College is a new experience for everyone full of many different emotions– some jovial, some filled with soul-crushing stress… But one thing is for sure — everyone is bursting at the seams to decorate their new independent space! If you’re a procrastinator (no shame in that particular game), you might not even realize you have few decorations until you’re moving into your dorm with nothing but a book bag and a new form of anxiety. So, I offer you my top five best ways to make your dorm feel less like a blank space, and more like a home:
- Pictures, pictures, and more pictures
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The best, yet most simple, decoration for a new dorm is pictures of your favorite memories! Whether it’s quick flicks with your hometown friends, or beautiful landscapes from an exotic trip you took over the summer, decorating your wall with fond memories will create a somewhat safe space for you. It fills up an empty wall super quickly while also being a comfort whenever you’re feeling down!
- Plants (real or fake)
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The beauty of nature is that sometimes you can take it with you! Not only do plants provide some vibrant color to a dorm, but also a pleasant smell (which can sometimes be difficult to acquire in a dorm). Yes, it may be aggravating to water living plants, but that’s also why many stores sell fake plants and/or succulents that don’t need much water. A little plant goes a long way!
- lights
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Nothing brightens up a dim-lit dorm like some new and improved lighting! In some instances, the lighting isn’t great inside the dorms, but that gives you the opportunity to hang up some lights of your own! Whether it’s fairy lights, LED strip lights, etc., these lights give your room some personality. It also gives you the opportunity to experiment with different and colorful forms of lighting depending on the type of light you buy! Of course, you don’t have to only buy hanging lights to decorate. You could buy some form of a lamp, or a light that can project onto the ceiling.
- Throw pillows
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Let’s be honest here, the most important part of your entire room is your bed. Such a personal space deserves all the love it can get! So, enhance your character in your room by adding some cute pillows on top of your bed. My personal suggestion is to make the pillows match the vibe of your room (for example, accent the main color of your room). And of course, no bed is complete without your childhood stuffed animal! All the pillows help create comfort for your new sleeping space!
- Posters
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The best way to showcase your personality is with some of your favorite posters! Whether it’s your favorite band, a positive saying, or just some fun art, posters around your room give new people an insight into who you are as a person. Not only that, but the posters can bring back some memories for you, just like photographs!
So, if you’re stressed about decorations, have no fear! There are so many fun and innovative ways to create a new home for yourself in college – these five ideas are just the beginning of a long list of fun ways to decorate. Overall, this list should encourage you to have fun and make the most of your dorm decorating!