I don’t know about anyone else, but as the days get shorter and the nights get colder, all I want is be cozy, which means that I spend the majority of my free time in my room. As an on-campus sophomore, I know all too well just how hard it can be to make a dorm room feel like home, but thankfully I’ve figured out a few tips and tricks for how to make that space your own without breaking the bank.
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Fairy Lights
Two words: Fairy. Lights. For some reason, when I was going into my freshman year, I didn’t believe everyone when they told me how truly awful the overhead lighting was. I was wrong. The beauty of fairy lights, though, is that they are cheap AND they pack a punch. In this picture I have two strands up, but I don’t think I paid more than $15 bucks for both of them. My favorites are the Christmas icicle lights from Target, which last for a long time, too.
2. Bedding
Before freshman year started, I was convinced that I could roll up with the one pillow I sleep with and a comforter, and that would be all I needed. Thank God for my mom, though, because she convinced me that I needed more than just a pillow or two. Because I spend most of the time that I’m in my room on my bed, having a bunch of super comfy pillows makes such a difference. They also make the room feel more put together.
3. The Desk
Honestly, this space is the most fun for me to decorate because I have a decent amount of space to work with, which allows for fun and creative decorating. For me, a wide, empty desktop makes the space feels cold and impersonal, so I like to put little trinkets and things on my printer for a cute appearance (while within easy reach). I also put a painting there that my sister helped me make, because it looks pretty and reminds me of home. For me, this space is all about dual function: workspace and sitting area.
4. Stuffed Animals
Now, I know this one’s a little bit weird, but bear (ha) with me for a minute. When I made the decision to go to Virginia Tech, I essentially decided to move six hours away from the town that I had known all my life. Predictably, I was a little freaked out, so when I was planning what to bring to school I knew that stuffed animals would be a good way to bring a piece of home with me. They serve as a reminder of familiarity and home, while also serving a cute decorative function. Plus, who doesn’t love Branch from Trolls??
5. Wall Space
Finally, and most importantly, wall space. The biggest disappointment in my dorm room was the empty white walls. Something about the giant, blank space felt impersonal to me. My solution? Cover them up as much as physically possible. My favorite way to do this? Pictures. It’s really cheap and easy to get a bunch of prints from a place like CVS, and I really like using things like washi tape or twine and command hooks to hang them. By doing this, you are covering up that empty wall space while also getting to look at some of your favorite memories. Bonus: I just discovered a newfound love for hanging my favorite tweets on my wall––right now they’re mostly from Lin Manuel Miranda (because his twitter wins at everything and they’re also hella motivating). Even if they’re just tweets, or things that you find funny, they help get rid of those white walls while giving you something enjoyable to look at.
Making your dorm room feel like home can be a bit tricky, but the most important thing to do is to make sure that YOU like the way it looks. If you don’t like the space you’re living in, you’re not going to want to spend time there. For me, my room is all about incorporating touches of home with the things I need to be functional. For others, their room is all about functionality. All that matters is that you’re comfortable and happy in your own space.
All photos are author’s own.