Tag Archives: dorm room

Decorate Your Dorm Room Like A Pro

One of the best things about moving into your dorm is that you get the chance to decorate it! Since this will be your home-away-from-home, it’s important to make it your own. It’s never too early to start planning, here are a few suggestions to help you get started.

Cozy Bedding

Your bedding is what will really make your room feel like home. Invest in a bedding set that fits your style and comfort needs. Remember, you can never have too many pillows!

Table Lamp

Table lamps are great additions to every dorm room. Not only will they add extra lighting, but softer lighting as well. Target and Amazon have great selections allowing you to find the right one to fit your style.

Rugs

From a neutral rug to a patterned rug, buying one will add character to your room. If you’re not sure what your roommate’s style will be, play it safe and buy a more neutral one.

Comfy Chair

Whether you need a great desk chair, or you prefer something cozy and cute in the corner, it can’t hurt to have additional seating.

String Lights

Many college students buy string lights to decorate their room adding some much-needed ambiance. They obviously come in tons of shapes and colors and can literally go anywhere. It’s a no-brainer.

Photos

You can never go wrong with using photos to decorate your room. Stick them on your wall in a cool grid, frame some, there’s really no limit. Having photos of your friends and family is a great way to make the place feel like home.

Wall Art

Add more charm into your room by decorating it with wall art, like posters and picture prints. Just make sure that you use tape or damage free hooks to place them on your wall.

It can be tough figuring out what style you want your room to be, but the process is fun. Hopefully, these decorating ideas give you some inspiration for what you want in your dorm room.

Note: Be sure you carefully read your communications from Student Life and regularly check the Fall Campus Plan webpage to stay up-to-date with the COVID-19 safety precautions PUC will be enforcing.

Dorm Room Additions

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You may think you will only use your dorm room to sleep but sometimes your college dorm room becomes … everything: your bedroom, kitchen, study area, sometimes even your gym. So you’ll want to come prepared. Here are a few dorm room ‘must-haves’ to add to your packing list!

Blankets

Blankets are the best and if you ask me, you can never have enough. Not only will they keep you warm but they’ll help make your room cozier and give it a more homey feeling, plus, they look nice! Feeling a little anxious? Give a weighted blanket a try.

Check out Target and Amazon for comfy and affordable blankets.

A Fridge & Microwave

Investing in a fridge and microwave will save your life. It’s better to have your own fridge in your room instead of always having to go to the dorm kitchen to store your food. You won’t have to worry about someone stealing your food or drinks because it will be right in your room. You will also have a place to store water and microwavable meals. Owning your own microwave comes in handy when you have those late-night craves of noodles.

Check out Target to find good quality fridges and microwaves.

A Coffee & Tea Maker

If you are a huge coffee or tea drinker, you should definitely invest in buying a coffee or tea maker. It will save you time and money.

Check out Target for coffee or tea makers.

An Electric Water Kettle

An electric water kettle is a convenient addition to college life. It quickly heats your water so you can sip on your hot cocoa or enjoy a cup of noodles.

Check out Target or Amazon for affordable electric water kettles.

Dinnerware & Flatware

Having your own dinnerware and flatware in your room is useful for when you cook for yourself or with your friends. Instead of buying plastic plates, bowls and utensils, buy reusable ones so you never run out. Don’t forget dish soap!

Target has affordable dinnerware and flatware for your dorm room.

Cleaning Supplies

Cleaning supplies are always a must. It’s good to keep your room nice and tidy, and having cleaning supplies will help you out with that. Buy disinfecting wipes or sprays to keep your desk, sink, and drawers clean. A dishwashing wand is also very useful when you have to wash your dishes.

If you can’t stand your floor being dirty, you should invest in a vacuum. Amazon has a great one that’s easy to store and it’s affordable!

Storage Containers

Dorm rooms are small so it’s super useful to buy storage containers. Baskets, bins, and utility carts are a great way to keep all your things organized while saving space. You’ll have a place to put your food, personal items, cleaning supplies, and even clothes.

