Design Your Dorm

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Click here to buy Sale Posters

As you prepare to head off to college, you are undoubtedly going to need some cool posters to cover those blank dorm walls. Luckily for you, AllPosters.com is having a poster sale and are offering tons of posters to choose from!

To help you in your search for the most popular posters at the best possible price, we are providing you with a list of the top 10 sellers for the sale. Although not all the posters are pictured here, simply visit AllPosters.com to see the full list with their corresponding graphic.

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As move-in approaches, now is the time to start planning. Most of you should have received a notification with the name of your roommate. If you haven’t contacted them yet, it is important to connect with them to get an understanding of their personality and how you will mesh together. You can plan whose bringing what and discuss a possible “theme” for your room.

Have a good Friday and we hope you enjoy the stuff we like!

1) SLOUCHBACK

Slouchback!

Started by two college graduates, the “Slouchback” is the evolution to dorm furniture. While sitting in their dorm room, the creators saw the need to have somewhere comfortable to relax. Since dorms are small and there is not much space for futons/beanbags (depending on the room), the most ideal place to lounge is on your bed. The slouch inflates in just 30 seconds with a built-in pump. One of the coolest features are the insulated cupholders, so your drinks are always cold and within reach. It’s extremely easy to deflate and reasonably priced. Why sit up straight when you can Slouchback? Check them out here.

2) Thrillist.com

What is Thrillist.com? It’s a daily (weekday) e-mail that you receive in the morning that lists some of the hottest new goodies. Most of the time, the e-mails showcase new eateries, clothing deals, and evening hotspots. Currently, they have 17 editions (Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Hamptons, Las Vegas, London, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Washington DC) and have more on the way. If you’re headed off to school at one of these cities, you should definitely check them out!

3)Kia Car Commercial

The Kia Soul Hamsters…How can you promote your automobile by using hamsters as your actors? As out there as it seems, these commercials are understandably catching a ton of attention. It was named automotive TV ad of the year! If you haven’t seen it yet, it’s worth checking out.

4) CAMPUSBOOKS.com

It’s a fact…University bookstores will rip you off. In late June, CampusBooks was featured on “Stuff we Like” and it’s time to revisit their website. When you get your class schedule and booklist, you should really explore the site. We also implemented a widget in the left hand corner of our website, so you can easily find the books you need.  Why spend hundreds more on books then you have to?

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Chandra over at FSUFashionGirl is our guest blogger this week! Check out her tips for staying on top of your game and saving money when setting up your digs.

I just recently moved into an unfurnished apartment. Most college kids (and some parents) cringe at the thought of signing an unfurnished apartment because they think it will cost them a lot of money. If you take the time and do it right, you might find that signing with an unfurnished apartment might actually save you money in the long run.

STEP ONE: Start Early.

The earlier you start, the more time you have to search for the best deals. You can really take the time to think about the stuff you want and need and how much people usually ask for such items.

STEP TWO: Shop Smart.

I had no furniture to begin with but I ended up being able to furnish my apartment for around $1500. Check sites like Craigslist. You can find fantastic deals there. I got a year old leather couch for $300 and it is the comfiest thing in the world. I absolutely love it. You can also try your local Goodwill or Salvation Army store. I found a bistro table for the kitchen at Goodwill for only $75. Also go to stores like T.J. Maxx, Ross and Marshalls to find furniture and decorations and discounted prices. T.J. Maxx has a Homegoods store where you can find anything and everything that you will need for your house. Other stores to try are Target, Ikea and Walmart and don’t forget to check garage sales!

STEP THREE: Stay Organized.

Keep track of everything you have bought. When you are shopping for home furnishings, it sometimes easy to forget what you have already bought especially when it comes to kitchen appliances. Its nice to always have a list to refer back to so you don’t end up buying stuff that you don’t need.

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Moving into your dorm means you’re finally on your own! But on your own. Sharing a tiny room. With a person you may or may not know. And being in charge of all your own food, schedule, and homework.

