Etsy Dorm Shopping Under $25!

It's that time of year again and I was thinking you might need a couple of cute things for the new dorm room.  Look no further than Etsy, your marketplace for the truly unique.  While I don't make things for cute dorm rooms, I have to plug my own Etsy store, Pretty Pretty Cindy for the cutest baby stuff!  Click on the titles below to see the Etsy listings. Ready for the best part?  All of these items are less than $25!!  You can also find them (and so much more) on my Pinterest board Dorm DIY or College 

Personalized State Laundry Bag

Bathroom Organization

LED Lights

Bed Caddy

Custom Dorm Door Sign

Shower Caddy

Dorm Sweet Dorm Pillow

Clothespin Push Pins

 

Cellphone Stand

Dry Erase Frame

Have a great school year!

cindy

15 DIY Craft Projects for the College Student

OK, you're off to college, but you want to incorporate something in your new life that reflects your crafty side.  Here are 25 of the best and useful projects you can make before you leave or bond with some new friends on a craft project!  You can see these and more on my Pinterest boards, College and Dorm DIY

Desk Organization Projects

1.  Desk Organization Set - This three little bulletin board set works well above your desk and I have to admit I'm a little partial because it's my DIY.
2.  Desk Supplies Organizer - No link, just a picture.  Use a shoebox and cardboard toliet paper rolls. So easy and cute - great if you have a lot of pencils/pens

3. Frame jewelry/picture hanger - From the UK, Love Chic Living describes this as a way to make an easy photo collage.  I think it's cute as that, but would also be a great way to hang your jewelry, especially if you added a little background cork for earrings.  You can find the little "clothes pins" at Michaels.

4.  Desk Organizer - This is a cute little video tutorial on making a desk organizer with scrapbook paper and little boxes.  You can find little boxes at craft stores or the dollar stores.

5.  Faux Book Cellphone Charging Station I had to include a picture on this one.  It might be nice if you are nervous about leaving your phone out in the open.

6.   Shoebox Charging Station - I really liked this one because (A) it's easy; and (B) it's functional.  One thing I would note - you should probably leave the lid of the box open when you are charging your items so it doesn't overheat and be sure to unplug fully charged devices (your manufacturer's instructions for your electronics will tell you that part too).

7.  Frame organization/note board/calendar - There are a ton of variations of this project, but the concept is pretty simple - picture frame, paper/fabric background in frame and dry erase pen to use on the glass.  

8.  Mason Jar Desk organizer - Mason jars on their sides glued together.

9.  Tennis Ball Friends - I think these are functional and super cute.

Storage Solutions

10. Storage Crate Ottoman -This is the cutest design from The Eager Teacher.  These would be ideal tucked under your bed for storage and brought out when you have extra guests or need a foot rest.  Two notes - make sure the store bought crates will support your weight and consider a fabric loop/tab to stick out on the side of the cushion so you can easily access the storage space in the crate.

11.  Mason Jar Bathroom Storage  In this tutorial you paint Mason Jars for a really cute look.

12.  Washi Tape Color Coded Plugs - Just a picture, but pretty self-explanatory

13.  Bedside Pocket Organizer - This is a must in a dorm room. Easy to keep stuff right on your bed.

14.  DIY Frame Key Holder Easy, cute and very functional

15.  Makeup Brush Holder - There are a bunch of little DIY projects with a fun presentation.

College Week - Dorm Room DIY

I could not let the end of College Week go by without a DIY day.  There are some really cute college DIY projects out there, and I think my teen daughter and I will be trying a few for her room (not in college).  While I haven't tried any of these specific projects, here's a short list of projects that will personalize your room without compromising functionality.  Click on the title for the specific DIY instructions and be sure to visit the fine DIYer who brought you the product (and the picture):

1.     Storage cube ottoman - This is the cutest design from The Eager Teacher.  These would be ideal tucked under your bed for storage and brought out when you have extra guests or need a foot rest.  Two notes - make sure the store bought crates will support your weight and consider a fabric loop/tab to stick out on the side of the cushion so you can easily access the storage space in the crate.

