How to make your dorm room reflect your personal style on any budget
Here are some easy-to-manage tips from moms and students for transforming your space into a place that you can really settle in to.
Katherine’s Tips
THINGS I COULDN’T LIVE WITHOUT!
• Laptop
• Shower caddy
• Headphones
• My personal bright yellow Keurig
• My memory quilt from my mama
• My mug collection
THINGS I WISH I HAD
• Meal plan
• Comfy mattress
• Noise canceling headphones
• Bigger desk
MOVE-IN TIPS FROM KATHERINE’S MOM, KAREN
• Buy Command Hooks and more Command Hooks (you can never have too many).
• Invest in a sturdy over the door coat rack (quality matters!)
• Pack rain gear for the long trek to classes.
Madison’s Tips
“Communicate with your roommate in advance to decide your color scheme and style. We picked out our bedding together and then shopped separately for our accessories.”
THINGS I COULDN’T LIVE WITHOUT!
• Area rug to make the tiny room more cozy
• Desk mirror/Makeup mirror
• Air freshener, plug-in or wax-melt warmer
• Door stop (especially during the first weeks of school when the best way to get to know people is to have an “open door policy”)
THINGS I WISH I HAD
• Ear plugs: Dorm walls are pretty thin!
• Wall calendar to put on the inside of the door and write down upcoming tests, quizzes, and assignments as well as fun.
• More storage drawers: “I had tubs to store items but when I needed to find a particular item, I’d end up having to empty the whole tub to find it. Baskets were the same way. I had cute baskets to hold things in, but when it came down to it, I think I would have much more preferred functionality over cuteness.”
MOVE-IN TIPS FROM MADISON’S MOM, MELISSA
• Take a rubber mallet to raise the bed and a tool kit to put together book shelves, etc.
• Stop for a lunch break.
• We used several clear totes to move her, and she kept them at school under her bed for extra storage.
Colin’s Tips
THINGS I COULDN’T LIVE WITHOUT!
• Amazon Prime (It’s free to college kids, and you can get anything you need in two days time – even in Ithaca)
• Noise canceling headphones
• Reading lamp
• Mini-fridge
• Microwave
• Netflix or comparable service
• Mattress pad
THINGS I WISH I HAD
• Bike
• Beach blanket/Large towel for quad lounging
• Portable speakers
MOVE-IN TIPS FROM COLIN’S MOM, TRICIA
• Avoid the temptation to unpack for your kid. After we unloaded and got everything into the room, I sent Colin out to have fun and meet new people. I was the super cool mom then, but later he confessed he couldn’t find a thing!
• Bring drawer organizers to make the best use of the limited drawer space.
• Use closet space-saving huggable hangers and Wonder Magic clothes hangers (Ipow.com).
• Create your own medicine cabinet and school supplies survival kit using a small, desk-top stackable storage piece.