Today: Mar 28, 2024

Personalizing your room on a budget

Anisa Jibrell News Writer

For the most part, we can all admit to a certain degree that sometimes your room is a direct reflection of your current life situation. As students finish settling down in their residence halls, they’re looking for ways to personalize their rooms on a budget.

Madeline Strasser, senior education major, who currently lives in North Campus Mid Rise, said a good and simple way to liven up your room on a dime is with pictures.

“It’s fifteen cents a picture at Walgreens,” said Strasser. “Last year I got some twine and I stapled all my pictures to the twine and just looped it all around the perimeter of the room.”

Strasser said the only annoying part is that she can’t damage the walls, so she makes sure to use command strips.

This year, Strasser plans on tie-dyeing a large sheet to cover up one of her walls; a cheap and effective way to add a lot of color to the room.

“Rather than getting ten little things, you just get a sheet and tie dye it. It’s colorful and probably done under $10-$15. That’s it,” said Strasser.

Currently there is nothing on Strasser’s walls but she plans to change that very soon.

“Right now my room isn’t decorated and it really irks me. It’s so dead in here. It’s gloomy, and it messes with my mood,” said Strasser.

Hannah Thill, senior, said she goes to Walmart and makes use of things lying around her home or takes things from people who have already graduated.

“See what you already have at home first,” said Thill. “Free is always better.”

Others like sophomore Mylene Adams turn to plants to liven up her room. Adams said plants are inexpensive if you look carefully and it adds comfort to your room instantly.

“Plants make everything better,” said Adams, “And they’re fairly cheap too if you look in the right places. Plants are an absolute must for me.”  

Adams said she doesn’t have a job or much money to spend so she turns to DIY Youtube videos for creative ways to spruce up her room without breaking the bank.

“You’d be surprised,” said Adams. “These Youtube DIY gurus turn trash into literally anything. It’s inspiring. I take notes.”

Adams said in a way, being broke has forced her to become more creative.

“Buying stuff is easy,” said Adams. “But I find that when I put some thought into the things I make, I hold onto them longer.”

Adams said she also hangs up paintings from free paint nights she’s attended in the past.

Senior communication major, Natalie Savoy, said she decorates her room based on what she wants people to see about her and what’s most important to her.

“In a college dorm room people are in and out all of the time,” said Savoy. “If you look you’ll see pictures of my family, my closest friends and then all my sorority stuff. All that stuff was pretty much free or a gift to me, so that right there was a big saving.”

Savoy said her room is a direct reflection of her involvement and the things that she likes. She said she recommends couponing and looking at what you have at home.

“I Pinterest a lot of stuff,” said Savoy, “so that definitely helps if you’re working on a budget.”

Photo Credit: Anisa Jibrell – News Writer

Photo: Senior communications major, Natalie Savoy reading in her decorated room.

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