Fall move-in day is quickly approaching and for many of you, this will be your first time living on your own. With this new ounce of freedom, you will finally have a space that you can customize to fully reflect who you are. This can end up being quite expensive so I wanted to share a few tips on how you can decorate your dorm on a student budget while giving it that special quality. After all, this will be your new home for the next nine months!

1. Gallery wall

Bring life to those bland white walls by creating a visual mood board filled with your favorite prints and photographs. College dorms generally have strict rules against damaging walls so a good alternative is to use decorative washi tape and command hooks. Try using pegs and twine to secure things too. Simply print out and arrange your favorite inspirational quotes, prints from your favorite artists, posters and memorable photographs with loved ones.

2. Throws

Since your bed will essentially serve as a couch during the day, add decorative blankets and throw pillows along the back wall to spruce up any plain duvet cover. Another great thing about these are that it can double as floor cushions when you have guests over!

3. Greenery

Liven up your space by adding natural elements to counter all the fluorescent lighting around you. Since you’ll probably be in and out of your dorm room quite often, opt for plants that require very little maintenance such as succulents, air plants, aloe vera, or cacti. If you’re like me and have miraculously killed every plant you’ve owned, don’t worry, these plants last a relatively long time. But if you want to be extra cautious, you can opt for fake plants like the ones above which give the same visual effect! I love this Ceramic Wall Planter from Typo for adding some extra metallics to the room.

4. Mason jars

Stay organized by using jars as storage containers for stationery or as holders for your plants. You could even add a personal touch to them by applying paint or placing twine around the neck of the jar. You can simply pick these up from your local dollar, thrift, or craft store for relatively under $3.

5. String lights

Dorms usually come equipped with desk lamps but by simply draping string lights and curtain lanterns across your wall, desk, or bed, you can create a soft and cozy ambiance. I hope you found these tips helpful, even if you’re not an incoming freshman or student, you can still use this as inspiration for decorating your own space. Happy decorating! Say hey to an awesome 15% off Typo too and you can get all of these looks for less using your UNiDAYS discount. Take advantage of this awesome deal while you can!

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