Dorm Room Decorating Ideas
Author: Rachel Paxton
When I helped my daughter move into her first college dorm
room, I wasn't prepared for how tiny her room would be! Floor
space was definitely scarce, and it was obvious she would have
to come up with some creative storage solutions.
Decorating a dorm room can be tricky, because obviously your
roommate will want to have a say in how the room is decorated.
Whether you are moving into a dorm room for the first time or
you are looking to re-decorate your existing dorm room,
hopefully these decorating tips will give you and your roommate
some creative ideas to give your dorm room a great new look that
you both will love.
Vacuum sealed space bags are great for transporting clothing to
college. You can purchase these inexpensively at Walmart or on
eBay. You won't believe how much you can get into these bags. I
don't recommend the extra large bags, because they are quite
heavy when full and difficult to carry. These bags can be
stored under a bed or stacked in the closet.
Small storage ottomans or benches can provide seating and
storage areas, and are easy to move around and fit into small
spaces. They are great for storing blankets, pillows, hats,
gloves, and a great place to stow away book bags or back packs.
Buy some decorative hat boxes in varying sizes for distinctive
storage. Shaker boxes also make great storage. Both of these
types of storage can be purchased inexpensively on eBay.
Hard case suitcases can be stacked up to create coffee or end
tables, and used for storage. Most of these can be spray
painted.
Hang a shoe pocket organizer in a closet or on the back of a
door to hold small items (cosmetics, hairbrushes, CD players,
pens, pencils, socks, underwear, etc.).
Stackable plastic crates and bins can be used to store things
like books and snacks.
Baskets are easy to find and can be used to store many items.
Most of these can be spray painted to match your decor.
Chalk board paint can be used to paint on many items to make
them into a chalkboard message board.
Dry erase boards on the back of the door are handy for
communicating with friends and roommates and making notes to
yourself. You can also get a dry erase calendar at an office
supply store to keep track of your busy schedule.
Picture frames can also make great message boards. Just remove
the glass and replace it with cork, a fabric covered piece of
cardboard (use tacks to attach messages), or a piece of dry
erase board. Most picture frames can be spray painted.
Area rugs can add a note of individuality to a room. They can
also help warm up the room and help soundproof it.
Before you get started decorating, make sure you look over all
the dorm room do's and don'ts in your college handbook. Many
college handbooks are available on the college's web site.
It's also a good idea not to buy all your accessories before
you actually see the dorm room for the first time. Dorm rooms
are all different, and you want to make sure all your furniture
and accessories will fit in the room. Thrift stores are usually
numerous in college towns, so you shouldn't have a problem
finding extra furniture after you get there.
Many of the great dorm room decorating ideas in this article
were submitted by a CreativeHomemaking.com message forum
member, Carmellyn, and two great home decor sites
About The Author: Rachel Paxton is a freelance writer and mom
who is the author of What's for Dinner?, an e-cookbook
containing more than 250 quick easy dinner ideas. For more
recipes, organizing tips, home decorating, crafts, holiday
hints, and more, visit Creative Homemaking at
Dorm Room Decorating Ideas!
KW Publishing and Consulting
Kathy Wilson, Editor
5507 Holly Way
West Richland, Wa 99353
Fax 18017512073
kw.publishing@gmail.com
