Dorm decorating on a budget

You can make your dorm feel like your new home without spending a lot of money.

When you start college you might move into a dorm room shared with roommates. Although the dorm is owned by your college or university, you should look at it as your new home. You’ll be spending a great deal of time sleeping, studying and socializing in and around your new room. Although it may feel foreign at first, you should do your best to make it your retreat, so you can be as comfortable as possible. Here are some ways to decorate your dorm room on a budget.

Shop sales
In the months before you go to college, keep your eyes peeled for special sales at home stores. Often, around graduation and the end of the summer, stores will offer special sales on sheets that fit dorm sized mattresses. Sometimes, stores even send out coupons to use within a certain amount of time, so you can buy all your dorm decorating needs, such as bedding, posters, desk accessories and storage containers. Keep a folder of coupons and clippings that you can use to buy your dorm room necessities at a discount.

Have school spirit
You may also want to check out your school’s bookstore for blankets and posters, especially if you are a fan of the university’s athletic teams. Some college bookstores will carry blankets and other accessories with the school’s logo or mascot. This can be a good way to decorate your room on a budget and show your school spirit. Even better, look for discontinued items on sale.

“Shop” from family members
Family members may be good resources for finding gently used items. If you have brothers, sisters or other relatives who have recently gone to college, ask them if they have anything to pass on to you. Some college students choose to live in a dorm only the first couple of years of school before they get an apartment or house. So you may know someone who has dorm mattress-sized sheets that have only been used for a short amount of time.

Make it yourself
Another inexpensive way to decorate your dorm room is to make a collage. You can take pictures of friends, ticket stubs and other souvenirs from events or vacations and arrange the items on a bulletin board. This can be a great way to decorate and it will give you something from home to keep in your room.

Use your gifts wisely
Often, friends and family members will give gift cards to home and department stores for high school graduation. If you use these to decorate you room, you can save yourself or your parents a great deal of money.