It's the beginning of August, which means that it is the beginning of college dorm room shopping (especially for incoming freshmen). Going into my second year of university, I would love to share with you some decor items you MUST have to make your dorm room look fabulous -- taking tips from Pinterest, experience and my brilliant decorator hallmates, of course!

1. Canvas Pictures

Now this one may seem obvious, but a few good quotes on your wall may be all you need to brighten your room and cheer you when you're waking up for an 8 am class after a long night of studying.
My friend Morgan even paints her own canvases with quotes she likes to put up on her walls ...something you can do as well!

2. Tapestries

I've never had one in my room, but I've seen other people use them and they make your room look AMAZING. I am planning to buy one for this fall: check out Society6 for some really cool and unique tapestries to make your dorm room look fabulous and chic!

3. Lights

Okay, so this one may be slightly more obvious, but lights are SUPER fun. Play with them! At one point I had a red, white and blue theme going in my room and I purchased these awesome patriotic lights that make the room really pop. Later, I used white twinkle lights to make my room really homey.

My friend Morgan (yeah, her room was pretty lit) also had these great lights that looked like a strand of plastic light up clothespins that she could actually hang pictures from. So cool!

4. Lamps

So no, I'm not talking about those cheap desk lamps from WalMart. You can still find super cheap deals on chic lamps like the ones below that will make your room feel more like home. Check out your local thrift stores for some great deals!

5. Pictures

There are a lot of creative ways to make pictures really pop in your room. (They're kinda my thing). I use an app called FreePrints to get photos sent to me in the mail right from my phone. It's wicked handy, check it out!

Grab some yarn and some photos and you can make vertical hanging lines of pictures, or you can attach them onto the yarn with tiny clothespins and hang them banner style.

Morgan, (I know, I know I keep mentioning her but she's just too cool!) buys cheap poster frames and collages pictures to hang on her wall. They're wicked cute. She even will theme them, having some black and white, and some color.

My most recent picture project I stole from Madi (my soon to be roomie, yay!), creating a heart shape on your wall out of pictures! Honestly you can do any shape, and it's a cute way to keep your memories close to you!

Something I am planning to try this year is using square Instagram pictures or polaroid pictures to create a stunning photo wall like this one.

6. Paint Swatch Calendars

Don't be basic and buy those $5 calendars with puppies on them. This DIY calendar is far more chic, and can make your room pop with color. It's also a fantastic way to keep yourself organized!
All you have to do is swipe your favorite colors on swatches from the paint section of WalMart (for FREE!), and organize them into a calendar on your wall.

A more durable way of doing this is by putting the swatches in an empty poster frame. That way, it's just like a dry erase calendar, only MUCH more adorable!

7. Maps

Whether you're an avid traveler or you are just a hopeless wanderluster like myself, maps are a great way to decorate!

Frame them. Mount them onto cork and pin the places you've been or want to go. Cut them up and make designs.
Have fun!

8. Pillows

This might seem obvious, but pillows are the bomb diggity. From pillows with messages on them, to emoji pillows to food shaped pillows, I have seen them all. And they are a great way to make a statement with your room while being super cute!