College dorms and apartments are small. When you live in such a confined space making it comfortable and personable can make a huge difference in productivity and good moods. Here are some things that worked for me!
Choose a color scheme
I love tertiary colors so I chose pink, red and purple for my room and loved the way it turned out. The colors together give it a really comfortable, warm and homey feel and the things I didn’t use in my bedroom worked perfectly in the common room.
Red is the color for passion, love and career ambition. And pink is all about the romantic and positive and emotional health. It’s also the color for Taurus, which is my zodiac sign! Finally, purple is for power, ambition and self-assurance, which is why it was favored by kings. These colors combined make for the perfect energy for a college kid just trying to make it work.
Add some things you love!
I love crystals and plants so I have them all over my room. On my window sill, on my bookshelf, my dresser, etc. I have fake plants so I don’t have to worry when I forget to water them. I also raided the halloween section of Target and got some cute, decorative skulls for my room (not for halloween, I just like them). I have posters and prints from art festivals on my walls and a framed picture of me and my boyfriend on my dresser.
Filling your room with things that make you happy is so important when making your room a safe haven. Knick-knacks, things that remind you of home or just things you think look nice.
Lights!
No one likes fluorescent lights, get some lamps and twinkle lights so you can turn off your overhead to get romantic lighting for some alone time with yourself. Salt lamps are great because they give off a soft orange glow, while purifying the air you’re breathing.
Don’t forget to open your curtains during the day to let in that natural light.
Get crafty
Nothing adds a personal touch like something handmade. For me, I love all things that have to do with yarn. I have macrame wall hangings, a hand-knit blanket on my bed and I learned how crochet little pumpkins and I am obsessed with making them. I also tie dyed a throw pillowcase and I get compliments on it constantly.
Browse through Pinterest, go to Joann Fabrics and find something you can have fun making, it makes all the difference and adds a special touch to your room.
Invest in your bed
Get a good mattress pad so you aren’t sleeping on a hard and uncomfortable mattress. Get two sets of sheets so you have a backup on laundry day (I highly recommend Bare Home Premium Sheets, available on Amazon). Get extra blankets for winter and definitely consider a nice heated blanket, it’s heaven. Throw pillows are a must, I have a total of seven pillows on my bed, including my regular pillow and my pillow pet and it puts my bed at a whole other level.
Sneaky storage
Cute storage is the best storage. I’m a big knitter so I have a cute ottoman to put my supplies in. It doubles as a step stool for my bed and extra seating for anyone who comes to visit.
If you have a desk, an organizer is a must. I have a desk organizer where I keep my glasses, essential oils, Q-tips and a slot to keep my mail. It acts as storage and a cute display on my desk.
Cloth cubes fit in closets or shelves and are great for storing things you don’t use everyday. I have two on top of my closet and two in the shelves in my living room.
Get some good smells!
Whether it’s air fresheners, diffusers or **forbidden** candles and incense, having something to freshen up your space when it gets stuffy can make your room way more luxurious. You can get cheap candles and diffusers at marshalls and tjmaxx. Five below sells pretty incense boxes, I have one on my shelf, as well as a bunch of different incense sticks.
**If you wanna make your shower a little more luxurious as well, take some lavender essential oil, or whatever scent you like, and put a few drops on the floor of a hot shower and let the fragrance relax you.
Start a pinterest board
Pinterest is where I get 90% of my inspiration, I go on pinterest more than social media. Not only is it full of great ideas, no matter what your style is, but it’s a great place to scroll through when twitter gets to be too much. I have a pinterest board for pretty much everything, but I have one for home inspo and dorm decor where I got a bunch of ideas for my room.