The College Series: How to Make Your Dorm Room Feel Cozy

Hey y'all! I'm super excited to share with you the first post in my College Series! So over the course of the summer I'll be posting once a week for all you recent high school grads who are already planning for college or current college students who just want some advice! The first installation is one of the things I personally struggled with the most.

When I moved into my dorm room I was really overwhelmed with how dark and bleak it was. It didn't help that my building was really old and in need of renovations, but I made it work. Now I want to share with you guys some tips and tricks to help make your room feel cozy like home!

1. Pillows on Pillows
I know this seems like a waste of space in such a small area but honestly nothing made my bed feel (and look) better than a bunch of fluffy accent pillows! It really just makes you want to curl up and watch Netflix, am I right?

Pink & Teal Chevron Pillow  |  White Ruffle Pillow  |  Teal Wave Pillow  |  Metallic Dot Pillow

Gold Bow Pillow  |  Banana Leaf Pillow  |  Floral Hello Pillow  |  Blue Coral Pillow

Pink & Navy Pillow  |  Sequin Shell Pillow  |  Velvet Arrow Pillow  |  Multicolor Yarn Pillow

Brunch Pillow  |  Tassel Trim Pillow  |  Bold Fearless Pillow  |  White Fur Pillow

2. Find a Couple of Cozy Blankets
I got really lucky and scored some crazy good deals on throw blankets everywhere from TJ Maxx to Target last year and I was so glad I did. It was great for nights when you want to have friends over (to watch the Bachelor, let's be honest) and it's cold in your room or even just when you don't feel good and want to cuddle up under one million blankets because you have the chills.

Faux Fur Throw | Pink Disco Throw  | White Fur Throw | Marbled Throw  | Marled Knit Throw           
Tassel Trim Throw | Plush Throw  |  Pom Pom Throw  | Ombre Throw

3. Wall Art, Wall Art, Wall Art
Dorm room walls are very boring and very white. The more wall art you have the better. Last year I found some peel and stick stripes for walls that I used to make an accent wall behind my bed and it was a showstopper. Everyone that came in my room asked how I did it. If you want to save a little money you can always paint your own canvas to take up a decent amount of space on a budget.

Pom Pom Garland  |  Floral Clock  |  World Map Canvas  |  Gold Circle Shelf

Navy Wall Hanging  |   Peel & Stick Stripes  |  Palm Leaf & Tassel Garland  |  Pineapple Canvas

Ribbon Garland  |  Pineapple Art  |  Rose Burst Canvas  |  Happy Day Garland 

Hanging Photo Display | Confetti Dots Dry Erase Board  | Metal Wall Art (similar)  | Rose All Day

4. Accent Lighting
My room only had one small light fixture attached to the wall so as I mentioned earlier, it was really dark. I had two different lamps and some fairy lights to help create ambience and also lighten the room up.

Capiz Shell Lamp | Ambient Tassel Lamp | Scallop Cutout Lamp | Gold Pineapple Lamp
Gold Fairy Lights | Faceted Gold Lamp | Stick Lamp | Gold Desk Lamp (similar) | Salt Lamp

5. Get a Rug
My room had tile floors and while they were white, they were also super cold; especially in the morning! A rug was definitely worth the investment for me. It helped tie all my decor and colors together as well as hide some of the tile floor and keep my feet warm!

Dots Rug | Pink Shag Rug | Floral Rug | Multicolored Rug | Circle Rug 

Pink Stitched Rug | Blue & White Rug |  White Fur Rug | Navy Trellis Rug

6. Make it Smell Good
Keep in mind most dorms don't allow candles.  I sell Scentsy so I brought one of my Scentsy warmers with me and I was so happy I did. You could also get a diffuser. Dorm rooms have a really weird smell and sometimes they can get really stuffy and having a really cozy scent helped get rid of the weird dorm smell and make the room feel really welcoming.

Pineapple Warmer | Love Warmer | Enjoy the Little Things Warmer | Mix n Match Warmers

7. Talk to Your Roommate
You should get in touch with your new roomie ahead of time and try to decide on a color scheme. Rooms always look so awesome when things are coordinated. See if you can both agree on the same bedding, table lamps, and pillows and your room will be so cozy!

8. Make it You!
 What do I mean by this? Bring whatever feels like home to you. I had tons of pictures of family and friends and even a stuffed animal I've had for years. It really helped make my room feel personal and cozy.

That's all I have for you! I've linked a bunch of options for each of my different points to give you some inspiration. Taking the time to plan and make my room really cozy was one of the best things I ever did. I really helped make it feel like home, which was important in feeling comfortable away from home. It also makes your room the place where everybody wants to hang out! Good luck on your college shopping spree, I hope you keep these tips in mind! I'd love to see your purchases! Tag me on Instagram @timeforclassy!