2.     Frame jewelry/picture hanger - From the UK, Love Chic Living describes this as a way to make an easy photo collage.  I think it's cute as that, but would also be a great way to hang your jewelry, especially if you added a little background cork for earrings.  You can find the little "clothes pins" at Michaels.

3.     Shoebox Charging Station - I really liked this one from Country Living because (A) it's easy; and (B) it's functional.  One thing I would note - you should probably leave the lid of the box open when you are charging your items so it doesn't overheat and be sure to unplug fully charged devices (your manufacturer's instructions for your electronics will tell you that part too).  I also would not use this for a full-size laptop because the cords are bulkier and they definitely get hot.

4.     Frame organization/note board/calendar - There are a ton of variations of this project, but the concept is pretty simple - picture frame, paper/fabric background in frame and dry erase pen to use on the glass.  However, this one from Tangles and Tangents was super cute and had great instructions.

5.     Ping pong lights - I'm not a huge fan of the Christmas-lights-in-the-dorm-room look, but I know it's popular and this way of doing it from Say Yes is at least a little original. (I would never put these over a crib, but your bed is OK)

This is just a small sampling of DIY projects I found for your dorm.  You can see lots more on my Pinterest board "Dorm DIY"

Happy DIY decorating!

cindy

Decorating the Dorm Room - A Few Hints

If you've read some of my other College Week posts, you know I was in college in the Stone Age.  While some things have changed, most dorm rooms have not.  For each person in the room, there is a bed, desk, chair and usually a wardrobe or closet.  My freshman year, I lived in a triple - yes, that is 3 women in a room.  No, the room wasn't much bigger.  Decorating a dorm room can be daunting, but there are two basic rules to remember:

1.  A dorm room is SMALL so don't cram too much into it.
2.  Decorating decisions need to include your roommate(s).

If you get these basic concepts, the rest flows from there.  Hopefully, you will wait to decide on decorating details until after you are at school, but most freshmen just can't help themselves.  Consulting with your new roommate over the summer is a great idea (fits criteria 2), but without seeing your new room, it might be hard to meet criteria 1.

You can find lots of examples of great dorm rooms online and I've collected a lot of pictures and tips on my board Dorm Decorating on Pinterest.  For now, I just want to make a couple of points about dorm room decorating:

1.  Maximize the use of space - including airspace.  Raising your bed it a great idea.  If you can get the bed high enough, you can put your desk underneath.  Make sure to check your school's policies on this and make sure you are being safe.

2.  A dorm room is not as big as your room at home - unless you live in a trailer.  Unless you share a room in a trailer with someone else, your room at home doesn't have two beds, two desks, two chairs and two closets. Don't try to copy pictures of rooms that are clearly bigger than your dorm room.  Wait until you get to school and take a careful look at what you have.

3.  Keep it functional.  Don't bring in extra furniture - really.  It might be cute, but not so much when you are tripping over it in the middle of the night.  You can have a beautiful and functional room without extra furniture - really.

4.  NO CLUTTER.  There are lots of cool products - shelving, storage bins, side tables, etc.  Clutter makes your room look messy, unorganized, and, if it's possible, smaller than it actually is.  Leave the knick-knacks at home.

5.  Talk to your roommate and coordinate.  You both might have great taste, but it isn't fun to have different decorating themes in one little room.  Compromise - you're just getting started.  Everyday you come in to see a schizophrenic room, it will remind you that you and your roommate can't compromise.

6.  If you or your roommate intend to study, relax or sleep in your dorm room, don't plaster the walls with thousands of high school pictures and then hang Christmas lights around it.  See above.  It's not only tacky, it is very distracting and certainly not condusive to concentration or relaxation. 

