Dorms take the warmth and happiness with you from home. Wherever a child goes off to college, parents and loved ones alike send a special feeling along with them. A big part into the college process happens to be dorm shopping. Doing it on a budget is even better. Do It Yourself projects add pretty, personalized touches to your dorm room with ease. These DIY projects are simple, budget-friendly and can be made in just a couple hours. From old jars to useless Christmas lights, dorms can truly become a creative sanctuary of art.
Ping-Pong Christmas Lights
Photo courtesy of www.gurl.com
You can create a string of Christmas lights that look more exclusive. By cutting slits into the sides and then sticking ping-pong balls on the lights around the wire, you can add a more broad lighting into your room. A pack of 100 ping-pong balls are very affordable and you’d only use a bit over half of them. That leaves you with extra to put up just in case you are a big fan of ping-pong. Usually, families have extra Christmas lights laying around, so you can ask your parents to mail them to you so you can construct this project.
Picture Garland
Photo courtesy of Pinterest.
Thinking outside the box is simply a must when personalizing your dorm. With the picture garland, you can put the old picture frame to rest. Pictures are a great way to blend both family and friends from home into your room. So, hang your pictures like garland with a long piece of twine and clothespins. Yes, clothespins. First, cut pieces of twine to fit across your wall. Then, securely tape both ends of the twine to opposite sides of your wall. This forms the base for your project. Lastly, finish by attaching the photos onto the twine with clothespins. These clothespins can be bought at your nearest dollar store. Now, step back and gaze upon your masterpiece.
Jewelry Hanger
Photo courtesy of Pinterest.
A box or stand for jewelry can range from $20 to $35. This may be a hefty range considering the price for the actual jewelry itself. Instead of buying a stand for your precious gems, grab an old wooden hanger and metal hooks to make a jewelry hanger. This project can be made with $5 or less, if you do not have the materials already. To create, you must first drill holes 1.5- to-2 inches apart into the inside of the hanger to insert the metal hooks. You can purchase these hooks at your nearest hardware store. Afterwards, simply hang all of your elegant jewels!
Polka Dots Cushion
Photo courtesy of www.etsy.com
Do you have a boring cushion in your room that just doesn’t seem to want to stay on your bed in the middle of the night? This polka dot cushion project will become your best friend with just a few quick steps. First, wash, dry, and iron your cushion cover to get a clean surface. Next, take your favorite color paint and a champagne cork and dip into the paint. Take a piece of paper to practice of first. Practice makes perfect! Once you’ve nailed the technique of dipping, get to work on the fabric cushion. Then, leave it out to dry. Drape a tea-towel over the cushion cover and take a cool iron and quickly run over to fix the paint in place. Snuggled under you, your cushion will finally stay on your bed.
Splatter Jar Pencil Holder
Photo courtesy of www.yesterdayontuesday.com
Pencils go missing after each class and they need a home to always go to. With this unique jar, you can keep up with your pens and pencils with a jar designed by you. The splatter jar can be comprised of your favorite colors. First, grab white paint. This will serve as the coating around the jar and the canvas for your artwork. Then, grab as many colors as you want and begin splattering them upon the jar in rapid speed. Try to do this on an old sheet or concrete surface. Lastly, leave out to dry. Once it’s dry, simply place anywhere in your dorm! Your pencils will be in good hands!
Story by Prince Robinson Jr., Staff Writer.
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OMG! So helpful! I was looking for some way to add a little something to my dorm and I found exactly what I’m looking for with this article. Very relatable!