Check out Target, TJ Maxx, and Marshalls to find storage containers that will fit all your things and go with your room aesthetic or just order from Amazon.

A Laundry Hamper

Getting a laundry hamper shouldn’t even be a question. This is a need (no matter how much you don’t like doing laundry). Where else do you expect to put your dirty clothes? Don’t forget detergent and fabric softener!

Target obviously has these too.

Power Strip/extension cord

Sometimes the outlets in your room are either too far or in an odd spot for you. Buying an extension cord will help keep all your things charged near you and in places that work for you.

Reusable Bags

You will thank yourself for getting reusable bags. Especially in California, places charge you for buying a bag so having a reusable bag will save you money and help you carry all your things. Besides shopping, they are useful for moving your things into the dorm. If you forgot to bring some with you the College Market has some for sale!

A First-Aid Kit

It’s smart to have a first aid kit packed and ready in your room. Having bandages and alcohol wipes will come in handy in the times you need them. It’s also good to have medicine in your room in case you get sick or have a headache.

Mattress Pad

If you’re a sensitive sleeper or just want extra comfort, get a mattress pad. It’ll help make your bed firmer and less lumpy.

Target has lots to choose from.

Shower Essentials

Besides your hair products and body wash, always have an extra towel in case your other one is in the laundry. Also, don’t forget your shower shoes!

A Fan

Whether you like a breeze or some ambient noise, a fan is always a good addition to your room.

Trash Can

You’re going to need a trash can in your room. Try to find one that doesn’t take up a lot of space and don’t forget trash bags.

A Piece Of Home

Whether you bring a bunch of photographs, your favorite mug, or a special pillow, it’s always nice to bring a piece of home with you to school to provide a little extra comfort for the days you feel homesick.

It’s no secret buying things for your dorm room can get expensive, so always check for deals online or in-store and lookout for student discounts. Don’t let yourself get overwhelmed with all the things that come with moving into the dorms, remember to have some fun!

Organizing Your Dorm Room

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We hope you’re super excited to finally have the REAL college experience. That means moving into your new dorm room! It’s important to save as much space as you can, especially if you are living with a roommate. Space will always be limited. What’s great is places like Target and Amazon sell awesome items to help you save space and stay organized. Here are four simple items to help keep your dorm room looking and functioning great.

Storage Ottomans

You can never have enough seating in your room for lounging, chatting with friends, or study groups. While storage ottomans give you an extra seat, they also help maximize your space. They are a great spot to store movies or extra supplies that might not fit in your cupboards.

Under Bed Storage Bins

You truly cannot have enough of these. With a variety of sizes, storage bins or boxes fit great under your bed and save space in your room. From plastic bins to fabric boxes, you’ll have many options on how to store your shoes, clothes, or items rarely used. If you want to make things easier for yourself, buy clear plastic bins to see which of your items are in each box.

Foldable Storage Cubes

Foldable storage cubes can help organize your snacks, toiletries, and school supplies. They’re easy to store and fit perfectly on shelves, inside your closet, or under your bed.

Command Hooks

Command hooks are useful for many reasons. They won’t just help hang frames or string lights around your room, but they can also be used as a place to hang your keys, bags, or towels. The best part is that they won’t damage your walls!

These are just a few of the MANY ways to organize your room so look around, plan ahead, and get some great items before you arrive on campus.

Roommate 101

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Whether you’re used to sharing your space or this will be your first experience, moving into your college dorm room and meeting your roommate is likely to be a nervewracking experience, even if you’re moving in with a friend! Here are a few tips to help you be the best roommate you can be.

Be Friendly

First things first, be friendly. Even if you’re shy it’s important for you to make an effort. If you’re rooming with someone you’ve never met, try reaching out to them before you arrive on campus. Become social media friends, plan what things you can each bring for the room, and get acquainted. Not only will it make sharing space more comfortable but it will help to have someone to wander campus with!

Now that you’re friends, here are some things to keep in mind to allow for peaceful cohabitation!

