How to turn your small space into a comfy, cool hangout
How can you make your dorm room feel like home this year without taking out a second student loan? Let me show you the way. I channeled my inner Elle Woods and came up with five ways to create the dorm room of my dreams without spending a lot. My goal? Turn that bland, industrial space into a cozy between-class retreat.
I never thought about living in a dorm when I was applying to schools. I thought about academics, extracurricular activities, and the caliber of the schools’ a cappella programs (I don’t sing, but Pitch Perfect is my favorite movie). Really, I thought of everything except the space I would actually live in. So when I first stumbled into my new dorm on East Campus and saw where I would spend the next year, I was floored.
It was tiny. So tiny! So much smaller than I expected. And bland. The walls were bare, the natural light nonexistent, and half the room was taken up by a lumpy mattress on a bed frame.
Even though I brought a caravan on Move-In Day, I was not prepared. Since then, I have spent hours searching for the perfect combination of beauty, functionality and value for my dorm room. I haven’t found everything yet—it may take me all four years—but these fun, modern pieces get me a step closer.
1.   Late night and early class? I prefer my caffeine fix to come in pretty packaging: a customizable Tervis tumbler ($25). Decorate your formerly bland desk with this mug and receive 10% off at Tervis.
2.   For a cute and simple way to organize your overflowing study space, select this It’s About Thames Desk Organizer ($54.99 at ModCloth). Just a glance at it will transport you across the pond when that chemistry homework seems overly daunting.
3.   Hang these Eyelet Paper Lanterns ($10–$15 each at PBTeen) to lighten up your formerly dingy dorm room.
4.   Place these fabric drawers ($5.39–$14.99 each at Target) under your bed for much-needed extra storage.
5.   For a little color and a lot of fun, add one of these posters from oBaz ($15 each) to your walls. Save $25 off orders of $100 or more at oBaz with a coupon.