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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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Alright, we wanted to make this contest as simple as possible! For the past few months, you have been playing around with the 3D-designer in order to create your perfect dorm room. You should hopefully have one dorm room design finalized if not more. All you have to do is submit your designed dorm room onto the DesignYourDorm.com Fan Page and we will pick a winner based on the most people that “like” your room design. So…tell all your friends once you have posted your design onto the wall and tell them to like it! If you get the most likes, you will win a $100 gift-card to Organize.com.

The deadline is Friday August 20th. Please have all your submissions posted by Friday at Midnight.

In order to submit your design, please follow these steps:

1) Log-in and go to the “3D Designer”. If this is not the dorm design you would like to submit, please go to “Manage My Rooms” and choose the room from your list.

2) Once you have selected the room that you would like to use for the contest, click on the “Share Room Design” at the bottom of the page.

3) Your room will then appear in a thumbnail and simply drag it into the Facebook “F” Icon.

4) Once dragging it into the Facebook icon, share it on your “wall”.

5) If you click on the picture of your room, you will get a custom URL that corresponds to your room. Simply paste that URL onto theDesignYourDorm.com Fan Page’s wall.

6. Once it is on the wall get all your friends to click “Like”. The most “Likes” wins the contest! It’s that easy!

Please e-mail info@designyourdorm.com if you have any questions!

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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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Ok, boys. This blog post is for the ladies, and featuring those chic college chicks of the web.

Being in college is an amazing opportunity to shape your personal style.  You’re exposed to new people and new places, and all sorts of inspiration. The challenge: you’re on a college student’s budget, and while you may be the next Martha Stewart of interior design, a dorm’s a pretty little space to reign.

Still, that’s what thrift stores and getting crafty are for, along with great blogs written by savvy ladies who will be there to help.  Here’s a three of our favorites, and some of their best hits of college-girl-greatness.

Lovely Undergrad

Feeling low on the living space? Head to the nearest Anthropologie, or just over to LovelyUndergrad.com for your daily dose of insanely pretty living spaces.  Jessica dishes up more design inspiration than Urban Outfitters, and has some serious good advice and links to other great resources, too.  Head over there for the prettiest rooms you will ever see alongside seriously smart college advice.  Our favorite? Her collection of beautiful DIY projects that’ll put pretty in any budget.

Charade Style

Picture running through a rose garden, in perfect pretty-yet-quirky florals and stripes. And that’s exactly the opening photos to Megan’s blog. Travel photos that make you yearn for Parisian cafés and some seriously sound fashion advice about creating a rocking wardrobe on a budget. While there’s a reason her ultimate geek’s guide to fashion is a top hit (seriously. You have to read it to believe it’s awesomeness) her advice on packing for travel is just as sound and helpful, especially for those summer trips.

University Chic

Think of rounding up all your best and awesome girlfriends, with all their different interests and talents. Now imagine doing that across colleges nationally. And you get UniversityChic. Written by real college gals, it covers not only fashion and fun, but serious issues (like how to keep yourself safe while studying abroad).  It’s a must-go-to for all sorts of info.

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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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With summer just around the corner, DesignYourDorm.com wants to hear all about your awesome summer plans!  Follow the simple steps below to win fantastic dorm room prizes!

How to enter contest:

1) Create an account at DesignYourDorm.com

2) Click the “FB Fan Page” tab at the bottom of your browser window

3) Become a fan, then head to the Facebook page

4) Post a comment sharing your awesome summer plans!

5) Winners will be chosen from people with verified DesignYourDorm.com accounts.

*Bonus points for those who post photos along with their plan or share contest with link: http://www.designyourdormblog.com/?p=609

Grand Prizes!

Win a brand new SlouchBack, the perfect accessory for your dorm room or house.

The Slouchback automatically inflates in 30 seconds, instantly transforming your bed or floor into a comfortable couch.  When deflated, it collapses to the size of a briefcase, perfect for dorm storage.

Check it out for yourself at www.slouchback.com

Other top plans will be prominently featured on the DesignYourDorm blog

Share the contest link with your friends for an even better chance at bringing the prize home!

Contest Ends Friday, June 18th

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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