For most college students, “dorm room” is synonymous with miniscule concrete block overflowing with clothes, textbooks, and approximately 3 months worth of laundry (sorry, mom). Last year, that was my dorm room too. This year, I came to college determined to set up a space that would be cozy, organized, and fun to spend time in: a room that felt like a home. And it paid off! So, I want to invite you on a virtual tour of my room and share some tricks I’ve discovered– it is possible to fit all your stuff into a 90-square-foot room and still have space to do a downward-facing dog.
Bed
Your bed takes up takes up a lot of real estate, and the colors you pick set the tone for the rest of the space, so pick a bedspread you love, and one with colors that match the rest of your furniture and decorations. Add some complementary throw pillows for extra coziness and charm– I love my yogibos, but you can bring pillows from home or check out local thrift shops or school tag sales for cheap options. I also use a storage ottoman as a moveable nightstand, but a cute antique-shop trunk or crate could work just as well. Fuzzy bedside rugs add coziness and make it easier to step out of bed on frosty winter mornings (I brought mine from home).
Storage
When you have a tiny room, under-bed storage is key. Check if you can ‘loft’ your bed, or opt for risers. Basic plastic crates are great (and cheap) for long-term storage like luggage or off-season clothes; for things you want access regularly, I use wheeled baskets that are easy to roll in and out (because who wants to deal with a lid between you and your favorite sweatpants when you have an 8am class?).
Cloth crates are a great versatile way to store books, supplies, clothes, and more. They fit anywhere, fold flat for storage and transportation, and if you pick a color that goes with your room theme, they’re decorative too.
And now we come to my pride and joy. . . my plants. I’ve managed to keep these babies alive for almost a year despite a less-than green thumb. A couple of potted plants are more than just great decoration: they can actually filter your air to keep your room oxygenated and fresh. Peace lilies are especially recommended as air purifiers, and mine has been incredibly resistant to my habitual neglect. Look for plant sales at local nurseries to pick up cheap seedlings.
Closet
Bins and shoe racks are especially great for closet organization. I love this expanding shoe rack because you can adjust it to fit any size closet, and it fits three tiers of shoes.
Last year I kept all of my jewelry, hair, and makeup supplies in a re-purposed box that was supposed to hold tea bags. Eco-friendly? Yes. Accessible? No. I had to take everything off my dresser to even open it, which basically meant I didn’t wear any of it. One of my greatest finds this year was an over-door mirror with space inside to store all of my accessories. The bulletin board works amazingly as a stud-earring organizer, and I’ve decreased the amount of time I spend looking for matching earrings by approximately 397%
Kitchen Essentials
A mini fridge and stacking dresser make a perfect mini-kitchen in a dorm: kitchen tools can be stored in a crate or the dresser when you’re not using them (or when your hot-water kettle is a “fire hazard”. . . shhh…). My all-time favorite kitchen gadget is my mini-vitamix: I love making homemade smoothies, shakes, green-tea lattes and other recipes in my room. A vitamix is definitely more of an investment than anything else in my room, but in my opinion it’s well worth it (and with a 7-year warranty, it’ll probably last you into your first real house). Consider asking for one next holiday from a non-broke relative.
When you have a tiny room, vertical space is critical. I bought a towel rack to hang on the back of my door, only to find that the door was too thick. I hung it over the ledge on the side of my dresser instead.
Mood
There’s no nice way to say it: fluorescent lights suck. One of the quickest (and cheapest) ways you can transform the ambience of your room is with a strand or two of white christmas tree lights.
And so we come to the end of the tour. I hope you enjoyed the adventure, and maybe even found some tricks to love your room even more. Dorm hacks I missed? Share them in the comments below!