Moving into your dorm is the perfect opportunity to decorate and make your space your own. Your dorm might seem plain or empty at first, but think of it instead as a blank canvas to express yourself!
Wall Decor
Whether it’s posters or family photos, filling your space with wall decorations is a must for dorm life. Adding fun posters of your favorite musicians and movies, photos from high school, or even Post-it note reminders and affirmations will drastically transform your room.
To get cheap posters, I saved images into a Word doc and printed them at the Carlton Center for just a few cents. You can also draw your own, make a collage out of magazine clippings, or even find some on Amazon!
If you’re like me, you love string lights. For me, they make my room feel extra comfy and cozy. You can find string lights in any color and shape. I found some pink lantern lights on Amazon for only $13. If you get string lights, be sure to find some specifically for indoors.Â
Some other fun miscellaneous wall decorations include garlands, flags, or plastic vines to bring a pop of color into the room.
Shelves
ABAC Place dorms come with a built-in desk and shelves, which means you have plenty of surface area to decorate!
For a more academic vibe, pack some of your favorite books and fill up the shelves. From personal experience, I recommend bringing books in a rolling suitcase; otherwise, you’re in for some gnarly back pain.
Shelves are also great spots to put picture frames, sentimental items from home, or succulents to bring some nature indoors. My shelves are usually covered with books, journals, photos, fake plants, and small figurines. I also love to bring a photo album or two that I can flip through when I get homesick.
Don’t forget to leave space for your schoolbooks!
Bedding
We can’t forget the most important part of your bedroom: the bed! As college students, we are constantly exhausted from work, school, clubs, and other issues. To help you out, you should make your bed as comfortable as possible.
I always feel most comfy in bed when my bedding matches my personality. If you prefer a calmer vibe, go for light colors, like baby blue, sage green, light pink, or earth tones. If you’re more of a girly-girl, go for hot pinks, purples, greens, and oranges—decorate like you’re Elle Woods!
If you’re outdoorsy, earth tones may be right for you. But you can also opt for different themes, like camo, fishing, space, or the ocean. You can also find bedding that matches the colors of your favorite sports team!
Even though we’re all adults now, you’re never too old for fun pillows and plushies. These add to your room’s personality and can make your dorm feel like home. Stores like Walmart and Amazon have a variety of options, ranging from cloud-shaped pillows and giant Squishmallows to fluffy blankets and body pillows.
You’re the one who sleeps there every night, so when it comes to personalizing your bed, you can’t go wrong!
Common Areas
If you’re sharing a bedroom at Lakeside or a common area in ABAC Place, always check in with your roommates to discuss decorations. Whether it’s wall art in the living room or hanging decorations on the door, you should always make sure beforehand that your roommates are okay with your decorations.
Follow the Rules!
When considering how you want to decorate, it’s important to keep in mind ABAC’s rules. ABAC allows you to hang flags and decorations in your room as long as they are not on the ceiling, in the window, or visible from outside.
ABAC also prohibits the use of candles, incense, wallpaper/contact paper, outdoor decorations, and extension cords. You can use Command strips and hooks, finishing nails, and thumbtacks if they don’t peel off the wall paint. For a full list of what to leave at home, visit the Residence Life and Housing page on the ABAC website.
Moving into your new dorm may feel daunting, but there is no better time to tap into your creative side and express your truest self. You’ll be spending a lot of time in there, so make it your own, and most importantly, have fun!