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By on January 25, 2017 in Housing

Image by Gabriel Beaudry, unsplash.com

Going off to college can be a very exciting and very overwhelming time for many students. This may be the first time you have ever lived away from your family and it can be scary. To quell your impending homesickness, bring a few of the comforts of home with you. Your dorm room will be your new home for the next few months, so you might as well take the time to make it feel like it. Here are a few tips to help you get your new dorm feeling like a true home.

Photos
Bring photos of your friends and family from home. Frame them, make a collage, or get creative with it. Decorating with photos will make you feel closer to home and remind you of good things when you have a bad day.

Posters and Wall Art
This is a great way to express your personality and show who you really are. Just make sure your wall art won’t distract you too much from your studies. This can also help you connect with roommates and find other friends in the building.

Mattress Pad
Dorm room mattresses are notoriously terrible and uncomfortable. Buy a mattress pad or invest in a featherbed before you arrive at college. Your back will thank you and having a comfortable place to unwind after studying is important for your mental health as well.

Bedding
This goes along with the mattress pad, but good sheets and pillows can go a long way. Bring extra blankets from home too for an extra level of coziness. Just make sure you still have room to sit and study on your bed as well.

Storage Boxes
Let’s be honest, you are probably going to overpack. It can be good to have plastic storage bins on hand for anything you don’t have space for. It is even better if you can get boxes that fit under your bed. Plus, it will keep your space clean and make packing up at the end of the year a snap. Find other moving tips here and from your college guidance center.

Lighting
Whether it is a floor lamp, desk lamp, or a string of twinkle lights, extra lighting will certainly come in handy. This can be especially useful for times when your roommate goes to bed before you and you cannot leave on the overhead lights. Lights also adds warmth to any room.

Rug
Dorm room carpets are not the cleanest surface in the world. Get an area rug to cover up those weird stains and add a touch of color to your room.

No matter how you choose to decorate your dorm room, your surroundings have a big effect on your college experience. Your room should reflect who you are, but also provide a relaxing and homey space for you to enjoy. And remember to have fun with it!

This article was contributed by guest author Eileen O’Shanassy.

By on February 16, 2016 in Housing
Image by Roman Kraft, unsplash.com/

Image by Roman Kraft, unsplash.com

Starting college is a big and often scary event. Moving away from home and beginning a life in a new place with new people can be overwhelming. To make your transition easier, turn your dorm into a welcoming sanctuary! Your dorm room will be your home for the next year, and the style of it can make all the difference in how quickly you settle into your new life. Here are some tips to help:

Coordinate With Your Roomie

Getting along with your new roommate is a pretty important part of making the best of dorm life, so get to know them beforehand. One way to break the ice is to talk about what you want for your shared space. Even if you’re moving in with your best friend, coordinating the details before move-in day is important. Some topics to discuss include:

  • Figure out who is bringing what before move-in day. Dorm-living means limited space, so if you both bring a mini fridge, you’ll find yourself running out of room pretty quickly.
  • Aside from not having double items, you’ll want to be sure you have everything you need. Don’t assume your roomie is bringing something and find out at the last minute that both of you thought the other one was bringing cookware.
  • It’s also important to ask if they have asthma or any allergies to certain products. The last thing you want is to start cleaning on move-in day and have your roomie get an asthma attack.

Plan a Color Scheme

Having a room that flows together creates a more harmonious environment. Even if you and your roomie like different colors, you can still create a color scheme that works together. Here are some ideas:

  • Purple and gold make for the perfect, regal room. You can mix and match pillows and other accents to pull together a great look. Pink and orange or pink and green always go together well, too. Plus, with such a variety of shades available — in any color — there’s bound to be something you and your roomie can agree on.
  • Black, white and yellow go together well and make a kind of ‘blank slate,’ so almost anything will match it. You and your roommate can decorate to your heart’s content without worrying about clashing.
  • Keep in mind that your bedding may get dirty more quickly than usual. If you’re using your bed as a kitchen table, study and hangout area, chances are it’s getting more wear than before. While you want your bedding to coordinate with the rest of the room, be sure to get colors and fabrics that can stand up to the task of multi-purpose use.
  • Monochromatic schemes can be a great way to add some color to a room. Pick various shades of one color (think a range of blues) and mix and match with pillows, bedding and accents.

Decorate for Style and Utility

It’s pretty common for dorms to have rules against putting holes in the walls, but luckily there’s plenty of ways around that:

  • There are tons of products that are made to stick and then be removed. You can use Velcro stickies, 3M command hooks or poster putty to hang things on the wall.
  • Since floor space can be pretty limited, think vertically. Utilize the walls and ceilings to get the most from your room. Hanging organizers are a perfect way to take advantage of vertical space. Creative storage solutions will make a big difference in how much free space is available in your dorm.
  • Discuss decor with your roomie to find out what they like and dislike, as well as what common interests you may have. For a bonding experience, you can even make some DIY decor together, creating something that has a little bit of both of you in it.

Dorm life doesn’t have to feel cramped and generic. You and your roommate can make a space that showcases both of your personalities. With a little work and creativity, your dorm will be the perfect place to start your new adventure.

This article was contributed by guest author Megan Wild.

By on August 7, 2013 in Housing
Image by Peter Alfred Hess, Flickr

Image by Peter Alfred Hess, Flickr

For the next 8 months, your dorm room becomes your home. Sadly, most schools prohibit painting dorm walls, making it a little more difficult for you to truly make the room yours. However, your uninspired space can be spiced up in ways other than just changing the paint colour. Check out these tips on how to decorate it, without breaking any rules:

  • Posters/artwork: Get posters of your favourite movies and bands to show your personality through your space. Show your artsy side with artwork that speaks to you. Looking for more of a design piece? Choose a theme and get posters of different sizes and complementary colours to create a stunning effect. Instead of just taping them onto your walls, consider putting them into picture frames to add a bit of dimension to the room.
  • Wall decals: If you’re more of a minimalist and cringe at the thought of huge pieces of paper hanging on your wall, wall decals are an excellent alternative. You can get anything from inspiring quotes to unique designs. They’re like tattoos for your wall that can easily be peeled off at the end of the year (or if you regret them after a week).
  • Wall tapestries: If you have a huge blank space that’s just begging for an eye-popping piece, consider wall tapestries. Urban Outfitters sells some excellent tapestries, posters, and decals that are sure to make a statement.
  • Wall collage: Instead of buying something, make it! Take old posters, photographs, postcards, typography, or anything else you have lying around that you think will work well together and layer them on top of each other. This is a great way to bring a piece (or pieces) of home with you to college. Karen Kavett (aka xperpetualmotion on Youtube) has made several hip and trendy wall collages. Check her out to get some inspiration for your next dorm room renovation!
  • Peel and stick chalkboards: Super cool in any space, they’re excellent for the artist inside you – and are great alternatives to writing things down on your hand. Combine several of them to make a chalkboard wall that you and your dorm mates can doodle on. They are easy to remove and won’t harm most surfaces.
  • Washi Tape: Easily described as decorative masking tapes, washi tape comes in different sizes and designs, is extremely versatile and can be used anywhere from adding pop to your door to transforming your plain side table. HGTV came up with 10 amazing ways to use washi tape in your room.
  • Rugs: Don’t forget about your feet! A good rug can make your room a lot cozier and homely. Who can forget what The Dude repeatedly said in The Big Lebowski… “That rug really tied the room together!”