Dorm Decorating | Design Happens

ALL POSTS TAGGED "[dorm decorating]"

Dorm Daze: Finale + Roundup

by Jessica Yonker October 3, 2012 6 Comments

By now, most college students have either started school or are slowly coasting toward midterms (this trusty intern certainly is). The group projects have been assigned, people have unofficially designated “their spot” in the library, and if you’re a parent at home you may be lamenting (or celebrating) your now-empty nest.

No matter what time of year, you can still find plenty of ways to spruce up your dorm or first apartment. Image courtesy of Dormify.com

There is however, one last bit of advice I’d like to bestow on college students looking to make the most out of their dorm room or first apartment….

Find Out What

Dorm Daze: Stocking Your First Kitchen

by Jessica Yonker September 26, 2012 9 Comments

I love to cook, but after 4 years in college, two things have become very clear to me:

There is a certain amount of functional counter space you need to cook a good meal.

The provided counter space in your dorm room or first apartment will always be less than that amount.

Combine that inevitable lack of space with an incomplete set of kitchen tools, minimal cooking experience, and the chaotic schedule a college student often has, and cooking can quickly turn into an ordeal (pizza, anyone?).

But it doesn’t have to be this way. A little time management can go a long way, and starting off with the right items can make a big difference.

Buy Ingredients

The other day I escorted a friend to the grocery store. We put away all her groceries only to find that when I opened her refrigerator, it was still empty. Baffled, I ransacked her cabinets, trying to see what went wrong. The problem? She had only bought snacks. Snack foods are good to have around, but if you don’t continually buy staple ingredients like eggs, bread and milk, you limit the variety of meals you can make. I try to make an effort to always buy a box of pasta noodles, a jar of sauce, and a couple of canned vegetables every time I grocery shop – they’re good for a quick meal and I know I’ll always need them.

Read the Rest

Dorm Daze: Cleaning Essentials Checklist

by Jessica Yonker September 19, 2012 6 Comments

Small spaces get dirty fast. A sticky spot on the floor or a few cobwebs in the corner might go unnoticed for weeks in a big, roomy house, but quickly become an eyesore in a dorm room. But whereas in that big house you may have cleaning products for days, college students’ supplies are often limited.

This kid doesn't know most college students will never own a vacuum this nice.

Here’s an example: I didn’t always own a mop. I used to loop a hand towel on the end of a broom, dunk it in a bucket (and by bucket, I mean trash can) of soapy water and drag it across the floor, hoping that it would clean something, anything. Those were dark days.

Decorating is basically useless if all of your stuff is covered in trash. There are essentials you need, especially if it’s your first apartment or dorm, to keep your space tidy and clean.

See The List

Dorm Daze: Creative Custom Wall Decor

by Jessica Yonker September 5, 2012 6 Comments

Last week I mentioned how my apartment’s blank walls had to go.

Dorm rooms are typically already equipped with a set of furniture, and while it’s nice to not have to furnish an entire room or apartment out of your own pocket, it definitely makes creating your own personal style difficult. Your empty dorm walls become, quite literally, your blank canvas. Some residence halls will even let you paint – with the agreement that you promise to repaint at the end of the year.

But if you find you can’t paint and your walls are so fragile that a nail might send pieces of drywall crashing to the ground, don’t go running for the Scarface poster just yet. There are plenty of simple but creative ways to decorate, even on a college student’s budget.

3 Tricks to Try

Dorm Daze: Move-In Day Makeover Before and After

by Jessica Yonker August 29, 2012 6 Comments

I was absent last week because I was tied-up with my last first day of school ever. I’m also happy to announce that I’m finally done unpacking! The move-in process was way more tiring than I remembered. Then again, this is the first time I packed, drove, unloaded and unpacked all by myself; I usually have my parents or a friend with me to help, but I inherited a car over the summer so this time I made the long drive solo.

I live in the same residence hall I’ve stayed in for the last two years – a furnished apartment building on the far side of campus. I share the space with one roommate and I have my own room; after spending the first two years of my college career crammed in a traditional-style dorm, I needed some more personal space.

My apartment is an older building, so it’s not the most glamorous of spaces:

jessica's dorm before

The first time I ever stepped into this apartment, I knew it would need work. I’ve found that the more comfortable I am in my living arrangement, the easier I find it to study and lead a healthier lifestyle. It also doesn’t hurt that I often get compliments on how homey my apartment feels!

See My Dorm Makeover

Dorm Daze: Keeping a Dorm Room Organized

by Jessica Yonker August 1, 2012 10 Comments

I spent this summer – my last summer as a student ever – interning here at HGTV.com. The beginning of August has only reminded me that it’s only a matter of weeks before I head back to class for my final semester at the University of Tennessee (Go Vols!).

I’ve lived on campus all four years of my college experience – two years in a “traditional” two-person dorm and two years in an on-campus apartment. At this point I could probably, pack, unpack and rearrange all the furniture to maximize the space in just a few hours.

That wisdom came with experience, however. Like many other students, I spent the entire summer before my freshman year of college fretting over what to bring to my new home. Mix together my panic with graduation money and things quickly got out of hand:

What I Thought I Needed to Be Organized:	What I Actually Needed:
Paper shredder 10 composition books Multiple laundry bags Laundry basket More than three rolls of tape Magazine rack A plastic bin in every size High school term papers, “for reference”	Pocket shoe organizer Hangers

Needless to say I went overboard, much to the dismay of my poor parents who had to lug it all across the state only to have to turn around and take it all back when everything was intruding on my roommate’s side of our tiny room. Here’s what I’ve learned from the chaotic mistakes I made:

Melissa from 320 * Sycamore cut a hanging shoe rack to fit her narrow closet doors.

My favorite trick for keeping things tidy is investing in a couple over-the-door pocket shoe organizers. They’re inexpensive and readily available in stores at this time of year. They have deep pockets – making them perfect for stashing toiletries, school supplies, and snacks – and what’s best is that you can keep them behind a door or tucked away in the closet.

You could also try attaching clear folders to the wall for a neat place to hold homework, papers or a collection of menus for those late-night hunger pains:

Remember that whatever you do, organization is priority number one in a dorm room. Priority number two is not attempting to take your house with you to college.

For more creative ideas on controlling clutter in a dorm or small space, check out:

Clever Uses for Everyday Items in the Home Office

Repurposing Household Items for Closet Organization

Stylish Storage Solutions