College Dorm Room Tour + Tips for Living in a Small Space
First off, I wanted to give you a feel for MY home away from home/extremely narrow and very wooden rectangle. When I say this entire room wouldn’t stand a chance in a fire, I mean it would fuel the fire more than a forrest—it’s THAT wooden.
To combat the outdated furniture and overall taupe/light brown color, I chose to keep my white and gold theme from last year to match the space while keeping it clean and as ‘modern’ as possible.
In my old Dorm Room Haul video on my channel, you’ll find a lot of the same pieces I purchased last semester to use and decorate this year's space. Marble touches are my absolute favorite and by far the best way to make a tabletop/side table look classy.
My bed is both my desk, sleeping space, prayer corner, and the unofficial lazy-girl clubhouse for the Netflix-obsessed. As a quick DIY project, I purchased two frames from JoAnn’s to frame a quote, "be still, my soul" on white poster board.
Being able to walk into my room and immediately see this message has undoubtedly saved me from allowing difficult days to affect my night. Then, with the added fairy lights around the headboard of my bed and fluffy pillows, I’m good to go for homework and Game of Thrones marathons.
Next up, tips! I’ve been in a dorm room for three of my four years in college, with my sophomore year in a one-bedroom apartment that robbed me of my coins. Because of this, I feel like I know enough about the 'dorm room game' to know what is and isn't necessary.
Before I start, cheers to you if you were able to make your room look like HGTV threw up in it. I’m sure plenty of you have or have seen some of these incredibly decorated rooms that leave you wondering where students find the coins to hire a designer. All jokes aside, making a space your own doesn’t always have to cost an extravagant amount of money or mean stuffing a room with STUFF.
So, grudgingly, I might hurt some feelings with this first tip...
Clutter Isn’t Practical
I used to believe that clutter was the only way to make my space look ‘like me.’ I felt like two to three geometric pieces next to a pencil holder, a vase of flowers, and paperwork organizer was not only ‘cute,’ but trendy. When, in reality, it ended up becoming unwanted clutter during my freshman year that never saw the light in my future apartment.
I learned that clean and empty spaces make you feel a whole lot better in a smaller dorm room, especially when your academic life is chaotic.
So, I challenge you to clear off your desk and place some books, a lamp, decor piece, and something else that is practical ( or can be used on a daily basis).
DIY Projects Save Lives
I’m not the DIY’er that can be caught buying painters tape and fabric at Michaels to create a custom mural for my wall (or whatever Buzzfeed’s Nifty channel is inspiring us to do). I did realize, after completing my first major and extremely underwhelming project, that DIY’ing is a thing. A very fun thing.
I encourage you to search Pinterest or Etsy (even social media hashtags like #dormroomideas or #dormroomdecor) for inspo on how to save a coin and personalize your room in a unique way.
From DIY pillows with funky fabrics to do-it-yourself fake flower arrangements or customized artwork, anything that’s google-able is do-able. (That should definitely be a tweet-able). Hahaha...No?
Use Furniture to Hide the Ugly Stuff
Lengthy extension cords and bulky items tend to steal the attention away from the decor that matters. I would suggest using your furniture to your advantage by taping cords to the back of any desks or dressers, making your life easier when plugging/unplugging while hiding those unnecessary lines.
I also like storing random objects behind my furniture, like extra shoes, poster boards, brooms, and other cleaning supplies that don’t fit under my sink or in extra drawers.
Pillows, Blankets, and Rugs. Enough Said.
This last tip is my favorite because of how homey these items make a small dorm room feel. There’s nothing wrong with having eight pillows and two decorative blankets thrown over a comforter. There’s also nothing wrong with large rugs (as long as they match your theme).
Without a doubt, the quickest way to make you space FEEL better is something that can make you physically feel more comfortable overall. So, get your butt to Target and buy that $30 blanket that has been calling your name for years. Just do it.
That’s all I have for this post, but encourage you to visit my YouTube channel for more college-related videos and tips! I’m officially a senior in college and can’t wait to share more about this journey with you all. It hasn’t been easy, but it is all very worth it.
Best of luck with your rooms (and roommates)!
Kick butt this semester.
