8 Ways To Spice Up Your Dorm Room

For many, the dorm room is one’s first experience of having a home away from home. And let’s face it, it’s not exactly the bed of roses you may have been used to or what you were expecting, is it? For starters, it usually looks a bit like this:

A bit impersonal, aye?

It’s small, boxy, bland and you realise, somewhat surreally, that it looks exactly like a prison cell, even though you’ve (hopefully) never been inside one. So here are a few easy steps that you can take to spice up your dorm room and make it just that little bit more, well, You.

1. Buy Plants!

It took me a long time to catch on to how literally having any plant, breathes life into a room. And I’m not just talking literally. Bringing a plant into your dorm room will open up your shoe box of a space, breathe in some colour and create a little zen in this hectic new chapter of your life. There are also plants you can keep alive with very little attention as well, like the Devil’s Ivy plant for example, which earns its name from its imperviousness to death.

2. Put Up A Wall Hanging

Although everyone may seem to have one, having a wall hanging is an incredible way of bringing a little warmth to a room and electrifying a wall with a little substance without leaving those dodgy blue tack marks on the wall after. Find a hanging you love and you’ll carry it with you for years, having it double up as a sofa cover, picnic blanket and so much more!

3. Framed Pictures

Having a framed photo or two of your friends, family or pets from home is a great way of keeping you grounded when you’re feeling the distance. It’s also a great way of helping your new friends and flatmates get to know a little more about you.

4. Have Your Books On Display

I may be biased but it is my personal conviction that books infinitely brighten up any room. They’re colourful, packed with wonderful content and give off a great energy. They’re great conversation starters too, as people often tend to be curious about what you’ve been reading or are planning to read.

5. Cushions And Throws

These additions are a wonderful way of bringing a little more vibrance and comfort to your dorm room. Throwing a blanket over a chair or placing a pillow or two on your bed adds just a little bit more depth to your small space as well as that extra bit of comfort that can make all the difference on a bad day.

6. Incense and Candles

Having a unique smell can be the perfect way to spice up any dorm room and make people want to spend more time in it – including you! Candles are also a very calming addition to any room and delightfully cheap to source!

7. GET A LAVA LAMP

Remember being a kid and watching the cool fluorescent gloop go up and down all night when you were supposed to be sleeping? Well I do. Not only are lava lamps super cool and retro but also super relaxing, nostalgic and jazzy. If you’re not so keen on the idea however, why not look into a jellyfish lamp instead? They basically look like lava lamps but with jellyfish inside them… if you haven’t already guessed.

8. Hang Photos From Fairy Lights

Most fairy lights have their own safety precautions you should read before hanging photos from them but so long as you don’t place the photos directly next to the bulbs, it should be fine! This is an exceptionally cute way to jazz up your dorm room and make it that extra bit more cosy and interesting!