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Easy Student Room Decor Hacks


Ah, the university years… they will always be the best years! The time when you will probably have less money but the most fun, for sure. Your university dorm also plays a big part in these years. Those small rooms that you probably start by hating because they’re way smaller and less nice than your room at home but then you’ll slowly start getting attached to them and by the end of the year, leaving your dorm will be the most difficult thing in the world.

Here are some hacks to make you enjoy your student room from the very start. You might not be there for long, but being away from home is already hard enough so these tips will help you get it organised on a low budget, make space for all your belongings and make it feel homely and nice looking.

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Under-bed storage

If possible try to use the space under your bed to store your suitcases and other big things that you can’t find a space for in your room because they are too large. Then, you can use your suitcases or big boxes under the bed for storage too, for example, store your seasonal clothes under your bed when you are not using them. This is a space efficient way to use otherwise wasted space. You can also store towels, bed linens that you are not currently using, a blanket and other things that would usually take a lot of space in your wardrobe.

Closet and chest drawer compartments

Another easy way (and also very cheap) to use a small space more efficiently is to make compartments in your closet and chest drawers. Using the KonMari method, created by Marie Kondo the author of ‘The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up’ you can fill all your space by folding and organising your clothes. Using boxes (for example shoe boxes) you can separate all your clothes by categories or colours and fold them in such way that you will enable you to see all your clothes and also maximise the space.

Use your walls

To make your student room feel more homely we suggest adding pictures of your friends, family, vacations or things from back home to your walls. Some dorms come with a cork panel but if yours doesn’t have one, don’t worry you can use Washi Japanese tape and it won’t leave any marks on your walls.

If you are more the organised type, you could make a motivation board on your wall to help you stay focused and motivated on your goals whilst being at university. Or you could also make a deadline board marking all your important essay deadlines and exam dates. The reason that vision boards work so great is because you visually see them every day. Visualisation is one of the most popular and effective mind workouts that you can do. When you see something that inspires you on a daily basis, you stay on track.

Choose light colours for your bed

Light colours are known for making a space look larger. If your dorm room is already small, using dark-coloured beddings will make the space look even tighter. Use light and airy colours to soften the look of your room such as white, creams, yellow or pastel colours.

Mirrors and carpets

Mirrors are always a great hack to make a room look larger, if possible and space allow it. Why not going on a hunt in second-hand shops or vintage markets to find an original mirror that will make your room look more unique. A small and colourful carpet at the bottom of your bed will also give it a special and homey feel plus, carpets can also be found in thrift shops for under 20 pounds.

Tapestry

Another way to decorate empty walls is to add cool tapestry, this will instantly lighten up your room and raise the energy. If you like tapestry, this will make it go from a standard room like any other student to your own personal space, personalised and unique.

Fairy lights

Our very last hack for you is fairy lights. The small final touch that will add warmth and a magical feeling to any room no matter how big or small. This will show you that you can change the whole atmosphere by adding only one element. You can hang them around your bed headboard or around your desk depending on the set up of your room. Be original, they can go anywhere really.

We hope that these tips will help you as much as they helped us in our uni years. They really show that a little can go a long way and they can make your room turn from a standard cold dorm to an awesome homely space (and it won’t even cost you much). So good luck to you if you’re reading this just before starting University or even if you have already started! Enjoy this time of your life to the fullest (in a cosy room)!

For more tips check out our post on How To Decorate a Flat on a Budget.