White blonde female in yellow T-shirt sitting at desk with knee up next to bed

5 Tips for Decorating Your Dorm to Help You Settle in at College

Want to make sure your dorm is a fun and comfortable environment to live in? Trick out your space with these fun ideas that'll make you feel right at home.

College dorms are not glamorous living spaces. Many are rather dull, plain, and dated. And unfortunately, you can't change the biggest elements in the room, like the paint, flooring, or beds. However, that doesn't mean your space can't be colorful, fun, and unique. Here are a few ways to decorate your dorm so that it doesn't look drab and boring.

1. Add color to the space with a fun comforter

While you may not be able to paint your dorm room, you can still add some color and make your living space vibrant. Adding a colorful comforter, pillows, or throw blankets will help you spruce up your dorm to make it feel as if you're at home. Obtaining a comforter that has multiple colors and design patterns will also make the space appear to be larger, which is perfect in a small dorm room.

2. Place a throw rug on the floor

A throw rug in the middle of the room will add both texture and warmth to your dorm. The space that you're spending the majority of your year in doesn't have to feel cramped and bland. This is your opportunity to figure out your style if you haven't done so already. Experiment with different colors and patterns to find the look that's best suited for your space. To make your small dorm seem larger, keep in mind that vertical stripes lengthen a room, while horizontal stripes can make it look wider. 

3. Make sure there's enough light

Not having enough light makes a space look dreary and dull. Bringing in plenty of lighting helps brighten the room and makes it easier to study. Consider playing around with light bulbs that mimic natural light, especially if there aren't many windows in your space. This can make a cold, dreary space sunnier and brighter.

Related: 5 Easy Ways to Have the Best Dorm Room on Campus

4. Bring in multifunctional pieces

Bringing in multifunctional furniture—such as cubes that can double as storage and seating—is also a must in small spaces like dorm rooms. You already have a limited amount of space; multifunctional pieces can give you all the function you need while keeping the space from being crowded. Make a list of the different items you'll need in your dorm room, such as a table, desk, storage, and seating. Then head to your favorite store and see what pieces they have that can serve in two or three different ways.

5. Place high school memorabilia on your wall

Unfortunately, you can't paint your dorm room, and the walls in these rooms are typically plain white in color. But that doesn't mean you can't have any color, design, or texture on the wall. When you graduate from high school, you're often left with memorabilia from high school. While you may be hesitant to place items from your high school days on your walls in college, it can be very comforting. It's common for people to become homesick when they first start college—it's often the first time they're away from home, their friends, and their family. Placing familiar items on your wall helps add character, color, and design to your dorm.

Related: The Ultimate Guide to Decorating Dorm Room Walls

Bringing certain elements into your dorm room such as colorful comforters, a throw rug, plenty of light, multifunctional pieces, and wall decals can help spruce up any boring place and give it personality and identity. And who knows what fun decorating ideas your roommate might have too. Work together to really liven up your space and get to know each other!

You can find more dorm room decorating tips and ideas in our Student Life section, along with other ways to enrich your campus life!

Like what you’re reading?

Join the CollegeXpress community! Create a free account and we’ll notify you about new articles, scholarship deadlines, and more.

Join Now

Tags:

About Rachelle Wilber

Rachelle Wilber is a freelance writer living in the San Diego, California, area. She graduated from San Diego State University with a bachelor's degree in journalism and media studies. She tries to find an interest in all topics and themes, which prompts her writing. When she isn't on the porch writing in the sun, you can find her shopping, at the beach, or at the gym.

You can follow Rachelle on Twitter.

 

Join our community of
over 5 million students!

CollegeXpress has everything you need to simplify your college search, get connected to schools, and find your perfect fit.

Join CollegeXpress

College Quick Connect

Swipe right to request information.
Swipe left if you're not interested.

Coe College

Cedar Rapids, IA


Maria  Fernanda

Maria Fernanda

High School Class of 2023

CollegeXpress is always telling you with time to spare when to apply for certain scholarships, what they require, and if you’re eligible or not. They also provide helpful tips for both incoming college students and current college students, such as what to absolutely have in your dorm.

Caitlin Eaton

Caitlin Eaton

$10,000 Scholarship Winner, 2021

I first discovered CollegeXpress during my sophomore year of high school while researching colleges that interested me. My SAT prep class the following year further familiarized me with the opportunities available through the organization. CX has personally helped me by exposing me to a diverse selection of schools as well as scholarships and life tips that have provided valuable guidance in my college search.

This scholarship will help me adjust to college life without worrying as much about tuition. This gives me more room to truly explore and benefit from all aspects of higher education. I plan to study Conservation Biology and work protecting species/ecosystems. I’m looking forward to getting field experience and seeing firsthand the problems research is solving.

Victoria Fuss

Victoria Fuss

March Madness Scholarship Winner, Class of 2022

CollegeXpress has helped me dramatically. Moving on to the next level has been a dream of my mine since I was just a young kid, and the support and help CollegeXpress has given me will help me further my education. I couldn’t be more grateful to everyone at CollegeXpress!

Kamal

Kamal

Student, University of the People

I registered with CollegeXpress and filled all my necessary and relevant information as well as the course I wished to study. A few days later, an email was sent to me with a list of schools offering the course; amongst them was the University of the People, the school I got admitted to.

Rhiannon Teeter

Rhiannon Teeter

$2,000 Community Service Scholarship Winner, 2012

I have spent a lot of time aggressively searching for scholarships. It was a long and frustrating process until I found the CollegeXpress network. This site made my search so much easier. With the simple check of a few boxes, the site sorted out scholarships I was eligible for and led me directly to the correct websites. Winning this scholarship has definitely given me and my family some financial relief, and CollegeXpress has allowed me to improve my chances of winning further financial aid. Thank you so much!