Hi
guys!
So
earlier this week you saw some of my early brainstorming for my senior year apartment
I’ll be living in next fall. I’m super excited for it, to say the least.
Anyway, it got me to thinking about some advice I have for college students
that are preparing for their living situations next year. After having gone
through like three multiple times before, these are things that I have done or
wished I had done before moving into my new space from the old year.
1.
Have
a Plan
It’s so important to
know where you are living for the next year. Sign up for your new dorm, house,
or apartment early so you can start to plan what kind of things you’ll need,
and what you want to decorate. If possible, find a floor plan of your space
(many colleges and apartments offer floor plans of their rooms online, so be on
the lookout). This will help you prepare for about how big your space will be,
where windows, doors, and closets are located, and any other notable things to
plan for.
2.
Decide
the Theme
If you are matching
your room décor to your roommate’s, figure out a theme (nautical, Victoria’s
Secret, flowers, etc). If you are just planning your own space, decide on the
colors and feel you want it to be. Find something that inspires you and then
design around it (usually for college spaces, I’d recommend centering it around
your bedding, since that’s the biggest element in a small room). For instance,
I have my heart set on the Urban Outfitters chevron duvet in black and white,
so I know that I’ll have a black, white, and pops of red theme.
3.
Make
of a List of Things to Buy
Once you know what
your space will look like and what theme you want your space to have, make a
list of things to buy. My advice to poor college students is to try to pick a
theme that allows you to use most of the stuff you already have. It would break
my bank to decide I don’t want to use any of my red stuff anymore, so I know I
should stick to my same colors I’ve used the past three years. If you know you’ll
need new bedding, pots and pans, plates, and other kitchen items, break it down
into several months of buying things. Don’t save it all for August right before
school because that can kill your budget. For example, I’m planning on buying a
duvet and an insert here in the spring, and then buying the rest of my apartment
items throughout the summer. If you are moving from a dorm to an apartment or
house, make sure you discuss with your roommates who is purchasing staples like
pots, pans, kitchen utensils, bathroom shower curtains, TVs, coffee makers, and
big things like that.
4.
Pack
Efficiently
I know this is
harping on this subject early, but remember at the end of this semester when
you pack up your stuff you currently use, try to pack intelligently. Pack your
kitchen/eating items together (don’t forget to label!!), bathroom things
together, bedding together, and so on. Pack the things you will want to use
over the summer together too, so you don’t have to go through each box looking
for things like your iPhone charger. It makes next fall when you go back to
school so much easier!
5.
Watch
Sales!
If the bedding you’ve
been eyeing goes on sale in April, jump on it. Don’t always wait until school
starts because that’s when things get picked over. However, if you don’t
absolutely love it, know that new things will come out over the summer just for
kids that are going to college.
Do you
have any advice for preparing for next year? What’s the biggest decorating
changes between living in a dorm versus an apartment or house?
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