More often than not a plethora of college students love to decorate their dorm rooms. Many students being students do not have so much money budget to decorate their dorms.
If you are one of such students that want to decorate your dorm room on a budget then you’re at the right place, because we will discuss how you can decorate your dorm room even if you are on a budget.
There are many ways you can decorate your dorm room without spending too much money. Read on to learn ways to decorate your dorm room on a budget.
How to Decorate a Dorm Room on a Budget
There are several ways to decorate your dorm room on a budget to avoid draining your funds, some of the ways to achieve this include:
- Make a Budget
- Use free or cheap things you have at home to decorate with, like old clothes and empty containers
- Buy multipurpose decor pieces, like boxes that can double as storage space, or shelves that can serve as bedsides tables
- Look for budget-friendly things on discount sites, eBay and Craigslist
- Look for local deals, like when stores are going out of business or having sales
- Take advantage of coupons and student discounts where available
- Buy used Decor Items when possible
- Hang your clothes up instead of folding them to save space without spending money
- Buy good quality lighting and use it sparingly, instead of lots of cheap light bulbs and wasting electricity
Make a Budget
Before you begin shopping for your dorm room, add up the costs of everything you want. This should include furniture, lighting, accessories, and any other items you intend to purchase.
Once you have the total figure in mind, look for ways to save money on those items. Consider if there are things you could get used to or secondhand instead of buying new right away.
Look for coupons or sales at stores where you plan to shop (many stores have student discounts). If possible, ask parents or relatives if they would be willing to lend any items they already own that you may need.
If there are things from your list of wants that still seem too expensive after considering these avenues for savings and discounts, consider whether it’s essential that these items be purchased before moving into your dorm.
If not, set them aside as potential purchases once your first semester starts and see how much money is leftover from other expenses like books and food. It may also help to start saving some money early so that by the end of the semester or when school is out for summer break, there will be more funds available for decoration purchases.
Use free or cheap things you have at home to decorate with, like old clothes and empty containers
Repurposing items you already have at home is a great way of decorating your dorm room cheaply. If you have got a favorite t-shirt for instance that you no longer use because it has become too stained or worn to wear, you could cut it up and make a throw pillow from it. You can also make use of an old curtain that’s just collecting dust, to use as a makeshift closet door.
You can also use other materials such as empty bottles and cans lying around your house, for decorations. These sorts of materials are perfect for keeping pens, pencils, or other small knick-knacks organized.
Buy multipurpose decor pieces, like boxes that can double as storage space, or shelves that can serve as bedsides tables
Buy multipurpose decor pieces, like boxes that can double as storage space or shelves that can serve as bedside tables. This is a much more cost-effective way to go about decorating your dorm room. You will also save on space since you won’t have to accommodate multiple pieces of furniture. Such multipurpose decor pieces greatly help you to save cost and you still get to have a good decoration of your dorm.
Look for budget-friendly things on discount sites, eBay and Craigslist
Sites like eBay and Craigslist are great for finding budget-friendly dorm room decor items. Keep in mind that you’re looking for gently used items, so make sure the item is in good condition.
You can also find new items on these sites, especially on eBay, but they may be more expensive than if they were bought at a store. Make sure to always check the shipping costs before you purchase an item to avoid overpaying and ruining your budget by spending more than you are supposed to.
Look for local deals, like when stores are going out of business or having sales
Inexpensive décor can also be found at local stores. Look for deals when stores are going out of business, or during seasonal sales or clearance sales.
Holiday sales at craft or fabric stores will offer a large selection of affordable items you can use to greatly decorate your dorm room to taste without spending too much money.
Take advantage of coupons and student discounts where available
While decorating your dorm room, make sure to always look for coupons and student discounts where available. Local newspapers and magazines are great sources of coupons, as is the internet.
To get these sorts of online coupons, just do an online search for “coupons” plus whatever brands or stores you plan on shopping at. You should also ask if the stores you’re shopping at have student discounts, particularly if they aren’t advertised. Sometimes all you have to do is ask.
Not only will using coupons and taking advantage of student discounts help you save money when decorating your dorm room, but it can also be fun. There’s a sense of excitement in finding a good deal that’s similar to solving a puzzle or finding buried treasure.
Buy used decor Items when possible
Buying used decor items when possible is a great way to save money. You don’t have to buy everything new and expensive. Used doesn’t have to mean ugly, lacking in quality, or dirty. You can find great used things at local second-use stores or even online.
You can also ask your family to donate outgrown or unused items you may want in your dorm room. For example, if your parents need to change their mini furniture you can ask them to donate the used one to you.
You can also ask them to donate other items you require that they have and may no longer be a need for in the house.
Hang your clothes up instead of folding them to save space without spending money
Get yourself a clothes rack or hangers. A great way to save space and make your room look bigger is to hang up your clothing instead of folding it in drawers (which take up a lot of space). You can hang stuff on the back of your door, buy some cheap hanging hooks for your closet, or get yourself an inexpensive clothes rack.
Use storage boxes. If you have things like coats or dresses that you don’t wear every day but still need to keep in your room, consider buying a storage box.
These also work great for separating different types of clothing items so they don’t all get jumbled together in your closet. These will help to form decorations in your dorm room.
Buy good quality lighting and use it sparingly, instead of lots of cheap light bulbs and wasting electricity
Buying LED light bulbs is one of the most efficient ways to get good lighting for decorating your dorm room on special occasions. They are more expensive up front, but they last longer, and you will pay less over time as a result.
You should buy high-quality lamps that you like, and use them sparingly instead of using lots of cheap light bulbs. Smart light bulbs let you control the lights with a remote or phone app, this light forms a great lighting decoration to your dorm.
You can decorate a dorm room on a tight budget if you’re smart about what you spend money on
You can decorate your dorm room on a tight budget in a smart way if you apply a few smart tips including:
- Don’t spend money on things you can get for free. You’ve probably heard of Craigslist, but Freecycle is also an excellent resource for finding free stuff (the name is pretty self-explanatory). And don’t forget to ask friends and family members if they have any spare furniture or other decor items you need which they may have lying around.
- Don’t spend on things you can make instead of buy. DIY projects take time, but they can save you money in the long run. Don’t be afraid to roll up your sleeves and try making something new. If the project turns out badly, you can try again, you never know what might go wrong until you try it yourself.
- Don’t spend on things you can borrow. There’s nothing wrong with borrowing objects from other people if they’re not using them, don’t feel like everything in your dorm room has to be yours alone. This will cut down costs and give your space a comfy homey feeling as well. Just make sure that all borrowed objects are returned when you move out at the end of the year, or your friendship may suffer as a result.
FAQ
How can I decorate my dorm room 2022?
There are several ways to decorate your dorm room in 2022, and cheaply at that if you are on a budget. Some of the ways to decorate your dorm room cheaply include buying used decor items, making a budget of the essential things you need, etc.
How can I make my dorm room look good?
To make your dorm room look good, you will need to make use of decorations to beautify your room, you can also make use of colourful beddings, lots of lighting to make your dorm room look good.
Conclusion
If you require to decorate your dorm rooms but have budget constraints, you do not need to continue worrying yourself as we have discussed several ways to go about decorating your dorm room without having to break the bank. You can deploy some of the ways we have discussed in this article depending on which is available to you, to decorate your dorm room.
