Whether you’re living in an on-campus dorm or an off-campus apartment, no girl likes a bare room, right?
At some point in your life, you are probably going to spend time living with another person—or more. You might be sharing a bedroom or a bathroom, or maybe just a living room and kitchen; either way, there’s going to be some shared space! Whatever your situation, it’s important that everyone feels at home in their home.
There are plenty of ways to bring color, creativity, and personality into your communal areas and make everyone feel comfortable and included. Oh…you and your roommate have nothing in common? Think again! Since you are both here living in Tallahassee, chances are you are a student at one of the three schools in town. Why not deck out your living room with college paraphernalia? A little garnet and gold may bring out the best in both of you!
Before Elana and I moved into our freshman dorm, she asked me what color scheme I was going with (to avoid clashing!) My bedding was purple and gray. Hers was pink and black. We met in the middle and agreed to get a neutral gray rug and pink room accessories. I guess “girly” was what we had in common!
With our basic color scheme accomplished, we began getting to know each other a little better. As she unpacked, I remember seeing tons of items with Disney Princesses on them: wall stickers, lanyards, blankets, and anything else an 8-year-old girl would have. Alright, she was basically obsessed, but hey! No one’s perfect. I couldn’t judge for long because I also loved them.
This gave us the official theme for our room, or should I say our royal chamber.
After hanging up every princess poster and tiara we could get our hands on, our dorm room was officially re-named “The Princess Cave.” Okay, fine, we named it that ourselves, but we were most certainly not the only ones that called our room by that name! Friends were thrilled to hang out in the Princess Cave. Our RA noticed our décor and told the hall staff members. News of our royal room reached the director of Kellum Hall, and he wanted a tour! We soon became known as the Princesses of the Princess Cave.
Elana and I will never outgrow the Princess Cave, but after freshman year it was time to move out of the cave and into our first apartment. We moved into a four-bedroom apartment, and while we each had our own bedroom and bathroom, we shared a large living room, kitchen, dining area, and balcony. And since not everyone appreciates the youthful Disney atmosphere like we do, we kicked off our sophomore year by choosing a more sophisticated theme (black, brown, and teal trees with bird decals!)
Enough about us! I am now about to tell you the best-kept decorating secrets…are you ready?
THE DOLLAR STORE IS YOUR BEST FRIEND!
Before you load up your cart and rack up your debit card bill at Wal-Mart, Target, or any other super-cute boutique, see if you can find what you need—for only a dollar! Personally, I recommend Dollar Tree not Dollar General, though we have both in Tally!
Here are a few tips for decorating on a college budget!
1. My roommates and I were able to purchase our four-piece matching dining set including four plates, four bowls, and four wine glasses all at the dollar store! Keeping with the kitchen theme, the dollar store also sells napkin holders, sugar containers, cute oil and vinegar jars, and even placemats and dish towels.
2. We also found candles, which are good decorating tools because they come in a variety of shapes, colors, and sizes! (Yes, for just a dollar apiece!) Put them on the kitchen table to give off light when you study, scatter them across the coffee table during movie night, or put them on your bedroom mantle to set the mood! It also helps that they smell great.
3. It’s important to be creative with what you have. Elana had a black shoe hanger that she didn’t have room for in her closet or room. Instead of throwing it out, she decided to hang it over the water heater door and arranged colorful fake flowers into the shoe holes. (Can you guess where she got the flowers?)
4. The dollar store is always stocked and ready for the next holiday (and maybe even the one after that). They have everything you need for your haunted house, winter wonderland, or New Year’s celebration! And if you ever need glow sticks for… whatever… you can count on the dollar store!
Decorating your dorm, apartment, or house should be a positive experience and can be done without burning a hole in your wristlet! Don’t stress over it. Just remember, if you’re sharing your space, make sure the decorations are reflective of everyone’s personalities and interests. Enjoy living with your roommate(s) in an environment that is colorful and comfortable! (And remember, if all else fails—Garnet and Gold!)