How to Decorate Your College Dorm Room on a Budget

When you get down to calculating the cost of a college education it includes fees, tuition, books, food, transportation, and boarding. However, many students don’t take the cost of furnishing their dorm room into account.

Decorating your room gives you the chance to experience something entirely new. It is the first time you will be decorating your own personal abode. Those four walls are now going to be your home for a long time. There’s no interference from your parents on telling you where to put stuff, it is entirely your responsibility.

You may also be financing the entire project; and like most college students, you may not have a huge budget for things aside from books, food, and some socialization. Luckily for you, decorating your dorm room is not as expensive as you believe.

It doesn’t necessarily have to be luxurious or fancy. You can always procure inexpensive yet elegant furniture from stores like ours, to improve the functionality and appeal of the space. Here are a few pointers to keep in view while decorating your dorm room:

1. Share Expenses with Your Roommate

The NRF (National Retail Federation) reported that students spend close to $126 on furnishing their apartments. On average, a student spends upwards of $900 while they prepare to get back to school. It simply means that most students don’t have that kind of money to spare on decorating their living space.

However, the easiest solution to this is to share all the expenses with your roommate. For example, figuring out who will buy the furniture, curtains, rugs and furnishings etc. will make the situation easier to handle. Sharing costs is one of the best ways to ensure that decorating your dorm room doesn’t burn a hole in your pocket.

2. Get Creative

If you can handle DIY tasks, there are a number of inexpensive ways to make your dorm room visually appealing. You can decorate the walls by putting up removable wallpaper. For a more creative touch, you can put up posters or use washi tapes. You can add a clothesline made of clothespins, pushpins or twines to hang old pictures. This will add a charming and homely touch to your dorm room.

3. Thrift Shopping is the Way to Go  

Thrift stores sell a variety of products, ranging from chairs, picture frames, and decor to old artwork and more that you can use in your dorm room. You can also stop by a garage sale and source some interesting and useful items from there. They won’t cost you as much as brand new furniture and will add a unique look to your room.

 4. Pick Versatile Pieces

If you’re on a tight budget, you can buy multi-use furniture pieces. For example, rather than buying seat cushions for your friends when they’re over you can choose ottomans that double up as storage for all of your knick-knacks. If you require more shelf space, you can opt for lamps with tiered shelves that surround its base. You can also use wastebaskets as tables by flipping them over. A futon is a popular item among college students; it serves as both a couch and a bed.

5. Bring Something from Home

It is a good idea to check your house before leaving. You may find things that you can use. For example, why waste money on lamps when you could easily take one from your room or an older one stored in your attic? Although you may want the room to have a particular theme, using existing pieces with some smart new accessories can help tie everything together beautifully.

6. Ask Around

If you are looking to save some money on dorm decor, you might want to hold back on purchases like sheets and blankets. However, asking neighbors and friends for those materials isn’t a bad idea. You can simply ask them if they have any little-used, old things to give away. This will help you save money that can then be put to better use. You can also use your college move-in day to get acquainted with your roommates and see whether they have purchased an extra piece of furniture or something else they don’t require.

Creating an All-Encompassing Comfort Zone

Dorm rooms serve as bedrooms, kitchens and living rooms for college students. All it takes is a bit of creativity, smart thinking and careful planning to get things right. Even as you are looking for cost-effective options to spruce up the look of your dorm room, focus on quality. For instance, it’s better to look for good quality, yet cheap accessories and fixtures for your room. This will help ensure they won’t break or become damaged easily.

Even the smallest of dorm rooms can be made comfortable and attractive by adding well-chosen features of the right sizes and colors. If you want to create a perfect, homely environment without going into debt, take these simple tips into account and you can decorate your entire dorm room on a budget. At Jubilee Furniture, you will find elegant yet inexpensive furniture and accessories that can be a great addition to your dorm room.

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