7.  Make your function pretty.  You can have some storage under your bed that looks good.  You can add some nice curtains that keep the excess light out while masking those ugly blinds.  If you would like extra seating, turn a storage bin into an ottoman. (But not two in the middle of the room!)

8.  Get a nice rug, but consider throw rugs instead of bigger carpeting pieces.  Your carpet will likely never see a vacuum unless one is available for common use in the dorm.  However, a throw rug can be washed.

9.  Use light colors.  When winter comes and you get stir crazy in your little dorm room, you won't want to be surrounded by dark colors covering the walls and your bed.  Just like dark paint, dark decorations dominating the bed and walls will make your little dorm room smaller.

10.  Keep it clean!  At the risk of sounding like your mom, a clean room will keep you and your roommate happy.  Just like a happy wife, a happy roommate makes for a happy college life!

Don't forget to check out my Pinterest account for more college ideas!

cindy

College Week - What Do I Need?

It's been a long time since I was in college - a really long time.  However, I did spend 4 years in a dorm - 2 as a resident advisor - so I know more than most about living in a dorm room.  I'm focusing this week on things you need to know to live happily in a dorm room for one or more school years.  I know my college week is late - many have already left for college.  If you're smart, you realize that unless you have complete dimensions to your dorm room and know your room, it's really not possible to buy everything you need for your room.  So, whether you haven't left for school yet or are already there without the perfect dorm room, here's some things you need (and some you don't).

First, you need to read two great articles from Grown and Flown - "Dorm Shopping: What to Ask Before You Spend" and "Ten Commandments of Dorm Shopping." Here are some of my must haves:

Bath Stuff 

• Monogrammed or patterned towels - they don't get "lost" as easily 
• Plastic bath caddy.  I personally like the plastic bath caddies you can carry because when they inevitably get grungy with soap and shampoo residue, you just take them in the shower and hose them down.  Mesh caddies are harder to clean.

Bedding

• A good mattress topper - not just the mattress cover.  
• A sleep mask can be very useful if you and your roommate keep different study hours. 
• Bed risers, but only after you actually see the room and the bed. 

Desk

• Tech corner - charging station, headphones, extra long charging cord and wireless speaker
• Laptop with cover.  The cover is a must for all of the traveling your laptop will see.
• Power strip - look for a flexible one that can curve around furniture

Closet/Storage Area

• Full length mirror on closet door - use Command hooks
• Laundry bag - I like this better than plastic baskets because they can hang, take up less space and are easy to sling over your shoulder (or dragged) even when they are full
• Storage bins - It's important to get the right size for under your bed - whether it is raised or not. Again, this might be one of those things that might wait until you are actually at school to see the bed.
• Over the door hanger/basket/pouches for storage.  Hopefully you are able to put the full length mirror on one side of the closet door and the hanging storage on the other side

Other Important Stuff 

• Filtration bottle - while a Britta pitcher would be ideal, the space in your refrigerator is probably limited.  You can also take the bottle with you.
• Fan - Cooling, air circulation and white noise when you're trying to sleep
• Disinfecting wipes - I can't describe all the ways you might use these
• Command hooks - you can't put nails in the walls.  Tomorrow I will show you a special hack for hanging posters.
• First aid kit/common medicines/prescription list - the first time you get a cold you will be happy you have this.  You will need a Band-aid at some point and a complete list of your prescriptions (with dosages, pharmacy information and doctor) is important

Finally, when I was in school, there was no technology.  Today, there are so many gadgets and apps you can get to make your life at school easier, more organized and successful.  Keep your music online or in digital format.  Use your phone to watch TV or movies.  Use of technology is not only more efficient, but solves one of the biggest problems of dorm living - lack of space.  

cindy

More Dorm Organization Tips for College

Last year I found some great suggestions for ways to keep your dorm room space maximized.  Here are those tips again with a few extra added suggestions!

