Dorm Decorating Tips from Real College Students

Moving into your dorm is one of the coolest college milestones. After all, this is your first home as an independent adult.

But we also know decorating such a small space — on a college student’s budget! — can feel overwhelming. That’s why we reached out to the true experts: Current college students.

Before we dive into their advice, here’s a quick note on terms. Some schools use dorm or dormitory when describing on-campus housing. At USF, we use residence hall to reflect the holistic, educational experience that we offer. We will use this term when specifically referring to USF housing.

Ready? Let’s check out these dorm decorating tips from real college students.

Compromise with Your Roommate

Your dorm room might be your first independent, adult space, but if you opt for a traditional-style room, you’ll be sharing it with a roommate. Set the stage for friendly cohabitation early.

Say Hello

Hieu Vo, an electrical engineering sophomore at USF, introduced himself to his roommate with a brief, friendly email. Since he was moving from Vietnam, he offered to bring a bag of their famous coffee. His roommate, who was from Nepal, did the same. “In Vietnam and in Nepal, they have different kinds of coffee, so that’s how we exchanged culture,” he says.

Split the Room

Many schools, like USF, will pair you with a roommate who shares your traits (sleep schedule, level of cleanliness, etc.). But that doesn’t mean you’ll have the same design taste.

For her first semester, Makayla Delia and her roommate agreed to decorate their own sides of the room according to their unique styles. “That just gave us more freedom so that we weren’t clashing with each other on how we wanted to decorate the room,” explains Delia, a senior at USF majoring in information science. “We didn’t have to give up our own preferences at all.”

Splitting your room is just one of many healthy boundaries you can establish with your roommate.

Set an Intention

How will you be using your dorm? Exploring Pinterest, TikTok, and Instagram can provide inspiration. But setting an intention for the space can help you truly narrow down your aesthetic.

An Oasis

Delia wanted an oasis where she could rest after class. She chose her bedding first: an ocean blue bedspread. That helped her settle on a beachy, coastal vibe, with fluffy pillows, a salt lamp, and decorative seashells from Target.

“I would advise someone to figure out whether they prefer something calmer … or something that’s more colorful or just expressive,” she says. “I also do think it helps picking one main piece, like your bedding or rug, and just building around that so that everything feels very cohesive.”

A Space to Relax and Entertain

Noah Lippman, a junior psychology major at USF, wanted a soothing, natural atmosphere. He went with all-white bedding, a wicker rug, wood accents, and fake green plants, plus a full-body mirror to make the room look bigger. Because he also planned to entertain, he set up a TV for movie nights with friends.

“My room was always the meeting spot,” Lippman says. “Especially on a rainy day, my dorm was the place to be.”

He has one regret: Not putting a couch under his lofted bed. More seating (even if it’s just bean bags) helps you host more friends.

A Place to Celebrate the Seasons

“I want the room to reflect my personality,” Vo says. “It’s where I can invite people to, they can see my decorations, they can see my pictures of my family.”

Vo and his roommate became known for their seasonal decor. Every holiday, friends flocked to their room to take Polaroids with the latest decorations. (At least one friend was genuinely scared by the enormous Halloween spider at the entrance.) A whiteboard on the door prompted hallmates to write answers to seasonal questions, like “What’s your favorite horror movie?”

Holidays are also a meaningful way for Vo to share his culture. He’s most proud of his Lunar New Year decor, which included traditional red lanterns and firecracker decorations.

A Creative Home

Alisha Durosier, a mass communications senior at USF, wanted vibrant color. Blank dorm walls can feel drab and sad, which is the last thing she needed. “I was already pretty sad because I was away from home,” she says. “I wanted to feel like I was coming to a new home.”

Every wall of her room is now adorned with paintings, zine pages, posters, modge-podged puzzles, and postcards. Some of the art she’s snagged from local markets, like the St. Petersburg Saturday Morning Market, the Mezzo Market, and the St. Pete Indie Flea. She’s found other pieces at on-campus art showcases, which give away free swag. “I usually go ham during those art shows and take everything that I can.”

Decorating her room was “a form of play.” Her eclectic, vibrant collection is centered by her first art piece: A painting of a girl reading a book. Her siblings gave it to her before she left for college. “I think they got it for me because it reminded them of me.”

Make Your Space Homey

Warm lighting and personal photos can transform a blank, beige dorm into your true home.

Use Soft Lighting

Let’s face it: most built-in dorm lighting is giving hospital.

“It’s the whitest lighting,” Lippman says. “I feel like that just makes you more stressed.”

Lights were the first thing Lippman bought before moving into his dorm. He chose a sunset lamp and a “stargazer,” which projected the galaxy onto his ceiling.

The other students all agree: Warm lamps are a better choice than the overhead light. Durosier adds another tip: If you live in a bright, sunny place like Florida, don’t underestimate the power of opening your curtains and letting the natural light flood your room.

Bring Photos of Loved Ones

“People get homesick a lot in college,” Lippman says. “I definitely did at first, just because you’re in a new environment.”

He printed photos of his family and friends, taped them to a poster board, and tacked the poster on his wall with Command strips. “It was good because when I’d come home, I’d see a picture of my friends back home or my parents.”

For Vo, family photos are especially meaningful because home is so far away.

“I have a lot of pictures of my family on the wall or on my desk, because I know that whenever I walk by the desk, I will see them and I’ll remember them. I know what I’m learning for, and it’s a big inspiration for me,” Vo says.

