and some unique postcards to hang from binder clips so you stay organized all while being the envy of everyone on your hall. The wire puts a modern spin on the tried and true bulletin board, while clipping pictures and notes rather than pinning them means no more holes in your pictures and letters! Win-win.
6) The Tiled Board
When you’re looking for variety, this corkboard has all that and then some. There’s a place for everything here, which makes this board appealing for any collegiette! Organization is key, so having your calendar, important notes, assignments and due dates all on one wall cuts down on the class confusion that comes with starting a new semester. This model from Pottery Barn is no longer available, but any dedicated DIYers will find this a fun and simple weekend project.
7) The Itty Bitty Boards
If you’re a sucker for anything miniature like me (Hello? Have you seen tiny cooking??) then you’ll love these darling coaster corkboards. You can take coasters made of corkboard (Ikea has a pack of 3 for 4 bucks!) and use paint and tape to decorate them with bright colors and shapes! There’s an ultra helpful tutorial here for those who want to get crafty. These might turn out so well, you may not want to pin anything to them!
8) The Picture Pinboard
This one is for all the Instagram fanatics. Recreate your feed using your favorite pictures and some string lights. Print out some polaroids using a photo printer or at your local drug store (Walgreens and CVS can hook up to your Facebook or Instagram from their kiosks) and stick them to your board with sticky tack. Take it one step further and add some funny captions and your own likes, and finish it off with a string of blinking lights.
9) The One-Stop Shop Board
If you’re dangerously crafty and are itching for a new project, take on this ultra cool up-cycled board. It has everything a typical bulletin board would have, with a few upgrades. Add a shelf and a curtain rod to hold postcards and class syllabi. Screw some hooks underneath to hold your keys and wristlets when you get home from classes. Don’t forget to pin a few of your favorite prints above to really make this piece your own!
10) The Chalkboard Corkboard Combo
You’re a traditional kind of gal, and what’s more traditional or collegiate-y than chalkboards? Instill a little of that old school charm in your dorm with this chalkboard/corkboard combination. It’ll give your dorm a neat rustic feel, all while keeping you organized! Though you can easily craft this with some chalkboard paint, Target has this style available online for 25 bucks!