Sweater Tote Basket

Little touches can turn a dorm into a home

In addition to purchasing books, pencils, notebooks and binders, you are faced with the challenge of what to buy to decorate a dorm room is the size of a shoebox - and, frankly, just depressing. Tile, cinderblock walls and small windows do not scream warm and welcoming.

This does not mean, however, that a small room on campus can not be full of personality. Futon and funky lamps in frames and message boards, furniture and accessories can make a dorm room feel like home sweet home jointly.

All it takes, says Ashley Maturan, is a little attention to detail.

Maturan should know. The University of Sioux Falls senior was a resident assistant last year.

Carpet is a must, she says. So is an entertainment center. Add a bit of art on the walls, string some lights around the room and sprinkle a few vases of flowers here and there, and that boring room is transformed.

“It just makes it seem more like home when you have all your own personal stuff in there,” Maturan says. “You spend a lot of time in your room. If you don’t like it, you’ll never want to be there.”

According to the National Retail Federation, college students and their parents will spend about $800 on average this year, down about $30 from last year. That figure includes bedding, chairs and other decor for the dorm room.

The way you decorate your dorm room says a lot about your personality, says Kilee Kading, who’s at Augustana College. “Everyone has their own unique touch to it,” she says. “It represents who you are in a way.”

Women usually decorate more than men, says Alex Heinert, a former residence hall director at the University of Sioux Falls.

"For them it is a big deal to have their rooms aesthetics. Their rooms are a bit of an extension of how they dress, "he said. "For guys, this is the place where they sleep and where they watch television. It's not as big a problem. They are more concerned about making it comfortable to do as well forthcoming. "

Here's a look at some dorm essentials.

Comfortable Style: Live the life in dormitory style with functional furnishings and trendy decor, like the butterfly chairs that fold easily and memos multisurface.

“Some students even bring in La-Z-Boy chairs - it depends on how seriously they take relaxation,” Heinert says.

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