TIPS: MY FIRST DORM ROOM

If you’re about to become a college freshman and thinking about how to decorate your first dorm space, you’ve no doubt already seen an example of what your new space will look like when you took the campus tour. Maybe you already know the dimensions of the room and square footage, and maybe you don’t.

In case you don’t, we’ll tell you that the average dorm room is 12x15. That’s not a lot of room.

You’ll need to conserve space and stick to many of the bare essentials. In this post, we’re going to discuss ways to do this. (NOTE: No product shown below is directly endorsed by the authors. So, if you buy it, and it doesn’t work out, we are not responsible.)

Utilize Your Under-Bed Options -

Bed risers are a great way to give yourself under-bed storage space. You’ll come to appreciate being able to toss your clutter into a bin and shove it under the bed, especially when that hot study date comes around.

There are a number of different options for bed risers out there, but we generally recommend one of two kinds – the plastic, 6”-high ones (in black or white, seen above), or the wooden 4.5” ones (seen below). The plastic variety is generally half the price of the wooden ones, and you need two sets of the wooden ones to elevate the bed higher than the plastic ones.  

However, unless your budget is too tight to swing it, we recommend the wooden risers. They just look nicer. But, if you have to buy the plastic kind for now, you can always upgrade later.

For the box in which you toss the above-referenced clutter, again, there is a variety of options for under bed boxes. Generally, anything that is plastic, with a lid, and possibly wheels too, will do the trick. We don’t recommend milk crate-type boxes for this job. Stuff can fall out of them, and they don’t slide well. Whichever you pick, however, shouldn’t cost more than $30.

Prepping for Shower Time -

Since most dorms have communal shower areas, rather than room-specific bathrooms, you will need something to carry your shower gear with you. We recommend that your shower basket be an easy-to-clean material like plastic (the one to the left), in case of shampoo spills or in case you set your shower basket in a mysterious puddle. Consider a model that hooks over a doorknob or the showerhead (like the mesh one below, which is washable, dries fast, and comes in several colors).

And, remember, since space can be a premium, and you may not have a place to stash your shower gear in your room so that it’s out of sight, be sure to pick a shower basket or caddy that you’re not embarrassed for visitors to catch sight of.

More stashing ideas -

If you don't have a hamper already, we highly recommend you get one, and use it, too. (We're talking to you, guys.) You want your study date to pay attention to you, not your clutter or your dirty laundry, and the less time you spend hopping over mini piles of t-shirts and gym clothes is more time you can use for hustling to class. Try this mesh favorite below.

By all accounts we've seen, it's durable and holds a couple of loads, so your socks aren't spilling out onto the floor if you don't get to your laundry right away. It's a pretty reasonable price, too, so if you're prone to letting your laundry go for a while, we recommend picking up a couple of these.

Decorating -

Alright, now that we've gotten the drudgery part (also called getting organized) out of the way, let's talk decorating ideas. This is where the color tips from our previous post comes in. We'll quickly discuss your desk area and your bed area, because these are two elements every dorm room has, and of course, the walls. Everything else is dependent upon the dormitory.

Desk Area: Get yourself a pin board or a cork board, whichever you prefer. This one from Board Dudes is a combo cork board for pinning up Post-It Notes and magnetic white board for writing yourself reminders. Just a word of caution, don't get any magnets from your white board near your computer, or it'll be "game over" for your term paper. Also, try a little desk art in the form of a mouse pad, like this one with Van Gogh's Starry Night, or this one with a more gamer-friendly design.

Bed Area: Picking sheets and blankets that are not only comfortable, but reflect you personally is important. Try a plaid design like this one, or a striped pattern like this one. Then, pair up the sheets with a blanket in a complementary color.

Your Walls: If you can, bring pictures of family, friends, pets, your favorite car, with you to your new dorm room. They will make the transition to college life easier, and they can provide you with a conversation starter when trying to get to know your new roommate. If there are posters you want to transfer to your dorm, do that too. For other art ideas, check out Amazon's "Artwork" category. They have everything from Ansel Adams prints to sea turtle wall art.

Our last piece of advice about getting ready for your first dorm room is have fun when gathering up what you plan to take with you. Find items that reflect you personally and take things that have already defined who you are - baseball cards, throw pillows and bed buddies, stuffed animals, concert tickets, whatever your thing is. Starting out at a new school doesn't mean you have to ditch all the things you loved before.

Next time on Beyond Taupe - "My First Apartment".