Dorm Decorating 101: From Small to Spacious

If you happen to have a dorm room that is bigger than your closet at home, count yourself one of the privileged ones. As a whole, dorms are tiny wretched places. It's up to the student to make it a place to live, study and thrive in. Since space is almost always an issue it is a good idea to get your room measurements ahead of time. Find out what the room is equipped with to cut down on your packing. Are there shelves in place? Is there a desk in the room?

Make the most out of every bit of space you have, even the ceiling. Consider placing shelves on the top third of the wall for things you wont use everyday and hanging them from the ceiling. Use plain milk crates, strands of dog chain and sturdy hooks to hang them from the ceiling. Store books, school supplies and cd's in them. Place hooks on the back of your doors to hang backpacks, purses, clothing and accessories. Put the bed on cinder blocks to create additional under bed storage or consider lofting your bed.

Find out what you can share with your roommate. Even in the largest dorm room you only need one refrigerator and microwave. Use furniture that is easily stored like beanbags and folding chairs. Place plenty of throw pillows on your bed so it can double as a sofa and study area.

Think organized! The more neat and tidy you can be, the more room you'll make. Use closet organizers for shoes, and accessories as well as books and other supplies.

Collect decorative hat boxes for cosmetics and bathroom necessities. They stack nicely and aren't an eye sore! Use dividers in your drawers to make everything neat and easy to find. It avoids last minute scrambles and dumping out the contents in a mess.

Consider using a laptop computer. They are considerably smaller than your conventional desktop, taking up less space and gathering less dust. You can take them with you from class to class and find your notes easier than shuffling through pages of notebooks.

Lighting is important and you don't want to cut corners with it. Try using lamps that clip on or hang from the ceiling. Use the correct wattage and place them where their needed but save space at the same time.

Dorms are small but can still have all the comforts of home with a little planning and forethought. Make your home away from home comfortable and efficient with these simple ideas.

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