Going into my freshman year, I wanted the perfect dorm but didn't have much money to attain it. Luckily, with a little research and ingenuity, I figured it all out! Here's how you, too, can have the perfect dorm on a budget!
1. Buy all your bedding as a set on Amazon!
You might be scared that the quality will be bad, but that's what reviews are for. I ordered my bedding set two weeks before I went to college!
2. Don't bother with a mattress topper for a twin XL; the twin is only a few inches different.
This doesn't apply for sheets and whatnot, just the mattress topper. Also: Anything over three inches is completely excessive.
3. To buy your pens, pencils, markers, etc., go to Dollar Tree.
This is where I got each and every writing utensil. I also got cups and other small items to store said writing utensils.
4. Determine how expensive you want to go on notebooks, folders, and binders.
I did this half-and-half. My notebooks were mainly from Walmart (for once, you can find some here cheaper than at Dollar Tree), but folders and binders I just got at Dollar Tree.
5. Check what larger items your roommate will be bringing!
There is no reason to have two microwaves, TVs, fridges, coffee makers and printers! Check to see if they've already obtained any of those items before you buy them.
6. Big Lots can be your best friend.
No, not Walmart. Big Lots (also called Odd Lots) often has huge blowout sales and surprisingly cute decorations. This is where I bought all my throw pillows, lights, wall decorations and storage boxes.
7. Trying to update your wardrobe? Go thrift shopping!
The "dress code" of college is purely a social one, so this might prompt you to update your wardrobe. Unless you've been around students from your college, though, you might not completely have a handle on what to get. So, save some money to buy clothes online once you know what to buy, and just go thrift shopping instead. My recommendation: Plato's Closet!
8. Don't settle for something until you've looked everywhere.
If you're like me, you already knew what you wanted for your dorm. I went to three different stores to try to find the shag rug I wanted. I almost gave up but decided to spend a little bit more time on Amazon and finally found what I wanted for pretty cheap!
9. Bring things from home!
Yes, it's nice to start all over, but you also are going to want that touch of home. It will make those 2 a.m. nights slightly better.
10. Don't buy a bunch of suitcases to transport things!
Plain brown boxes will definitely work. I also really enjoyed the fabric storage units I bought online. It made it really easy to fit a lot of clothes into a small space! Then I either stored it under my bed with some other clothes that didn't quite fit in the closet or folded the fabric storage unit up and packed it away until I moved out!
11. Buy things that you can and will use from year to year.
Bobbie Hall
If you're on a budget now, you'll definitely be on a budget next year and won't want to go buy everything all over again. Don't get things that you'll want to replace from year to year! I promise, it won't look cheap to use the same decorations over again.
Your dorm is the place where you will spend a huge portion of your time. You'll eat there, sleep there, study there, and yes, take pictures there. Why not have it look the best it can?
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