by Jennifer Sellers

College is your gateway to independence. You set your own schedule, eat what you want, hang out with whomever you want and generally just live it up (well, except for those pesky classes you have to attend and prepare for). It’s also possibly your chance to do something else on your own for the first time — decorate your personal abode. Those four walls and that cement floor are now home sweet home, a blank slate for you to bring out your inner Candice Olson or Nate Berkus. Best of all, there’s no interference from mom on what is or isn’t appropriate for your space. It’s all up to you. Of course, this also means you’re the one financing this design project. And, if you’re like most college students, you don’t have much of a budget for anything beyond books, parties, and the occasional streaming download. Fortunately, dorm room décor doesn’t fall into the luxury category of interior design. Here are some tips to get you started:

Don’t look down on hand-me-downs. Cheap is good, but free is better. If you’re on a budget, reconsider your dad’s old bookshelf or your aunt’s ancient armchair. You can always paint wood furniture you want to update or throw a slipcover over outdated upholstery. Before you buy anything — even small appliances and electronics like a microwave or alarm clock — see if your friends or family have anything extra you can have for free.

Be crafty. Make things yourself. Not only does this let you really personalize your space and create great conversation pieces, it allows you to save money as well. Spend a little bit on supplies and, depending on your skill level, you can create anything from lampshades to curtains to your own artwork. Some other easy do-it-yourself ideas include enlarging one of your favorite photos to hang on the wall as a poster, or using sidewalk chalk to create an indoor mural.

When shopping, think thrift. Warehouse stores, dollar stores, discount stores — there are a number of places you can find useful, stylish, and even trendy products without paying boutique prices. You don’t want to invest too much into what you buy for your dorm room. Over time, your taste and style will change. For instance, you don’t want to spend $200 on a bedspread that will end up in the back of your closet within five years.

Used can be useful. One way to find reasonably priced furniture and decorative items is to shop yard sales, furniture consignment stores, charity stores like Goodwill or Salvation Army, and online classifieds like Craigslist. Often, you can find quality items priced a lot less than they’re worth simply because they’re used and the owner (or store owner) is looking to unload them quickly. Just be careful of scams and things that are broken or don’t work properly. Unless you’re a risk-taker, avoid dumpster-diving and curb-shopping for furniture. The items you find could have any number of hazards, from fleas to bedbugs to exposed screws or nails.

BUDGET DORM ROOM DECORATING IDEAS

Allow us to indulge in a bit of a stereotype: By and large, women are much more interested in decorating than men are. Sure, it’s a generalization, and it doesn’t always hold true (for either gender), but it’s typically a pretty safe conclusion to jump to. So with that in mind, let’s look at how young ladies — or design-minded guys — can add style to a dorm room without breaking the bank.

One of the best ways to decorate on a budget is to accessorize. For a relatively low cost, you can make a design statement. Think of your dorm room as a simple pair of jeans, and the items in your room as apparel accessories. There are many styles you can create; it all depends on what you choose. If you want a sophisticated look, you can wear a sweater and heels with your jeans. If you want a more casual look, just go with a T-shirt and ballet flats. The same principle applies to decorating: Invest in small, inexpensive touches to get the look you want. And, when you’re ready to change things up, you can redecorate on the cheap by once again focusing on small items.

Here are a few accessories you can look for when decorating your dorm room:

√ Picture frames

√ Candles and candle holders

√ Organizational baskets

√ Decorative pillows

√ Throws

√ Lamps and lampshades, string lights or paper lanterns

√ Vases

√ Mirrors

√ Wall décor, such as stick-on decals or inexpensive artwork

√ Rugs

Many of these items can be found at relatively inexpensive retail stores like Wal-Mart, Target and IKEA. If you’re looking for something more unique, browse yard sales and furniture consignment shops.