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Coffee Table Couch Apartment Living Room Sunny
Coffee Table Couch Apartment Living Room Sunny
Anna Thetard / Her Campus
Style > Decor

Dorm Décor on a Budget

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Scranton chapter.

Figuring out a theme for your room, dorm, or apartment can be stressful, but I’m here to give you some tips and tricks to decorating your college space on a budget. Below are my top tips to hack the college dorm décor game. 

 

Find your theme: Starting is definitely the hardest part! 

1. Download Pinterest 

2. Search Pinterest by color, aesthetic, light, dark, or any other adjectives that you think might peak your interest 

3. Pin as many of your favorite images as you like and make them into a board 

4. Take a look at how all your images fit together and imagine how those colors and aesthetics will fit into your space 

5. Once you weed out images or add more, finalize your board, and you’ve got the color scheme and aesthetic down for your room! 

Buying Décor: My top five hacks to college décor shopping 

1. Five Below is the hidden gem of college dorm room shopping 

You can find adorable throw pillows for your bed at Five Below. They don’t usually cost more than five dollars and they’re super soft! Want soft lighting? They have salt rock lamps that give off an amazing orange glow, and Edison bulb string lights that are perfect for hanging. Check out your local Five Below or online for some great deals on cute décor 

2. Home Goods is my go to spot for everyday living items 

Kitchen décor, utensils, kitchen gadgets, and all things bathroom. They have amazing prices on those necessary functional items. 

3. My personal favorites are items found on Amazon 

An easy way to cover up a large blank wall is with party tinsel curtains. This super inexpensive item can glow up any dorm room, and doubles as the perfect spot for pictures with your besties. There are tons of options on amazon, most with their own adhesive and for less than ten dollars. 

Another favorite of mine are LED strip lights. These can really transform a room with just a click of a button. Amazon has many options and a lot of them for less than ten dollars 

4. DIY it: 

If you see an item you like, but it is out of budget, DIY it. This is an easy way to save money, and learn new skills, or spend time with a friend doing a craft. The best websites to find almost any DIY you could as for are YouTube, and Instructables. Be sure to wear proper protective equipment and allow a professional to handle any power tools if you are not familiar with them. 

5. Facebook market place: Bargains, Bargains, Bargains! 

Facebook market place is a great outlet to find used furniture for cheap or even for free. Most people are looking to get rid of their items quickly, which can help you negotiate a better price. If you see an item you like, but it isn’t exactly your style, don’t be afraid to DIY it to make your perfect item.

Alexa Bobko

Scranton '22

Carly Long

Scranton '22

Carly is a senior studying Strategic Communications with a concentration in Legal Studies at The University of Scranton. This is her third year as CC at HC Scranton, which she hopes to continue to elevate. In her free time Carly can be found writing, working out, or buying new products to feed her skincare addiction.