Decorating Basics

Perhaps the most exciting part about getting a dorm room is decorating it with your roommate. Some people are intimidated by décor, but don't be! I have some helpful hints. 

Color Scheme

-       Pick a simple color scheme. All of my things (my desk lamp, my comforter, my pillows…) are brown, red, and orange. My roommate’s stuff is brown and pink. Just a few colors that work nicely together.

-       Stick to it. Whenever we go out on a shopping run, we stick to our colors. New additions always match.

-       Pick practical colors. Your favorite color might be seafoam green. Or periwinkle. Do they make college stuff in these colors? Not really. Go for something that you like, but you won’t have too much trouble finding.

-       Even the little things count. Everything in our room matches. My desk lamp, plates, towels, and pillows are orange. We have a pink standing light and a pink garbage can. It may not seem like a big deal, but when you’re living in a small space, coordination makes everything seem less frazzled.

-       Coordinate! With the wonderful aid of technology, we are now able to meet and converse with our roommates on Facebook before coming to school. My roommate and I were lucky enough to show up with matching décor (no joke), but try and pick colors that you both like and work well together.

Walls

-          One of the worst things about dorms is the hospital-colored walls. Our dorms have cement walls, so we can’t do much more than put up posters. But be creative! Freshman year, we had a hodgepodge of posters (I’m talking Johnny Depp and Lady Gaga on the same wall.) This year, we limited ourselves to a theme.  We have a poster each (I have Fight Club, my roommate has True Blood) and 2 giant Abercrombie & Fitch posters. The walls are mostly covered, but don’t look like a tacky collage.

-          If you’re allowed to nail things into your walls, you’re lucky. The Christmas Tree Shoppe has a ton of inexpensive framed pictures and canvases that would make a dorm room feel more like a lounge.

-          A couple of my friends have stick-on wall decals designed just for dorm rooms. Just a couple of polka dots on the walls make your room pretty and different from your neighbors’.

Seasons

-          Halloween is right around the corner. Celebrate by spicing up your room with some spooky garland or dangling spiders. You can get a ton of fun decorations at the dollar store.

-          Two years ago, a friend and I spend the afternoon cutting out snowflakes from beer cases for our guy friends downstairs. Not only was it eco-friendly, but it looked so cool! Little things like that make your room stand out. And it can be a great way to spend some time with your roommate.

And most importantly….

Make your rooms YOURS. If you like horses, decorate your room with them. Put up pictures of you and your friends. Put your favorite stuffed animal on your bed and your jersey number on the wall. Your room is an extension of yourself. Don’t hold back! Have fun creating a space that’s all you.

Dorm Basics

If you’ve just moved onto campus and into your tiny new room, you’re probably feeling very cramped at the moment. Maybe borderline claustrophobic.

So let me shed some light on a few things I’ve learned after three years in a dorm. As far as furniture goes:

·      The most space efficient setup is bunk beds. This opens up a lot of space, so you have room to sprawl out on the floor or maybe even get a couple of chairs.

·      Unfortunately, bunk beds are not practical. No one wants to climb a ladder at 2 a.m. after a long night of studying (or other things…) and no one wants to wake up and whack their head on a bed frame. But if you don’t mind these things, then lucky you! You’ll have most spacious room on your floor.

·      The second most space-savvy setup is arranging your and your roommate’s beds in an L-shape. My roommate and I have this setup. Our beds are not touching, so there is a little space in between. My roommate puts her laundry basket there, but you could also fill the space with a little table. However if you’re comfortable with your beds against one another, you can save even more space.

·      The worst configuration is the “ mirror” setup (beds on either side of the wall, lined up with desks and dressers, the same on each side). This leaves a tiny aisle down your room with little to no room for doing, well, anything. I had this my freshman year and we couldn’t have more than three people in our room without it feeling like a sardine can.

Most schools provide incoming students with a list of acceptable/prohibited items. But what they don’t give you is a list of items that will make life a lot easier.

·      Get a LARGE refrigerator. Freshman year we had a puny little thing that barely held the necessities, let alone leftovers from when Mom and Dad came to visit. The following year, I bought a new fridge at a yard sale for $25. Best money I ever spent. It works great, and holds enough food to feed us for about a week (which is a nice break when you get sick of campus food. Trust me, that day will come.) I’m not talking kitchen-sized, but about 3 cubic ft. (33 inches in height) should be good.

o   The downside? It’s too big to fit under our bed. Instead we bought a mini bookshelf and stacked it on top. Now we have a makeshift TV stand.

·      If your room is anywhere near as dark as mine, you’re going to need a standing light (floor lamp). The brightness makes the room feel bigger and slightly less depressing.

·      Full-length mirror. I know you gals (and guys!) can’t leave the room without making sure everything matches. Most dorms only have half-mirrors. Go to Target and buy a full on for about $10 and stick it to your door. I don’t know how I lived without one freshman year.

·      If you’re lucky, you’ll be able to buy new curtains and replace the horrible ones that came with your room. We just did that this year and it made all the difference in the world.

I hope you guys are enjoying the semester so far!

Welcome to My Blog!

                Are you a college student living in a dorm? Do you have a son or daughter who lives in a dorm? A friend? A relative? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, my blog is for you!

My blog is about all things dorm. Here you’ll find everything you could ever want to know about dorm life, including how-to’s on:

-Decorating your dorm room

-Making easy and yummy meals in a tiny space

-Shopping for your room on a budget

-Getting along with your roommate

-Keeping your dorm organized

-Anything you want to ask me!

Everyone should love their dorm room. Sure, it’s a tiny 8-by-12 box. And maybe it’s not so easy on the eyes. But it’s part of the college experience. With a few tweaks, you can make your room a trendy hangout for you and your friends.

I was a freshman in college once. I know that starting over can be very exciting, but also very scary. Perhaps the scariest part of college life is sharing a tiny room with a perfect stranger. Especially after 18 years of (maybe) your own room and home-cooked meals.

               I’ve tackled those obstacles. I’ve made great friends and taken some awesome classes.

This is my third year of school.

And my third year in a dorm. I’m practically an expert.

I’m writing this blog for all of you out there who are nervous or scared. College is great. Don’t let dorm room blues get you down! If you have a question that you don’t feel comfortable asking anyone else, ask me.

I’ve tried all the different furniture set-ups. I’ve gone to all the supercenters and hunted down the best bargains. I’ve had my ups-and downs with my roommate. I’m just like you.

No one should ever feel uncomfortable in their own space. My blog will ensure that you love your room, and you have fun along the way!

Keep checking back for my latest posts! And don’t forget to ask questions. After all, it is the best way to learn.