Communicate

Communication is key. Try to keep each other in the loop about all sorts of things. Share your schedules, check-in with each other before letting other people in your shared space, give fair warning about pulling all-nighters. As you get more comfortable with each other, try to let them know if you’re having a tough day or aren’t feeling well. Even the tiny details about yourself can make a big difference in your living situation.

Address Any Issues

If you are having issues or feeling uncomfortable about something, speak up. Usually simply addressing a concern leads to a quick solution as long as you treat each other respectfully. If you need extra help or advice, talk to your RA or dean.

Compromise

In case you have a disagreement, compromise with each other! We can’t always get our own way so be sure to come to a solution that works well for both of you.

Set Boundaries

Make sure you give yourselves some boundaries. Whether it’s wanting your own space, needing quiet after a certain time, sharing food or clothes, or any number of things, it’s important to set some ground rules so everyone is comfortable.

Pick Your Battles

There are bound to be times where you will get annoyed or disagree with your roommate. Before you get mad and get in a fight, think about the situation and ask yourself if it’s worth arguing over. There will definitely be times where you will need to talk the situation out but if you can, take a step back, take the high road, and learn how to let the little things go.

Be Aware Of Your Bad Habits

The older we get the more self-awareness we gather. Becoming aware of some of your less positive habits can be a real benefit when sharing living space. If you know you have a tendency to be messy or leave all the lights on you can try and be more mindful of those things.

Wear Headphones

One of the best things you can do to keep a positive roommate relationship is to invest in a quality pair of headphones. Be considerate and wear them when you’re listening to music or watching a movie whether it’s late at night or not. We even recommend wearing them while you study so your roommate won’t feel like they’re bothering you.

You Don’t Always Have To Hangout

Just because you’re roommates doesn’t mean you always have to be together. You already live together, so it’s okay to have space from each other. If you love hanging out, that’s great! But if you want to have dinner without each other or have a different group of friends, that’s totally ok. In fact, it can create an even healthier friendship if you have some time apart.

There are millions of ways to have a positive and healthy roommate relationship, these are just some of our suggestions we hope you find helpful. Keep these tips in mind throughout the year and remember to treat your roommate the way you would want to be treated. Having a roommate is a great experience. Who knows, your roommate could end up being a lifelong friend!

Note: Be sure you carefully read your communications from Student Life and regularly check the Fall Campus Plan webpage to stay up-to-date with the COVID-19 safety precautions PUC will be enforcing.

10 Ways to Make Your Dorm Room Feel Like Home

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When I walked into my freshman dorm room with my arms full of my very favorite and prized possessions, I was a little apprehensive. I remember taking a moment to look around the room and noticing the horrible wallpaper covering every available surface. (Do not place wallpaper all over your dorm room. Just don’t do it!) My wonderful mother immediately jumped into action, forming a plan to remove it all. I remember feeling unsettled until that wallpaper was gone and my things were neatly placed where they would forever reside, my room started to feel more like home.

So before you get here, before you even start packing, here is a list of 10 ways to make your dorm room feel more like home, and guess what? You can find all these things at Target, which happens to be just a short ride from campus, just in case you forget something! *praise hands*

Photographs

The best and fastest way to make your room feel more like home is to put up photos of your family and friends. Seeing familiar faces every day can give you the boost you need to make your day great. Frame them, hang them, display them however you’d like!

Throw pillows and blankets!

Not only are throw pillows and blankets incredibly comfortable, since they come in so many different shapes, colors, and fabrics, they will also help make your dorm room look better. Toss them on your chair, over the bed, everywhere! You’re about to start college, you know how great pillows and blankets are, I don’t need to convince you!

Succulents

Succulents are all the rage, partially because they are cute and partially because they are so low maintenance. In fact, my trusty succulent Rufus is sitting next to me as I type. Basically, all you need is some sunshine and a little water from time to time and you’re set!

Floor rugs

Some dorm rooms have tile floors. Who wants to get up in the middle of the night and walk on the cold tile? Not only are rugs cozy, they also will help make your room look nicer.

