This took me long enough :/
As I am weeks away from moving into my Sophomore dorm (which I definitely won't be going as all out on decorating, due to the unpredictability of the COVID19 Pandemic), I have finally got down to sharing my beautiful, cozy dorm room that I had the pleasure of living in Freshman year of College. As a disclaimer, I fully acknowledge that my experience living in a college dorm with a roommate is unique and not the type of room that I thought I'd be living in, however I still think I can offer some helpful tips and tricks with what to bring to college for your room, how to decorate alongside your roommate, and how to optimize organization and storage.
I knew when I had to start buying stuff for my dorm that I wanted to diverge slightly from the interior design of my bedroom at home, while also buying basics that I could use in my hometown bedroom when away from school and not stuck in storage to be unused for months at a time. At home, my walls are a light blue-gray, I have a gray and white rug, with light pink, white, and crystal/silver accents. I have artwork of flowers, Chanel bottles, fashion books, etc. I have a faux-crystal chandelier that looks like an upside-down, 3 tiered cake. This luxurious, NYC inspired space is lovely, but I wanted to change things up for school. I still wanted pink as my accent color for my dorm, but decided to go for the more natural, neutral approach of taupes and beiges and whites and fake plants and gold/bronze accents (very Urban Outfitters or Anthropology looking, ya know?). I knew that this style would be cozy, versatile, and more spacious. Luckily, this more mature, natural aesthetic is quite popular at the moment, so I had a lot of sources to choose from when it came to purchasing decor. I battled with the idea of a white duvet cover for my bed (the idea of likely stains and spills still haunts me), but I decided to go with it anyway. I apologize for limited quality photos, but my roommate and I took them at night with no natural lighting. Funnily enough, we decided to clean up our room and take some pics for posterity only a week or two before being sent home due to the pandemic. Some photos are also from December, where my roommate and I had Christmas lights and stockings and tinsel hung up.
I'm also quite festive, so I take any chance I can get to decorate a little extra for Holidays such as Halloween and Christmas. I had a mini Christmas tree on my desk, halloween lanterns, and a pine scented diffuser oil (instead of candles).
{ I'll be uploading a separate blog post where I talk about Dorm essentials and the best places to buy them, so stay tuned! }
Here are some tips to keep in mind when putting together your version of a perfect dorm room:
THE COZIER, THE BETTER!
A great way to fight homesickness and de-stress after a long day is to make your room a cozy safe space for yourself. I take pride in the fact that amidst the immense anxiety I experienced during orientation and the first weeks of college classes, I had an inviting space to return to and wind down in. My friends who visited or came to study in my room told me that they felt the same. My roommate and I allowed for our room to be a model dorm for open-house tours, and when complimented or asked about my room by prospective students, I gave them this same advice. Bring some things from home that make you feel good and tied to your roots. This could be a stuffed animal, piece of art, framed photo, blanket, pillow, or desk accessory. A diffuser or room spray that reminds you of home is also a great choice (as long as it is a scent that your roommate is also ok with/not allergic to). This is a bit strange and unconventional, but among other items I actually brought an old, ragged stuffed duck toy of my dog's so I could see it and think of her (being away from my dog was the hardest part about being away honestly). A rug that was comfy for my feet and covered the cold tile is something I'm so happy I included. It actually made my room feel even bigger as well, which was a plus.
TEMPERATURE AND COMFORT (heating & AC) IS VITAL!
Even if you live in an older, more outdated dorm, make sure you know all the options for ventilation and cooling/heating. The dorm I lived in was the oldest on campus, so I expected for some outdated features. I brought a desk fan, and had an in-window AC unit from August - Thanksgiving, but once it was removed and heat was turned on, my room turned into a sauna at night. And I CANNOT sleep in the heat. After just dealing a boiling hot room and a loud, squeaking heater for a few weeks, I finally called maintenance and the lovely fixers who came found a leak and a broken valve in our heating pipes, and replaced it right away. We immediately had more freedom to control the heat in our room, and could breath and sleep way better. Don't be afraid to reach out and see what can be fixed or replcace. Get your money's worth for your room&board rate!
ORGANIZATION & SPACE SAVING IS KEY
Overall, the room I lived in freshman year was larger than my personal bedroom at home. However, only about half of it was truly mine to use and store my stuff in. I made sure that everything had its place so that I could be more productive, and when things got busy or stressful, the actual activity of putting things away and organizing wouldn't take long. Things like collapsable storage cubes/ottomans (amazon, container store) are easy to travel with since they flatten, and are great for storing shoes, food, books, and more. They also provide for extra seating if needed. Most college dorms have similar desks, with a wide and shallow drawer above where your legs go. I put in acrylic desk organizers into this drawer to separate supplies such as pencils, pens, paperclips, post-its. If it weren't for the organizers, that drawer would've become a jumbled mess! Command hooks are a great way to hang up bags and coats and hats so that they don't end up taking up space in a drawer or landing on the floor. I also had designated hooks for my keys, wallet, and umbrella by the door.
