DIY Dorm Room Decorations

Decorating your dorm can get expensive- fast. For trying to create a space that is comfortable and reflects your personal style, you may want to try out a few DIY dorm room decorations. Rather than picking up more expensive pieces, that other students are also likely to have, from stores you can make something that is totally custom to the way you want your room to look. Here are 10 dorm decor DIYs for some inspiration.

Bed Canopy

Create a super cozy space to relax in! What you’ll need: an embroidery hook, sheer or mesh curtains, ribbon or string, and a screw hook.

1. Pick up an embroidery hoop of your desired size at the craft store. Make sure that the product that you buy comes with an inner and outer hoop because you’ll be using both for this project.
2. Unscrew the outer hoop and remover the inner hoop. Using two pieces of ribbon (or string), tie both ends of each ribbon onto the inner hoop to create the  loop from which your canopy is going to be hung. At this point you should have your ribbon tied  onto four different equidistant spots on the inner hoop. To make sure the ribbons are secured in place, you can apply some glue to the ribbons and fasten them to the hoop.
3. String 4 to 6 sheer or mesh curtains on to the outer hoop.
4. Place the inner hoop inside of the outer hoop. Secure your canopy together by tightening the outer hoop.
5. Secure a screw hook into the ceiling and hang your canopy from the hook!

Dry Erase Board

Create a “to do” list for all of your homework and meetings on your super cute DIY dry erase board. What you’ll need: picture frame, scrapbook paper, a pen and scissors.

1. Buy a cute frame or find an old one you don’t need anymore. This frame will serve as the base of the dry erase board.
2. Remove the backing on the picture frame.
3. Trace the size of the glass onto your scrapbook paper and cut that out.
4. Place the paper into the frame, secure the back, and you’re all done!

Hanging Stencil Cutouts

Add some color to your dorm walls or the back of your closet door by hanging up a few friends. This is a DIY for everyone—even the not so artistically inclined. All you have to be able to do is work a pen and scissors. What you’ll need: stencil, scrapbook paper, pen, scissors, strung, and tape.

1. Head to the craft store and pick up some scrap book paper. Depending on how large your cutouts will be, you’ll need one or two pieces for each.
2. Pick out a stencil. You can easily find one online of whatever you want.
3. Print out the stencil and cut it out.
4. Use the stencil to trace your design onto the backs of your scrap book paper.
5. Cut out all of your designs. Assemble them together by using a piece of string and some tape.
6. Hang your creation up on your wall!

Lipstick Art

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Put your collection of lipsticks to good use my making some art for your dorm! What you’ll need: multiple shades of lipstick, paper or card stock, and alphabet letter stickers. To have a little more control over how your letters will look you can find fonts you like online and print whatever you’d like out onto sticky paper. If you choose to swap out the alphabet stickers for the sticker paper then you’ll also need scissors.

1. After you decide what quote or saying you’re going to use, put your stickers onto the paper spelling this out. If your going with sticky paper, you’ll have to print out what you want and cut the letters out before you get to pasting them all on.
2. Once your letters are arranged how you want, apply lipstick and kiss the paper around the letters. Do this with multiple shades of lipstick many times. You want to make sure that the area where your letters are is completely covered by lipstick kisses so that the words stick out when you’re finished.
3. Once you’ve completely covered any white space around the letters, let this dry.
4. Once dry, carefully remove the letters from the page. Hang it up on your wall or put it in a cute frame and you’ve got your finished product!

Wall Banner

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To mix up your walls with more than just posters, try a banner! You can easily make it yourself and hang it up with a command hook. You’ll need a wooden stick, a piece of cloth 13″W x 19″L (or whatever will fit on the wooden stick), iron on letters, string, scissors, an iron, and liquid stitch.

1. First, lie your wooden stick lengthwise across the back of the piece of cloth.
2. Making sure that there is enough cloth to fold over the stick, squeeze some liquid stitch onto the cloth just below the stick and secure the excess cloth.
3. Create a point at the bottom of your banner by folding both bottom corners up and secure them by gluing them to the back of the banner.
4. Let dry.
5. When dry, create whatever saying you would like using you iron on letters. Follow the instructions on how to iron the letters on.
6. Cut your string to desired length and tie it to both ends of the wooden stick.

Painted Glass Bottles

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Save or even buy antique looking soda bottles, paint them and use them for decoration! They can also be used as vases or just decoration pieces. What you’ll need: glass bottles or jars and acrylic paint.

1. Collect old glass bottle or jars.
2. Using your paint, squeeze some into your bottle.
3. To cover the entire inside of the glassware, either rotate the bottle so that the paint spreads around or cover the top with your hand and shake the bottle or jar.
4. Place painted glasswear upside down to dry. This will allow excess paint to drip out.

This process allows you to paint the inside of your glassware. If you’d like to paint the outside, simply use a spray paint on the bottles or jars.

Chevron Shoebox

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Decorate your wall with some stylishly repurposed shoe boxes! What you’ll need: shoe boxes, paint brushes, primer, two colors of paint, and painters tape.

1. Collect old shoe boxes that are still in good shape for your canvas.
2. Use a primer on the cardboard to prep the canvas.
3. Wait until the primer is dry. Then add your base color by brushing it on yourself or using a spray paint.
4. Once the first coat of paint is dry, add painters tape to create the shape that you want.
5. Add your second color of paint to all areas that are not covered by the painters tape.
6. Once the paint has dried, remove the painters tape. Add touch ups where needed, but otherwise you’re done!

Vision Board

A vision board is a helpful tool to help get you where you want to go. A vision board serves as both inspiration and motivation to reach your goals! What you’ll need: your choice of a poster board, large piece of paper, or cork board, old magazines, scissors, and pins or glue.

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1. Depending on how big you want your vision board to be, you’ll need a poster board, a large sheet of paper, or a cork board.
2. Round up a bunch of magazines that you’re okay with cutting up.
3. Cut or tear out images, words, or phrases that inspire you.
4. Once you have enough images to fill your board, glue or pin everything on to it!

Book Nightstand

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Make a nightstand out of whatever old books you have laying around your house! All you need to do this project is your old books or magazines!

1. Gather up old books and magazines. Stack them on top of each other to create a little nightstand.
2. For a more permanent piece of furniture, secure your books in place by using hot glue or a permanent adhesive.
3. For a messy look, stack your books or magazines at different angles.
4. You can go one step further and paint your new nightstand one color for a minimalist feel.

Crate Bookshelf

Just turn old crates that you have into a cute bookshelf! What you’ll need: multiple crates, sandpaper or electric sander, wood stain, rags, wood sealant, and nails or screws.

1. You can pick up wooden crates at any craft store for $5-10.
2. Use sandpaper to smooth down the crates. Sanding he crates will also allow the stain to soak in easier.
3. Make sure you crate is totally clean, then use a brush to apply a wood stain of your desired color. Wipe the excess off when your stain has fully soaked in.
4. This step is optional, but to keep the wood in prime condition, apply a sealant. Once your wood is completely dry, you can paint on or use a spray can to seal your wood.
5. When your crates are dry, arrange them in whichever way you like best and secure them with nails or screws.

Let us know if you try  any of these DIYs out by commenting below or tweeting us @SOCIETY19.