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Seeing your residence room for the first time can be a bit under-whelming. You have a few feet surrounded by four walls to call home for the next eight months. Joy!
Although you can’t slap a coat of paint over the prison-like walls, there are other ways to decorate your room and make it an external expression of yourself. What follows is your ultra-helpful, do-it-yourself guide to all things on decorating, storage and need-to-have items for your rez room.
DECORATING YOUR ROOM
If you have a roommate, make sure to talk with them before doing any extreme decorating. In addition to being considerate, it can also be economical. If you have similar tastes, you might be able to split the cost on your TLC makeover.
A great way to personalize your room is to collage your bulletin board with photos and magazine clippings. Display your timetable to keep organized.
Although you can’t paint your room, you can cover the “lovely” look of brick or concrete with posters. Two poster sales hit Carleton each semester with everything from Pulp Fiction for the movie buff or a classic Picasso for the art aficionado.
Lining your window with white or coloured Christmas lights adds an impressive touch to your room. It’s inexpensive and provides a little romantic mood lighting for special occasions.
Bargain hunting at consignment shops is a great way to spice up your room. Find a funky lamp for your desk or some large throw pillows for your bed. Throw pillows help convert a bed into a couch if you are not in suite-style residence.
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ORGANIZING AND STORAGE
To create more space in your room, consider rearranging furniture. Shifting around the bed and desk can open up the room— just be sure to drag the furniture back to its original place before you move out in April.
It’s important to utilize the space you do have. Use the height of the room tvo your advantage. You can use plastic drawers that stack on top of each other to maximize storage space.
If you’re a budding fashionista with a lot of clothes, a closet organizer can be a worthwhile investment as closet space can be tight.
DID YOU BRING THESE THINGS?
Alarm Clock: although your cell phone has an alarm, you may want a proper alarm clock that is out of reach from your bed to ensure you get up for class.
Mattress pad: cushioning your bed may prevent insomnia.
Ethernet cable: essential for Internet access. These can be bought on campus, if you didn’t bring one with you.
Dust-buster: although there is an industrial vacuum on each floor, it is bulky and often mysteriously disappears.
Dry-erase board: hang it outside your door so your friends can leave you messages when you are not in your room.
Brenna Dallaway, director and owner of Philosophy Interiors, says garage sales and flea markets are great resources to accessorize your room on a budget.
“Getting multi-purpose furniture that serves a variety of functions is the best way to optimize space.” A storage box that can also act as a stool or chair is just one example, she says.
Dallaway also suggests using the space under your bed to hide clutter. This space is often wasted so it’s an excellent place to put things that you are not going to need every day.
It’s important for students to like their room because an appealing room makes life easier.
“If your room is a mess it can tend to stress you out. You’re more apt to be able to relax and focus in a nicely-decorated, organized space,” she says.