Sit down, relax, and read this article, because you earned it. Move in is finally over. Hopefully, the majority of you are settled in and are satisfied with you room. Throughout the first two weeks of school, some of you may also have found it difficult to keep it clean or are annoyed that your roommate doesn’t understand the definition of clean. Leave it to the boys to have grungy, gross, and boring rooms. Although I don’t live in the dorms anymore, I just moved into the sorority house where every girl’s room is decorated cutely. Not that it’s a competition or anything, but you obviously want yours to stand out and get noticed. The same goes for wherever you live, whether it’s on-campus or off-campus housing. Here are some simple tricks that will help.
Decorating your dorm
Color, color, color! With those blank, prison-looking walls staring back at you, life can feel a little depressing. Even if you only like the color purple (no pun intended), the more color you add, the better. While IKEA and PBTeen may be all cute and fun, there’s no need to buy everything for your room there. Although we all want to live the lifestyle of Blair Waldorf from Gossip Girl, it is hard to come by and unattainable at the moment. For now, let’s keep dreaming. You can find things just as good for less expensive prices. Instead, hit up Waterford. Start at Bed Bath & Beyond and work your way down, ending at Target – or how I like to call it, Targé. You’ll find stores in between such as TJ Maxx, Ross, Kirkland, and Stalhi (if you’re Greek). Whatever you don’t find there, you should definitely be able to get at Wal-Mart.
• Cover up your carpet (that the color of has to be called “puke”) or those dull tiles with a pretty rug.
• Wall décor is another important thing. There is not enough space for everything to sit on top of your dressers, desk, or floor. Shelves and cork boards serve as great decorations.
• Add in an extra pillow or two and maybe even a throw blanket to dress up your bedding
• Kill the lights, please. The lighting is terrible and does nothing for you, except maybe depress you. Buy yourself a cute lamp to avoid that feeling.
Keeping it Organized
Congratulations, you just made a new best friend. Her name is Storage. Anything that condenses things into your new, tiny living space that you now share with someone is something that is definitely going to help you out. Lofting your bed helps create more storage space. I know all you fashionistas have a ton of shoes, clothes, and accessories, and your sorry excuse of a closet doesn’t meet the space requirements.
Use these things to place them in:
• Cotton bins
• Shoe organizer
• Storage bin drawers
• Storage ottoman
Also, keep in mind that your bed is the main point of your bedroom. So, even though you’re going to sleep in it tonight, maybe even have a nice nap in like, three hours – make your bed. Not to sound like your mom right now, but it really does make all the difference.