Whether you are a freshman feeling anxious and excited about college or a seasoned senior who can’t wait to graduate, your dorm or apartment room will be a home away from home for a good two thirds of your year. It should be a place where you can study effectively and provide safe sanctuary from outside stress. Your room should be a place where you can host movie nights or curl up with a good book.
Here are some tips from apartmenttherapy.com:
1. Live Without: It can be difficult when moving away from home, usually for the first time, to think about all the things you’ll be living without. In this parting of ways, it can be easy to horde things and spend all your time thinking about all the “stuff and things” you want to bring with you to help ease the pains of separation. In the process of all this, small dorm spaces can get bogged down with things you don’t really need. Try downsizing, if not doing completely without many of the things you think you might need or have to have.
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2. Focus On Your Work Areas: It doesn’t matter if you have an awesome couch, fine linens or a microwave, what matters most is making sure you can accomplish what you need to in the space. Sleeping comfortably, working comfortably and a space for study are all at the top of the list. Even if it means doing without something you’d like to bring into the space, you pay for college and should be able to make the most of it without fighting a desk that’s too small or a bed you can’t get into.
3. Lighting! Lighting! Lighting!: Dorm lighting is always horrible. Overhead florescents aren’t good for anything and a single desk or task lamp just doesn’t get the job done. Plan on having three light sources if at all possible. This is the only time in your life (most likely) you won’t have to pay for utilities, so make the most of it! Rope lights, floor lamps, desk lamps and pendant lamps are all a good idea, check out up lighting as a great option as is altering the basic overhead rectangular fixture or making your own lighting creation! Just please be cautious to not burn the place down.
4. DIY With Restrain & Purpose: DIY ideas for temporary spaces is a great way to jazz the place up. But a little goes a long way to make your room stand out from others. A room with clever DIY improvements makes for a great punch and a way to personalize your space, but a room with DIY overload can feel chaotic. Make your DIY projects count and use them to reflect bits of your personality and taste.
5. Add A Rug or Carpet: A real rug. Save up the extra cash and buy one you’ll really love instead of the $30 big box special or check with carpet stores instead of the major hardware stores for in stock remnants for less than the price of a smaller area rug (plus you can pick up a piece of padding at a steal!). When seating is limited, the floor is an excellent option next time you’re hosting Wii night in your room without the aid of having chairs. Plus it will help soften the visual weight of the usually heavy and oppressive furniture you’ll be stuck with for at least the next semester.