It’s not rocket science (unless that’s your major) but it still can turn into a disaster zone if you can’t keep organized.

Luckily, there are easy tips and cheap stuff to keep your life and space on track.

MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR SPACE

Dorm rooms are, for the most part, tiny. And at school, you don’t have a basement to store all your spare stuff. So, to avoid seriously pissing your roommate off, make the most of the space on your side of the room.

Lift up your bed, and throw some drawers under there. Organize.com has some sweet storage and (duh) organizational tools to keep things in check.  The college closet must have?

An organizer that creates shelves (read: less hangers, and making the most of that vertical space). They come in sizes for everything from sweaters to shoes.

One of the best and underutilized spaces? The back of the door. Ladies, hang up a full-length mirror, or
add more space for those ever-present shoes.

And keep cables at bay.

DON’T UNDERESTIMATE BOXES

You’d be surprised how much random crap you can come up with to clutter your space. It’s OK to not have your pens color coded, or to hold onto every little souvenir from your first week at school.  Just don’t leave it piled on your desk.

Pretty boxes solve the problem. They look neat and pretty, and no one has to know that inside, you just tossed every random thing you couldn’t find space for. It’s like the grownup version of shoving things under the bed.

FOLDERS ARE YOUR FRIENDS

Somewhere (hopefully) in your parents’ house is a file with all your important junk in it, from birth certificate to bank accounts. Now that you’re on your own, a lot of that stuff, like financial aid documents and grade reports, are gonna come to you. Don’t let them get lost in the craziness of your other school papers. Grab brightly colored folders, one for each class, and then one for your miscellaneous important documents. Keep it all within reach in organizers, but out of the way of those late night ramen binges.

PLAN IT OUT

Planning your time, and remembering everything you suddenly need to keep track of, is a big deal, especially when your homework is largely reading and barely due the next day.  Take time each week to sit down and plan out what you need to do, update your calendar and schedule, and write down your homework from the syllabus.  Some tools to do so:

Knock Knock.Biz Amazing products, vital organization tools, and all with a hilarious spin. Folders that say “Useless Crap”? You get the idea. The weekly planner mousepad is quite literally a lifesaver.

Schoolhouse.app Go digital! Keep track of all your homework in an easy, free app.

Screenshot of the Schoolhouse application

Daily Planners Franklin Covey is that grand-daddy of all planners, but the $5 one you picked up at the bookstore will do just as fine.

Did we forget anything? Comment, let us know your thoughts and tips!

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In an attempt to make Design Your Dorm more social and user-friendly, we have added the Meebo Bar to our site! This tool enables our users to instantly connect, share and communicate with all of their friends while remaining on our site. Because Meebo integrates all social network and communication channels into a single, simple-to-use interface, users can easily share content and communicate in real time with the people who matter to them.

For example, if you are designing your room on our site and would like to show your friends what you have created, simply share your room design with all your friends on Facebook and many other social networks with the click of a button. Also, users have found it useful to communicate with their new college roommates via our site, so you can get to know each other and decide who is going to bring what for the upcoming school year. Try it out and we would love to hear your feedback!

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Re-Design your room with us!

Believe it or not, five months have now passed for most freshmen living in the dorms. After returning from a long winter break, many people find that their room is still very plain and not exciting. Others are extremely happy with their living environment and have fully decked out their room. Ultimately, you need to decide if you are both comfortable and happy in your room.  Don’t fret, if your dorm room still doesn’t feel like home, there is still time!

An article was recently posted about a student who added some ‘boom’ to his res hall room (see here). Whether you are entirely redesigning your room or doing some touch-ups, two things are essential: a theme and organization. Once a theme is established in your room, decorating your room will be a lot easier! By keeping things in a neat and organized fashion, you can reduce the clutter in your room and have it always looking clean. Below are some useful links that will help you to re-design your room and use your space most efficiently.

Ideas for Using Your Space Efficiently

Choose a Theme for Decoration a Dorm Room

Dorm Room Living: Unique Lighting Themes

What to Put on Dorm Walls