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Moving into a new place is just as exciting as starting
college. Your dorm room is your new living space, where you’ll be spending a
lot of time with your roommate, friends, studying or having fun. Even though it
is probably a tiny space, with little room for comfort, you can still make the
most out of it. Decorating a dorm room is actually an ongoing process, as you
will be adding new stuff to the room regularly. But, you can set some basics
right away in order to make that process more successful so that you can have a
perfect dorm room as the end product.
But, because your dorm room is a small place that you’ll
probably share, there are a lot of things that can go wrong while decorating
it. There are many things you have to pay attention to in order not to create a
daunting place that you’ll want to avoid. Therefore, in order to make the most
out of your dorm room, we’ve gathered a list of things you shouldn’t include in
your decorating plan.
Overstuffing
Dorm rooms are small and usually intended to be shared
between two roommates. There is a limit to the space you have, so you need to
make sure to bear that in mind when bringing new stuff to the room and planning
decorations.
In order to maximize the space in the room and use every inch of it, make sure
not to overstuff it with unnecessary things. For example, many students like to
make their beds cozy by placing dozens of pillows on the bed. Or, others like
to have hundreds of books in the room, even if they have to stand on the floor,
take place on the table, or any other free place in the room.
Sure, you can have all of these things in the room, but then
you need to have an excellent organization tactic. If you want to have a lot of
books in the room, make sure to purchase a bookshelf or shelves. Or, if you’re
going to have a lot of pillows, make sure to have enough room, for example, in
your closet to place the pillows away when you want to sleep. Even so, avoid
overstuffing your room either way, because it is your temporary residence and
you will need space to lead a healthy life while in college.
Keeping it dark
One of the basic rules of decorating
is brightness. It is always essential to keep a room bright, with light or
color, for it to seem more cozy, warm, welcoming and comfortable. Because
you’ll be spending a lot of time in that room, studying, reading, getting ready
for exams, the room needs to feel homey and safe. Therefore, avoid lacking the
source of light in your dorm room. Sure, many students like to have a single
lamp, that they use during the night studying sessions or, of course, crying
sessions that end with you asking “do my assignment for me”
because you were procrastinating the entire semester, but that is entirely
counterproductive.
If a room lacks light, chances are you’ll be getting more
stressed, anxious and even depressed. Light and brightness are known to help
you stay focused, awake and more likely to get things done. So, make sure to
purchase string lights, many lamps and other sources of light that are rather
inexpensive, but very effective. You can also have fun and purchase an overhead
light, many multi-setting string lights or even candles to create an inviting
ambiance. This will also come in handy when having friends over to create a fun
vibe and brighten up the room. However, make sure always to unplug the lights
and turn off the candles in order to avoid a fire hazard.
Over decorating
Another thing you should avoid when decorating your dorm
room is over
decorating. This means that you should avoid putting too much of the
purposeless, unnecessary little pieces all over your room that will just take
your space and gather dust. Sure, things like art pieces, quotes, figurines,
plants, and other stuff help you express your individuality and unique style,
but it is really easy to overdo it. So, when decorating your dorm room, make
sure to have pieces of decoration that are actually meaningful, have a purpose
and fit well in your room without taking too much space away.
Also, make sure to consider minimalism when decorating the
room. A minimalistic style of decorating will help you keep the room organized,
clean and stylish as well. All of the pieces you display in your room will be
multipurpose and also look good. Or, if you’re more of an artsy, messy type of
person, just make sure to keep proper storage for all of your stuff so that the
room is still organized and clean. Here’s an additional tip; no matter how you
decorate your room, in the end, it is of utmost importance that you have it
tidy and organized because organization and cleanliness will always make your
room look good. If it’s messy, overstuffed and over decorated, not to mention
filled with garbage and clothes thrown all over, it will look bad.