Moving to (or back to) college can be a stressful time for everyone. If you’re a freshman, this is a huge change in your life, and you may be moving pretty far from home. Even if you’re a sophomore or older, making your dorm room or apartment feel like home is not usually at the top of the moving to-do list. Don’t make the mistake of moving in bland dorm room for the first time with nothing but cute bedding and a few flameless candles for decor.
1. Fabric Scrap Garland
If you have a bare wall somewhere that needs a little dressing up, this incredibly easy fabric scrap garland is a perfect fit. All it takes is fabric and some twine. Get the instructions here.
2. Bar Stool Side Table
The furniture selection for the average dorm room is typically not the greatest. Spray paint that old bar stool your mom shoved into the storage room, wind some twine around the posts, and you have a new bedside table. Follow the step-by-step tutorial here.
3. Watermelon Doormat
Going to college in Minnesota means wet boots throughout the winter and spring months, making a doormat necessary to keep the floor in your room clean. This adorable watermelon doormat requires only some paint, a sponge, a plain doormat and some hope for warmer, summer days. Get the instructions here.
4. Embroidery Hoop Wall Art
This is a personal favorite. Embroidery hoop art is a go-to when I have wall space of any size to fill. Embroidery hoops with various fabrics in them are cheap and easy to hang on a dorm room or apartment wall. Watch the tutorial here.
5. Paint-Dipped Silverware
If you have roommates, consider dipping the ends of your silverware in different paint colors to both distinguish your silverware from theirs and to add a little uncommon excitement to your kitchen.
6. Star Burst Mirror
People visiting your dorm or apartment will never guess that this mirror is homemade. Not only will it be handy for doing your makeup in the morning, but it’s also way cuter than a boring store-bought wall mirror. Get the step-by-step here.
7. Clothespin Magnets
Even the least crafty person can dominate this DIY. If you claim to have no artistic skill, adding washi tape instead of painting the clothespins is an alternative option. Leave reminders for yourself or notes for your roomie with these adorable magnets.
8. Marbled Glassware
If the glasses you bought for your new dorm or apartment just don’t have enough flare, consider this marbled glassware revamp. Flat-bottomed glasses, nail polish and some tape is all you need for this adorable DIY. Find the full details here.
9. Square Hanging Planter
Even your succulents are getting a new home. This simple DIY is equally chic as it is space saving. Hang from under your lofted bed your by the ceiling with stick-on hooks. Adding plants to a room will make it feel cozier. Get the directions here.
10. Knot Pillows
If you can recall any of the tips you learned in junior high sewing class, then these knot pillows will be no problem. A futon without pillows is a futon that no one wants to sit on. These adorable knot pillows will trick everyone into thinking you paid top dollar for them. Be ready to own the moment when you break the news to your admirers that they can’t go out and buy their own, because these are handmade. Get the tutorial here.
Moving to college is equally stressful and exciting. Make sure to fight the homesickness you may feel with a dorm room or apartment that feels like a new home you’re happy to call your own.