PINTEREST IS YOUR BESTIE
If you're like me and need a little bit of help to construct a complete, cohesive design for your interior or anything else in your life, websites/apps like Pinterest can come in handy. By just typing the words "dorm room," millions of images and ideas comes up. I was able to save and pin everything that sparked my interest into a new separate board called "freshman dorm inspiration," which I could go back to when shopping for essentials and decor. This year, my roommate and I are using Pinterest to find images that we can print out to fill up a wall, images that include our common interests, favorite colors, athletics, goals, dreams, what we love about NYC, etc. If you've never used Pinterest before, NOW is the time!
STAY CLEAN AND TIDY
Having a clean, tidy, and hygienic space promotes a relaxed mindset and a productive attitude! When I say this, I don't just mean make your bed and keep your desk neat (although these are the best first steps). I'm talking about taking out the trash, refolding your clothes, doing laundry on a scheduled basis, vacuuming, and using anti-bacterial sprays/wipes. Especially with COVID-19 being a huge threat, it is even more important than ever for college students living in close quarters to stay conscious and aware of how they are keeping their personal and shared spaces clean. I recommend most of all a portable, rechargeable vacuum, Clorox wipes, as well as wet and dry Swiffer dusters. Beyond protecting yourself and others from illness, having a place for everything and a (mostly) clean place to come back to after a long day is way better than coming home to a mess. Trust me, I have left my room a mess full of makeup and clothes after a night out, but I make it a priority to clean up the next morning. Knowing that a majority of my classes will probably be completely online, but I will be coming back to campus in the Fall, it will be vital for me to keep my living and workspace as tidy and germ-free as possible.
FIND A DEAL
When getting started on buying what you need for school, do your research! Look at multiple websites and find coupon codes (If you haven't already, download Honey onto your browser!), so you aren't spending an arm and a leg on little things for your dorm. I bought a three teared rolling cart, an item I definately needed, but only a few weeks later, my brother found an identical but cheaper version for his dorm (*cue face palm). You obviously don't want super cheap items that could fall apart soon after moving in, but saving money that you could use for more important school supplies or extracurricular activities during the semester is very useful. Especially if you're someone who knows that you won't be spending as much time in your room as others, it won't seem as necessary to buy all the bells and whistles for a dorm room. A great thing is that after your freshman year, you'll be able to reflect and reassess what worked for you, what things you wish to bring for next fall, and what you can leave at home. Stores such as Target, Ikea, the Container Store, and more often give deals to students in the summer/BTS months, so take advantage!
TALK WITH YOUR ROOMMATE(s) BEFORE MOVING IN
This may seem obvious, but I have heard from a few peers that they regret not talking in more detail with their roommate about their living space before living together. I'd say that I was extremely lucky because I not only was assigned a much larger than average dorm room, which had a walk-in-closet, corner nook, and large windows, but I also had an amazing roommate who had the exact same aesthetic taste as me (we are practically twins I swear). We are so similar that we, without knowing before hand, had brought the exact same striped pink throw blanket from Target for our beds. I even bought two of the same pillow from urban outfitters so that I could give it to her as a moving-in gift. I had more fake plants and framed prints, while she hung larger, unframed posters. We both loved having Christmas and fair lights, so that in the evening we could turn off the overhead light and have a cozy atmosphere to wind down. However, I know that this consistency between design tastes is rare, and more often than not your preferred decor will not meld as well with your roommates. Just as much as anything else, setting boundaries and communicating with one another is key. You are both going to be spending time in your room and want to feel as comfortable as possible. You can't force them to decorate like you, and they can't do the same to you. Make sure you two are comfortable enough to speak up if the other wants to hang a gigantic tapestry covering the windows, or if they are attempting to do something that does not comply with the residence hall rules/codes.
What's more important is communication concerning big-ticket items for the average dorm room. There's is nothing wrong with having very different aesthetics than your roommate. Just make sure that you're not both bringing a large rug and a fridge and things that only one person should have to buy/rent. If your roommate bought/is renting the fridge, offer to buy a rug, or see if there is something that you both would get a lot of use out of, such as a hand held vacuum or drying rack or ironing board. If you're both comfortable with sharing storage space, consider a joint set of bins or drawers that loose items can be stored in (I am a bit of a neat freak, and although I do not judge another's cleaning preferences, I make it known that it is a priority of mine to keep my side of the room tidy). Especially in these uncertain times, you don't know just yet if you'll be on campus for the entire semester, or if you or your roommate will have to leave suddenly, so make it clear with each other your plans and feelings.
I hope this post not only gave you some insight into my design style and my room freshman year, but also included some helpful tips whether you are going to be a freshman in college or a senior or moving into your first apartment. Feel free to comment any tips you may have that are not mentioned here, or any further questions you may have regarding this topic!
Sincerely,
Olivia Lorraine