You're off to college with all your stuff!  Now where are you going to put it?  That is perhaps the most important question you will answer during the first week and it may define how well you coexist with the stranger with whom you will share a room for the next 9 months.  Here's a compilation of some of the best ones I have found.  Some even have a tutorial to show you how to make/do what you see in the picture.

1.  The key to dorm room (or small apartment bedroom) organization is maximizing space - storing as many things as possible in the smallest amount of space.  In a room with limited square footage, the key is using the vertical space.  Here is a great article from BuzzFeed that has some great ideas

2.  Bedside Solutions - Keep your reading materials, phone, remote and other things close without a bedside table.  The second caddy hangs between the mattress and base of bed.  You can make lots of those caddies to go around the bed for odd storage.



3. Keep your electronics charged without losing cords or small items.

4.  Keep your desk space clear.  Here's a clever way to move your desk supplies up on the wall by attaching small magnets to your desk items and putting them on a metal board.


5.  Over the door storage - the back of the closet door is prime real estate.  You can use the clear plastic bags or baskets that hang behind the door.  If you keep the storage high enough you will still have room for some hooks toward the bottom of the door for wet towels, etc.  Click on the first picture for more over the door storage ideas.

   

6.  Maximize the space under the bed.  The higher up the bed, the more space you will have under it for storage (or living).  Warning - be careful not to prop up a bed in an unsafe way!  Depending on how much space you can get under the bed, you can put things as big as your desk or as small as under the bed plastic storage bins.  Use a flat sheet to create a decorative "curtain" to hide stuff under a raised bed.



7.  Closet organization.  In addition to the over the door storage I already mentioned, you need to use hangers that maximize the vertical space.  Try a skirt hanger that can handle six items at once, or soda can tabs or chains to stagger multiple hangers.  Use a tie rack for camisoles or tension rods on the sides of the closet for shoes.



For many more links to dorm room organization, must-have items, decorating ideas and more, check out my College Organization board on Pinterest.

Strategic planning is best for the dorm room, but don't forget to involve your room mate in the process! Good luck at school.

cindy

College Organization Tips - Just In Time!

You're off to college with all your stuff!  Now where are you going to put it?  That is perhaps the most important question you will answer during the first week and it may define how well you coexist with the stranger with whom you will share a room for the next 9 months.  Here's a compilation of some of the best ones I have found.  Some even have a tutorial to show you how to make/do what you see in the picture.

1.  The key to dorm room (or small apartment bedroom) organization is maximizing space - storing as many things as possible in the smallest amount of space.  In a room with limited square footage, the key is using the vertical space.  Here is a great article from BuzzFeed that has some great ideas:

2.  Bedside Solutions - Keep your reading materials, phone, remote and other things close without a bedside table.  The second caddy hangs between the mattress and base of bed.  You can make lots of those caddies to go around the bed for odd storage.



3. Keep your electronics charged without losing cords or small items.

4.  Keep your desk space clear.  Here's a clever way to move your desk supplies up on the wall by attaching small magnets to your desk items and putting them on a metal board.


5.  Over the door storage - the back of the closet door is prime real estate.  You can use the clear plastic bags or baskets that hang behind the door.  If you keep the storage high enough you will still have room for some hooks toward the bottom of the door for wet towels, etc.  Click on the first picture for more over the door storage ideas.

6.  Maximize the space under the bed.  The higher up the bed, the more space you will have under it for storage (or living).  Warning - be careful not to prop up a bed in an unsafe way!  Depending on how much space you can get under the bed, you can put things as big as your desk or as small as under the bed plastic storage bins.  Use a flat sheet to create a decorative "curtain" to hide stuff under a raised bed.

7.  Closet organization.  In addition to the over the door storage I already mentioned, you need to use hangers that maximize the vertical space.  Try a skirt hanger that can handle six items at once, or soda can tabs or chains to stagger multiple hangers.  Use a tie rack for camisoles or tension rods on the sides of the closet for shoes.

 











Strategic planning is best for the dorm room, but don't forget to involve your room mate in the process! Good luck at school.

cindy