It’s that time of year! Break is over and we’re all heading back to school. Make it fun by giving your dorm room a makeover! Think back to when you moved into your new room and how excited you were to decorate. That excitement usually lasts for a good month or two.  Taking the time to redecorate can bring back that same nostalgic feeling. Adding the right components can help  fuel your energy and motivate you to start the semester on the right foot. You will be surprised how far a little change can go.

First, try to rearrange your bedroom furniture. Dorm furniture typically looks heavier than it actually is. Use your body weight or ask a friend to help you move your furniture into a new arrangement. This will help to liven up your dorm room.

The spring semester is longer than the fall semester, therefore keeping it exciting is a must! A new furniture arrangement will give you something exciting to look forward to every day in addition to your new class schedule!

Next, decorate your walls! Bare walls are a total mood killer. Between the different wall decals and posters that are available, there is no excuse for barren walls. And if you don’t like either of those ideas, place your own photos on your walls in a decorative way. Wall decals are 100% harm free. They come self-adhesive so all you have to do is peel off  the back (like those old stickers you used to get from the doctor’s office for being a good little boy or girl). Then, just stick them on your wall in the most desirable location and voilà, a room makeover. Not to worry, these decals are easy to remove, just follow the simple directions on the decal packaging.

When shopping around for wall decals, look first at Amazon. Chic decals can be found at reasonable prices, and if you are an amazon.com prime member (which is offered at a special discount price for students), 2-day shipping is free on select items. Wall posters can also be found for as cheap as $0.01 on Amazon.

Some other dorm decorating tips include using storage units and bins to store clutter – or investing in a new bedspread, light fixtures, rugs, or simply just rearranging the items in your room. If all else fails, take what you have and move it around to give the illusion of a new room.

Check out these websites for new dorm ideas:

Urban Outfitters (Click on the “Apartment” tab!)

Dormify

Pottery Barn – Dorm

Amazon

The Container Store – College

Ashley Williams is a junior, Broadcast Journalism major and Digital Design minor at Howard University. She is a member of The National Society of Collegiate Scholars and the Social Action chair for the NSCS chapter at Howard University. She is a chic geek at heart as she truly enjoys shopping for great deals, and putting different styles together. She enjoys sharing her deals, beauty and fashion secrets with whoever is willing to listen. She is a contributing writer for TalkNerdy2Me and HerCampus.com.