Other international students sometimes hang up handwritten letters from home, he says. “Right now, most people are using text or calling, but the handwritten paper is actual evidence that we love the families, we love the friends, we love our lovers, and they love us back.”

Delia strung up Polaroids of her sister, cousins, and friends using string, while Durosier placed family photos by her desk “to remind me that I have people waiting for me at home.”

Keep Things Tidy

A messy dorm room is the opposite of cozy. Here’s how to avoid letting things pile up.

Invest in Storage

Delia bought three blue storage bins that matched her color scheme. She stacked them under her lofted bed and placed a large, comfy chair in front.

As an engineering major, Vo had to build a robot freshman year, which meant he had to bring tiny electrical parts to and from class. “Trust me, there’s a lot of people that lost their components,” he says.

To avoid this, he designated a role for every shelf in his room: One for engineering components (each in their own storage boxes and bags); one for books; one for USF merch. Nothing got lost because everything had its place.

Clean As You Go

“When I wake up, I always make my bed,” Delia says. “I also didn’t really let my surfaces, like my dresser and my drawers, get cluttered.” Books went immediately in her dresser or school bag.

“Setting some time every single day to tidy up works,” agrees Durosier.

Lippman advises to never put your dirty clothes on the floor. “Immediately put your laundry in your hamper. Then, when your hamper’s full, take it to the washer that day,” he says. “I also suggest cleaning before it gets too out of control.”

Just don’t do laundry on Sundays, Vo says. That’s when everyone else uses the machines.

Decorate with Low-Cost, Quality Items

Most dorm rooms will come with essentials like a bed, dresser, desk, and chair. But you may want to invest in extra furniture (like a futon), appliances (like a mini fridge) and household items (like dishware, rugs, or decorations). How do you find these items on a college student budget?

Go to Thrift Stores and Local Markets

“My number one tip would be to buy for quality,” Durosier says. “I know when you’re buying for college, it’s easy for you to buy the super cheap quality things because it’s inexpensive.” But finding quality products saves you money in the long run, because you don’t have to rebuy them every semester.

Durosier has found inexpensive, high-quality items from thrift stores, pop-up markets, and annual markets like St. Petersburg’s Shopapalooza and Localtopia.

In Tampa, Lippman recommends the Community Thrift Store for décor.

You can also find inexpensive items at big-box stores or online retailers, although the quality may vary. This is a handy list of dorm essentials you can order online.

Get Free Stuff from Other Students

When students move out of their dorms, they don’t always want to bring their belongings. That’s when you can snag lots of items for free.

“The year that I lived on campus, they gave me tons of things that you can’t imagine. Like a mini fridge, a futon,” Vo says.

He advises students to go on Reddit and social media to look for giveaways in early May. “You can easily decorate your room for $0.”

Just keep in mind that whatever you take, you’ll have the hassle of moving it out next semester.

What to Bring (and What Not to Bring) to Your Dorm

As you make your final packing checklist, what items are going to make the cut?

Do Bring These Items to Your Dorm

Bring everyday necessities to your dorm so you have them ready for your first night. That looks like:

• Clothes and shoes
• Bedding
• Study supplies
• Toiletries (soap, shampoo, makeup, hair products)
• Cleaning basics (trash bags, disinfectant, hangers, and hamper)
• A shower caddy and shower shoes
• Personal documents
• Plates, silverware, and cups
• Snacks
• Comfort items like photographs from home
• Command hooks and strips so you can hang your photos right away and feel at home
• Hand sanitizer, medicine, and first aid supplies

Bonus tip: If you can bring an air purifier, it’ll also help prevent you from getting sick during that busy first week, Lippman suggests. “With all the people living in one building … the purifier just helps get all the sickness, pretty much. It just helps purify [the air].”

Don't Bring These Items to Your Dorm

Avoid the temptation to bring everything you own to your dorm.

“I brought my whole closet,” Delia says, regretfully. “You should just bring the stuff that you know that you’re going to wear.”

Durosier agrees. “I wish I would have brought less stuff when I first moved in because the more stuff you have, the more cluttered it feels, and the more cluttered you feel in your room, the more stressful it is.” If she could do it over, she would’ve left a lot of her clothes, shoes, and books at home.

Keep in mind that many residence halls have rules for what you can’t bring. At USF, for example, students are not allowed to bring:

• Appliances with exposed heating elements, including:

  • Toasters*
  • Electric grills*
  • Air fryers*
• Candles and incense
• Extension cords
• Lava lamps
• Halogen/medusa lamps
• Space heaters
• Fireworks
• Hanging lights (LED, holiday lights, etc.)
• Electric scooters
• Pets (except small fish)
  

*These items are only permitted in apartment-style halls with a kitchen area.

One more pro tip: Floating shelves never work. Neither do the stick-on towel hangers, Lippman says. Don’t bother packing them.

Stay Open-Minded

Remember that you don’t have to plan everything at once. Let your space grow with you!

“You don’t have to figure everything out before you move in,” Delia says. “That’s what I was trying to do, and it was really stressful trying to figure out how I wanted my room to look, and I’m not even in the room yet.”

“I would advise the students to bring an open mind,” Vo agrees. “A lot of people feel very pressured [about] how they decorate the room, and they spend a lot of money, spend a lot of time decorating for the first week of the year.” Instead, let yourself settle in and add décor as you come across it (like Durosier does with her art collection).

Seeing an actual dorm can help you picture yourself there. If you’re curious about USF’s residence halls, we’d love to show you around. Feel free to contact USF’s Housing & Residential Education online or call 813-974-0001.