Lighting

There’s nothing worse than harsh overhead lighting to cause a headache during an important study session or ruin a great selfie situation. Take your lighting into your own hands by bringing lamps for your desk or maybe a hanging lantern. A string or two of Christmas lights are also a popular addition to a lot of dorm rooms.

Essential oils

People use essential oils to help with all sorts of things from sleep to anxiety, if I’m being honest, I just like my room smelling nice. Diffusers come in various sizes and designs and don’t cost a lot plus you can get essential oils in a huge variety of scents. My go-tos are rose and lavender.

Favorite snack foods

What are your favorite snack foods? Candy? Chips? I personally love them all lol. Be sure to stock up on snacks! Always have your favorites handy!

Floor cushions/ottomans

You can never have too much extra seating in your room. For study groups or movie nights, it will always be helpful. What’s fantastic about many of them is that they open up for built-in storage, perfect for all those throw blankets you’re going to end up buying!

Organizers

It’s important to keep organized. There are tons of options from ways to keep your desk in order to bathroom and closet organizers. My favorite thing to have were hanging shoe racks cause you can never have too many shoes!

Your favorite movie and some microwavable popcorn

Nothing screams relaxation like a good movie and some popcorn. Bring a stack of your favorite Blu-rays with you. Pop some popcorn and enjoy.

What’s great about your dorm room is … it’s yours! While these ten things seem like great additions to anyone’s room, they might not be for you, so make your own list! Did you know right now Target has a great College Checklist you can use to help you track the things you need! Check it out and get packing!

Tips for an Organized Dorm Room

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By Melissa Setterlund

Around this time of year, most incoming new students have received emails from their deans telling them where and with whom they will be spending the next nine months. This highly anticipated email also comes equipped with a list of things provided in each dorm room and things to remember to bring. (Read the “Your College Packing List” post for a list of suggested items.) When I was an incoming freshman and received that email, I thought to myself, “Great! But now what? What do I do to my room to make it my home away from home?” Our tastes may be completely different and these ideas might not work for you in particular but here are some suggestions to try out in your own dorm room.

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My biggest issue is organization. Where was I supposed to put all this stuff I insisted on packing into my car and driving to PUC all the way from Idaho? Luckily, I realized the height of my twin bed in my dorm room could be easily raised or lowered and I adjusted it to the perfect height to fit two large plastic bins underneath. I highly suggest utilizing the space under the bed and using those colorful Target bins to keep things organized. They work great for food and cutlery items; boxes of shoes and boots; scarves, hats, and gloves; and more. You can mix and match sizes and colors with items you don’t use as often in the back.

Once I had things organized, I really wanted to make my room look good. I went to Napa and stopped at Target to get a couple of accessories. I got short, cheap tension curtain rods and some colored curtains to make the closets look more tasteful. Next, I got a long tension rod and the blackout curtains for the main window. I definitely recommend getting blackout curtains for your room if you need the room to be dark in order to sleep.

Another thing that helped make the dorm feel more like home was fixing the walls since the all-white, stone block wall really bothered me. I found three black-and-white posters from AllPosters.com for a total of $15 and bought simple frames from Target to fit. My roommate made us two corkboard wall hangings so we used those as well. I used 3M Command Damage-Free Mounting adhesives to hang my frames and they worked great. Of course, no room is complete without pictures of your family, your friends, your pet, and vacation destinations. I also used the 3M adhesives to hang up pictures so that I felt more at home in my room.

My last suggestion would be to personalize your room to you. I have a friend who decorates her room based on the holiday – pumpkins for harvest, turkeys for Thanksgiving, lights and trees for Christmas, hearts for Valentine’s Day, and summer décor. Another friend of mine puts up Christmas lights year round to give her room a bit of ambiance.

If you’re looking for more tips, follow PUC’s Pinterest board dedicated to Dorm Decoration Ideas.

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Tag Archives: dorm room

Decorate Your Dorm Room Like A Pro

Dorm Room Additions

Tips for an Organized Dorm Room