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You have packed your stuff, moved it, and unpacked. Now, when you have your clothes, furniture, and other belongings moved to your college apartment, it is time to have some fun by decorating it.
Unless you are a fan of minimalist décor, you will want to add a few decorative items to make your living quarters look like your own. However, purchasing expensive decorations probably is not what you want, given the fact that from now on you as a student are on a tight budget. So, before you start spending much on pricey decorative details, look through the following tips for decorating your student apartment cheaply but tastefully.
In This Post:
1. Go and Buy a Rug
If you are going to live in the place, where many students live under the same roof, be ready to find lots of marks on the floors. There is no need to waste your time and energy for scrubbing the stains that have already set with expensive agents. In this case, you should better go to a hardware store and buy a throw rug. These rugs usually come in all possible shapes, colors, sizes, and patterns to match any color scale and suit any style.
Be sure to find a piece that will fit into your student budget. If you don’t feel like going anywhere, shop online. Search for discounts and free shipping to save some money that you will then be able to spend for other purposes. If you often ask yourself “who will do my homework for me online and at what price?”, then most likely you will need the money you saved.
Remember that small pieces are perfect for hallways and areas in front of sinks and toilets. Place larger rugs beside beds and in front of end tables. Such decor elements will add a finishing touch to the floors and give some comfort underfoot.
2. Benefit From Multi-Purpose Furniture Pieces
It is great if there is a futon at your place. This type of mattress is known to serve as both a bed and couch; therefore, it can be used for relaxing during the day and resting at night for your classmate that you often have for a sleepover. A few throw pillows will look great on your futon. If you know how to sew, then you will have no problem making them yourself. However, if you don’t, then you can drop by your local home décor store and look for some pretty, yet inexpensive pieces there. Probably, you will find lots of options to choose from.
A storage ottoman is one more item that you should have in your room. You can use it for sitting and storing some of your belongings. None of your roommates has to know where you keep your magazines, notes, and other stuff that you are not ready to heave out into a skip.
3. Be Creative
There is no need to spend much cash on expensive painting and wallpapers if you have a creative bone in your body. You can create your own masterpiece to decorate the walls – make a collage of beautiful pictures and place it above your bed. Get an inexpensive canvas at a neighboring store and draw whatever you want on it to decorate the wall above your desk. Choose a few pictures from the last holiday, print them out, and place them in a plain view to keep those mementos. You can find many ways to do your own wall decorations so that you can save much cash on pricey pieces.
However, if you don’t feel like drawing anything, then hang one or two wall shelves and decorate them with souvenirs to add some flare to a plain wall. Think about adding more light to your room. Use string lights as a great alternative to pricey chandeliers.
4. Get a Multi-Level Bookshelf if You Haven’t Bought One Yet
Being a student means having lots of academic books and notebooks. To keep them in order, use a multi-level bookshelf. To add interest to your living space, buy a corner bookshelf for your magazines and books. Creative students use bookshelves not only for books – they use them for displaying their pictures and souvenirs, too. You can purchase a few framed prints and place them on your shelf for more sophistication and dynamic.
You can also use bookshelves for storing your clothes, shoes, and various accessories. Since they are cheaper than dressers and wardrobes, they are very common on campus.
5. Give IKEA a Try
If your resources are limited, stop by IKEA. There, you will find many furniture pieces and decorative details at relatively low prices. Just think, where can you buy a chair, end table, or desk lump for under $30, if not in IKEA? There is a huge assortment of textiles, photo frames, and other pieces that will help you show your personality and save much money for other buys.
When shopping, search for multi-functional items as mentioned above. Storage ottomans and nightstands with shelves will help you use space more effectively. Such pieces are an absolute must-have in college apartments where there is no much space for storing students’ possessions.
If you want to make your student apartment look better without the need to run into debts, then consider the above-mentioned hints. If you are a creative person with well-developed DIY skills, you can turn any place into the leaving space that you have been dreaming of for long.
