How to Decorate Your Dorm as a Freshman

Let’s be real for a second; this article is aimed at guys because most of us are simple creatures who don’t see the need to decorate our walls and living space. Or, at the very least, I didn’t, and neither did most of my friends. Don’t make mistakes. Decorating gives you the chance to make the space your own. It makes your dorm feel as much at home as possible. Otherwise, your dorm will look and feel like a prison cell. I can see blank beige walls, crappy twin mattresses, and the super small desk and dresser they give you. Adding touches of your personality to your room helps make it your own. Here is a guide on how to decorate your dorm as a freshman.

How to Decorate Your Dorm as a Freshman

Decorating the Walls

The easiest way to decorate your walls is by covering them in movie posters and your favorite sports team memorabilia. Be careful not to go overboard, though. You shouldn’t cover every inch of your walls with stuff. You want your wall decorations to cover the beige blandness of dorm room walls but not make the room feel cluttered. Instead, try getting a team flag or banner if you go the sports memorabilia route. Something that will take up space on your wall but is still simple in design, so your wall doesn’t look too busy. 

If you love posters, then pick some of your favorites to put up on your wall. But do yourself a favor and buy some poster borders. It’ll make your posters look so much better on your walls. It will keep them safer on your walls, and the borders make it easier to take your posters down your wall. I’ve ripped my fair share of posters trying to get them down with the sticky tack on the back. So you might just save yourself from the heartbreak of losing your favorite poster. 

Maybe you are a super organized person or inspiring to be one, but putting up a whiteboard calendar is never a bad idea. Even if you stop using it as a calendar, whiteboards are the best, especially in a dorm. Having a designated spot to write down the things you need to buy but keep forgetting about is one of the best practices to get into as an adult. You buy your weekly items (or however often you go grocery shopping). Still, sometimes you forget about that one thing you don’t have to buy too often. Or maybe you do use the whiteboard as a calendar because you are mentally healthy and superior to everyone. 

Your Bed

Nothing will make a dorm feel more put together than matching bedding. Comforters are the most expensive thing you can get for your bed, so if you already have one, try to match your sheets and pillowcases to it. Honestly, this is the easiest thing to do. And while you’re at it, buy an extra set of sheets or two for your bed. The only chore more annoying to accomplish than cooking in a dorm is doing laundry. So having an extra set of sheets will buy you a little more time between laundry loads. And please, for the love of all that is good, CHANGE YOUR BED SHEETS!!!! 

Miscellaneous Stuff

So your walls are decorated, your bed is made, great! But that’s the bare minimum. Adding small miscellaneous things to your desk will make your dorm feel lived in instead of a cold, sterile spot to lay your head. Maybe you like to read books. Find a way to display them somewhere in your dorm. If you’re anything like me, you can’t keep a plant alive to save your life, so get a fake plant. Something small that will add color to your space. Figure out how to show off your sneakers if you’re a sneakerhead. Decorating your space is all about figuring out the best way to showcase your interests and personality in the space you are now living. 

Clean, Clean, Clean

The best tip I can give you is to find a place for everything. Get a bed caddy so weird things like chargers and backpacks have a place to live. Dorms are notoriously small, so even the slightest mess will make the space feel chaotic. Get out of the habit of putting these down and learn to put them away, and you might maintain a clean dorm room. Also, buy some Lysol wipes and a broom so you can at least wipe down your room.