4 DIY Crafts to Deck Out Your Dorm

By Kailey Walters on August 13, 2017

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As we’re now fast approaching the end of August, that means one thing for college students everywhere: time to move back into the dorms.

Whether or not this is your first rodeo living in a dorm, you’re most likely looking for ways to make your room feel more like home.

I don’t know about you, but my mind often wanders to the cute, Instagram-worthy, perfectly decorated dorms that I’ve seen circulating on social media: twinkle lights strung across the ceiling, plump and squishy beanbag chairs scattered around the room, and expensive-looking decorations strategically placed here and there to imbue the space with a clean, elegant, only-in-the-movies atmosphere.

If you’re going for this look, decorating your dorm can come with a steep price tag. But luckily, there are many affordable ways you can spruce up your room — and you can do it on your own, too!

To liven up any aspect of your dorm, check out the following DIY craft ideas. Even if you’re not the craftiest person, these are fairly simple tasks and thankfully don’t involve high levels of mastery. Plus, making them doesn’t require too much time and effort on your part. Once you’re done, you can step back and admire your handiwork.

Vanity Mirror

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For those of you who consider a vanity mirror a necessity for doing makeup and getting ready in the morning, there is a simple and cheap way to go about creating one. Especially if your college doesn’t allow non-university furniture, being resourceful can pay off here.

Follow the example of Tamia Barnes, who was recently featured in a Buzzfeed article for her completely decked-out dorm room. She created her own vanity by gluing some LED lights from Dollar Tree to the frame of a mirror she’d gotten from Walmart.

Choose whatever lights you prefer (e.g. Christmas lights, bulb lights, etc.) and attach them to a mirror of your choosing. Place the mirror on your desk, and voila — you’ve got a vanity.

Desk Accessories

One way to make studying at least a little less grueling is to make your environment more pleasant. Especially if you prefer to do homework and study in your room, personalizing your desk accessories is the perfect way to create a comfortable atmosphere conducive to getting work done.

You can use different containers such as mason jars, cups, and/or small vases to organize all your writing utensils in one place. You may want to paint these containers different colors, as well as embellish them with various materials such as ribbon, twine, fabric scraps, faux jewels, stickers … basically any little things you can find in a craft store. Using a hot glue gun is your best bet here to make sure everything stays on properly.

Of course, the way you design your containers is totally up to you — create whatever your heart desires!

Inspirational Quotes

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Admittedly, not everyone enjoys inspirational quotes quite as much as I do. But if you’re in the same boat as me, you can never have enough inspiration … and what better way to motivate and feel good about yourself than to create a room full of positivity?

If you’re particularly artistic, you can go to town creating small posters and signs that convey your favorite quotes from your favorite people. You can start off with pencil and paper and move on to markers, colored pencils, watercolor paints, etc. to add a splash of vibrant color. Play around with the lettering and even consider adding in some drawings or other designs to enhance the pop of your inspirational poster.

If you’re not super artistic and the thought of putting pencil or paintbrush to paper freaks you out, don’t fear. You can easily design something on the computer, and — if you’re really opposed to designing it on your own, or maybe you’re just feeling lazy — you can simply Google search the quote or saying, and something you like is bound to pop up that you can print out.

You can also purchase some inexpensive picture frames and hang up your inspirational signs on the walls of your room. The frames will give your signs a classy and sophisticated touch.

Washi Tape

I had never even heard of washi tape until a few months ago, but apparently, it’s quite versatile and becoming more popular. The tape comes in a variety of colors and patterns and can be applied to almost anything — think doors, tabletops, and lampshades — to add some bright color to your surroundings.

For further ideas, tips, and tricks check out this comprehensive guide from HGTV.

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