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6 Ways to Make Your Dorm Room Feel Like Home

Asian female student enjoying reading on her bed in dorm room, view from above
Written by CB Community

The sense of freedom that comes with living on your own is a great feeling. However, it can also be a little daunting. Your newfound independence brings a number of responsibilities that can leave you longing for the comfort of home. This is an important problem to solve, as your surroundings play a significant role in your college experience.

How your dorm room is laid out, how it’s decorated, and how clean it is will influence the way you sleep, work and study. They say a messy room can lead to a messy mind. And this can make concentrating a challenge. Similarly, an uncomfortable room can it very difficult to relax, unwind and/or sleep in.

To help make your college life a little less stressful, here are 6 ways to make your dorm room feel like home.

1. Get a Fur Rug

Nothing adds a sense of modern elegance into a room like a fur rug. They also add a great deal of warmth and coziness to your space. Fur rugs are an especially useful addition to dorm rooms that have otherwise cold tile floors or crummy old carpeting. These types of rugs can refresh the appearance of your room.

2. Invest in Your Bed

One area that’s always worth investing in is your bed. You need a relaxing space that you can rely on to provide some well-deserved rest after a long day of studying. And considering that you’ll likely spend a good chunk of your time chilling out on your bed watching Netflix shows or chatting to friends, a little more comfort can go a long way.

Start at the core of your bed with a good memory foam mattress. You can always find the best memory foam mattresses for dorm rooms online. From there, you can further improve on your sinkable slice of heaven with a mattress cover, pad, and topper. Add in some quality sheets, a few decorative pillows, and a beautiful throw before finishing it off with a soft and supportive sleeping pillow. Your body and mind will thank you when you have taken good care of your rest and comfort.

3. Add in Seating

Incorporating another seating area in addition to your bed can give your dorm room a more relaxed, homey feeling. Your seating of choice can be anything your heart desires, whether it’s a beanbag, saucer chair or futon, there should be sufficient space for something relatively compact. This way, you’ll have another area to hang out and put your feet up.

4. Decorate Your Walls

You’ve probably noticed that college dorm walls aren’t the most exciting when it comes to design. So, spruce yours up with decorations that remind you of home.
This can include pictures of family, friends, and pets, as well as motivational quotes, vibrant posters or some cool tapestry. Whatever it is, use your wall to surround yourself with memories that bring you comfort and make you smile.

5. Upgrade Your Workspace

Your workspace is where you’ll be spending a good chunk of your time, which means it should be as comfortable and conducive to productivity as possible. Ensure that everything is easily within reach and all your tools are organized. Then, you can balance it out with a few reminders of home, be it some family photos or trinkets from your childhood.

6. Finish off with Mood Lighting

Make sinking into bed after a long day a magical experience by adding in a few strings of fairy lights to your dorm room. Not only do they look great, but lights in softer hues will also add a sense of comfort, making them a great way to de-stress and make the most of your college dorm room.

By following the above steps, you can make your dorm a sanctuary during both the best and worst times. This way, you can rest assured that you can sleep, study and chill out in an environment that makes you happy.

For more great college tips, check out the other blogs on College Basics.

About the author

CB Community

Passionate members of the College Basics community that include students, essay writers, consultants and beyond. Please note, while community content has passed our editorial guidelines, we do not endorse any product or service contained in these articles which may also include links for which College Basics is compensated.