Finding DIY options to create or decorate items for your dorm often saves money and adds a more personal touch to your dorm. You could even save these DIYs for your arrival at college so you can do them with new friends!
Here are some cheap, easy DIYs to create a homey and appealing atmosphere in your dorm:
Make no-sew T-shirt bags.
Whether for shopping or for carrying a couple of books, owning a few extra bags in college isn’t a bad idea. You can find plenty of tutorials on YouTube, but here are eight different ways you can easily make a T-shirt bag without a sewing machine.
Create your own wall art.
If painting is not one of your skills, try simple designs with your dorm color scheme. Here, here, and here are a few easy painting designs to copy to elevate any space. You could also try cutting pretty pictures out of magazines, old books from thrift stores, or printed images online to create a collage by gluing the images onto a piece of paper or cardboard. You can also use cute handkerchiefs from your local antique store to hang earrings. This one was already painted when I received it as a gift, and I love using it to display my earrings.
Buy cheap notebooks and binders and use paints and stickers to decorate them.
This method saves you money and personalizes your school supplies.
Use clothespins, push pins, and string to hang photos without damaging the pictures.
Hanging art in your dorm can be tricky since using nails or tape that tears paint off the wall will result in a fine in many dorms. However, since most dorms allow push pins, this method allows you to hang pictures without a fine! If you don’t like the look of the string and clothespins, look for a fishing line and clear clothespins instead.
Use sharpies to create your own reusable calendar.
After creating the calendar with sharpies, you can use an expo marker to fill in deadlines and events, and then erase them all and start over at the end of the month. Use colored sharpies to decorate your calendar!
Use crates as bookshelves.
You can easily rearrange crates to fit your needs, stand them vertically or horizontally, stack them, paint them and/or use them as tables! You can also use them to carry and transport your belongings while moving in and moving out of the dorm. Here are some of the ways people arrange their crate shelves:
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/434808539006549140/
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/30258628731547120/
Paint cups or mugs for pen holders or to hold small supplies on your desk.
Painting the inside of a glass cup or bowl creates an especially pretty effect.
In order to create a relaxing environment, be careful not to overfill your dorm with stuff, but if you take on one DIY project at a time, you’ll have a cute and comfy dorm in no time!
