Photo credit: styleathome.com

It’s almost time to move to campus – away from parents, rules, younger siblings – and into the most drab room ever?

Yeah, dorm rooms aren’t really known for their architecture or beauty. More likely, they’re small cells with white walls and hideous flooring. So how can you take that space and make it all your own…without sacrificing your security deposit? It’s way easier than you think.

Adding a little pizazz to an otherwise boring space doesn’t take much. And thanks to all the advancements in “temporary” decorating, you can give that cell a total makeover and have the coolest room on campus. (And this goes for all you upperclassmen out there, too!)

Goodbye juvenile poster collages and hello chic sophistication!

The Walls. While you could be like everyone else and put up a cliche college poster there are so many new innovations in decor that won’t put you at risk of losing your damage deposit. Wall decals and removable wall paper are an easy way to instantly add some excitement to your room.  If you’re up to a challenge, you could also try to starch fabric to your wall.  Looking for a one-of-a-kind wall decals that stand out? Check out Etsy!

Hooks and Hangers. Want to hang frames on your wall without using a hammer and nails?  3M makes a variety of adhesive products that won’t wreck your walls, from picture hangers to decorative hooks.  Use the picture hangers to put up frames, and the hooks to hang your accessories up!  Over-the-door hooks are good for towels and coats – just make sure you can close the door when it’s on.

The Windows.  If you’re lucky your dorm room will have a big window to let the light in, because natural sunlight trumps artificial fluorescent light any day.  However, I’m sure you won’t feel the same when the sun is waking you up before noon after a night of showing off your beer pong skills. Want to put up a curtain?  Since you obviously can’t drill into the wall, tension rods are your solution.  Just adjust to the size of your window, slide on some colorful, light-blocking curtains and put in place. (Target, Walmart and Ikea have cute ones for super cheap!)

Desk – A lamp and your computer are the basics for your college desk.  Add a printer, various chargers, speakers, etc., and you’ve got A LOT of cords on your hands.  Get a Cordie to help keep it all in check.

Need help with your time management or want a place to write yourself notes?  Wall-Pops dry erase boards are cute, adhesive and won’t damage your wall. Score.

Bed – If you’re living in a small dorm room, chances are your bed will be your biggest seating space.  I suggest buying a duvet with a cover that can be removed instead of one of those bed-in-a-bag packages.  They are easy to wash if someone spills on your bed, and fairly inexpensive if you get bored with your bedding.  (I’m LOVING the ones from Ikea – they are bright and colorful.)  Then add lots of pillows; they are fun ways to accessorize your bed, but also make your bed feel more like a couch if you’re watching TV.  If you like to read in bed, Bed Rest pillows offer good support.

Storage – As most dorm rooms are on the small side, maximizing your storage space is essential. Especially for all those clothes and shoes. Dorm Buys has lots of storage solutions, from bed risers to over-the-door shoe storage.  Look for cute, colorful storage boxes to add some color or patterns to your room.

For even more inspiration check out Casey Lewis of Teenfashionista.com‘s book on dorm living and decor.  Dorm Room Delicious, Style at Home and our ladies at College Fashion all have additional tips for decking out your residence as well.

Have no fear my decorating minions, get your hot glue guns ready and lets get crafty!

Let’s Make… Picture frames! Posters are so…mainstream. Everyone has them. Why not hang your own pictures in personalized frames?

 This is an easy craft. You can find ready-made frames for cheap at any dollar store, walmart, or craft store. All you need to do is decorate with fabric, sequins, or little plastic accents…things you can again find at walmart or a craft store. Just apply them with your hot glue gun…and there you have it!

Let’s Make… Beaded curtains!  This project will take a little more time to finish, but it allows your mind to go to a zen-like place while you do it.

You will need: Beads! Fishing line and a tension curtain rod.

First measure your door frame and decide how thick you want your curtain to be. Thicker curtains call for more beads. Cut your fishing line to fit, and then start stringing your beads (this part takes awhile).

Once you’re done stringing all your beads,  apply them to the rod and hang. Put a dab of hot glue over the part where the beads are tied over the rod to keep the steady. There you have it!

Let’s Make… A bulletin board! Tired of all that random paper that you acquire but are to pack-raty to throw out? Make a bulletin board! You can do one of two things for this: buy a pre-made board and just paint the frame, attach some beads, or glue fabric to the edge with your hot glue gun — or, you can cover a piece of plywood with fabric (hot glue the fabric down) then crisscross ribbon over the fabric to stick notes and pictures inside.

The most important thing is to have fun doing these projects!  College can be stressful, crafting shouldn’t be.

[Crafty photo from craftzine.com]