Dorm Decor
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Plan Your Room
It's time to head off to college. Have you thought about how you want to decorate your dorm room? First, find out from your college what you can and cannot have and also what the school supplies you with. Once you know that, talk to your roommate and figure out how you want to lay out your room and who needs to bring what. That way you don't buy duplicates.
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Target
Some Seating
If you have extra room once all the necessary things are in, then you may want to consider a small futon that friends can crash on when you're hanging out late night. If you don't have enough room, then go with a comfy lounge chair so that you have room to curl up and watch movies on a rainy night. You will need to escape once in awhile to just veg out.
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Target
Get Up Already
You don't want to be the one who comes in fifteen minutes after class has started. That is no way to make a good first impression. Invest in a colorful and functional alarm clock that you can plug your iPod into. If you have to get up early, then at least wake up to your favorite tunes. Make the best of a crappy situation.
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Target
Microwave is a Must
If your dorm room allows it, a microwave is a must. We found this microwave and toaster combo and it's perfect for a small dorm room where you need to save space. Some dorms have a common kitchen, or don't allow appliances like this at all, so check with your college before heading to the store to stock up on your must-have dorm decor.
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Colorful Bedding
Let's be honest ... most dorm rooms aren't very colorful, so make sure to pick bedding with both personality and lots of color that will enhance your living area. No one can be creative and productive in a crappy atmosphere, so make sure to take time to brighten yours up with bedding that's vibrant and colorful.
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Target
Lighten Up
Don't deny it ... you know you will have to do a lot of reading whether you like it or not, so make sure you have enough lighting in your room. We suggest a floor lamp like this one, then task lighting on your desk or near your bed, depending on where you want to do most of your classwork.
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Bed Bath & Beyond
All Grown Up
If you want to avoid the nickname Stinky, then you may want to invest in a hamper, like these colorful and collapsible ones. It's time to grow up and instead of buying new clothes, wash your dirty ones, OK? You may want to get some baskets also to carry your clothes to and from the laundry room. Doesn't it stink to grow up?
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Time to Buckle Down
If your college doesn't already supply you with a desk and you have enough room, we strongly suggest you invest in one. After all, you are in college to get an education, right? Now you may prefer doing work in bed on your laptop, but your neck and back can only take that for so long. Get a desk, or plan to spend a lot of time at the library. What's that anyway? Yikes!
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Keep It Clean
If you want your room to be the hangout for the hall, then you will need to keep it organized and (*gasp*) clean. That's right! Just look, you are already turning into your Mom. Too harsh? Anyway, we love these Kone vacuums because they look cool, are colorful and are all you need to keep your place in order when friends come over.
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Target
Picture Perfect
There may be days when you are hating being at school and miss your high school friends and your family. You can make your own photo collage in order to keep those who love you in sight, during the difficult times. We found this fun photo collage at Target. Not only will this keep the people you love in site, but it will also add personality and color to your room.
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Target
Shower in Style
Just because showering isn't exciting doesn't mean you cannot let your personality shine with fluffy and colorful towels. Coordinate them with your room theme and colors in order to bring your vision together. Make sure you also invest in some flip-flops for that hall shower. Yuck! Those things aren't always the cleanest. Good luck with that!
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Target
Movie Time
One those rainy, veggin' out nights, invite some friends over and watch a movie. You will want to set up a nice entertainment area with your TV, DVD player and a collection of fun movies that you love. Talk to your roommate and coordinate who wants to bring what. Maybe you will bring the DVD player if they bring the TV. You will sort it out.
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Get Organized
Dorm rooms are small and honestly, you will need to be clever about organization, especially if you are sharing your room with a roommate. From closet organizers to shelving, you will need to sort out what works best for you, and your roommate. Remember that you will be making trips home, so only bring necessary and seasonal clothing to school.
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Target
Mirror Mirror on the Wall
Mirrors are a great dorm room accessory. Not only will you need to primp before heading out at night with friends, but mirrors make a space feel bigger and brighter. They bounce light around and add warmth to a room. Invest in some small and graphic mirrors that will make your space feel brighter and more decorated.
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Target
Time to Nest
We probably sound like a broken record, but storage and organization are so important for a tiny space. We love these nesting tables, because you can keep them together when you don't need them and store books and entertainment items in them, or pull them out when you have company for drinks and snacks.
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Target
Personal Fridge
If you are allowed, definitely get a mini refrigerator for your room. You want to have drinks and food handy so you don't have to trek to chow hall every two seconds. Ugh, just thinking of chow hall makes us a little nauseous. The thing about having a fridge, though, is that you will actually have to go grocery shopping. Good luck with that!
Back to School Style
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Target
Cover Your Floor
Your floors are not going to be pretty. We aren't even going to try and lie about that. You might want to wait until you move in to decide on a rug or carpet for your room. You and your roommate can talk about the best option. Most likely you will want to cover your floor and make your room feel more warm and comfy. Just take our word for it.
Back to School Style
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Target
Wall Art
It is so important to decorate your walls with fun artwork and posters that represent your personality. We love this three-piece wall art from Target, but you can also log on to posters.com and find some decor that will help inspire you in your room and represent you.
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Target
School Pride
It's OK to show your school pride. We love these task lamps from Target. These look perfect on your desk and help to illuminate your laptop and studying area. Now, just don't go too overboard with all the college gear because you'll get bored of looking at that all the time. Trust us.
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Target
Quick Access
You know you are going to have a shitload of books, so why not have a nice place to keep them all along with other things you might need out and displayed? If you have room, invest in a bookcase with your roommate. Trust us, you will appreciate the extra storage.
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