7 Tips for Decorating Your Dorm Room

It's an annual ritual on college campuses around the country: a rush of incoming students arriving on move-in day, eager to feather the nest they'll call home for the coming school year.

While a lucky few may be moving into a suite or an apartment, most students will be sharing a room in a dorm with one or more roommates, adding to the potential complexity of figuring out how to optimize their new living space for sleep, studying and socializing.

Before you start packing up everything you own, read on for some tips on how to maximize your dorm room's functionality and create a multi-purpose collegiate sanctuary.

Before You Move In

After you've received confirmation of your housing assignment, you'll likely know whether you'll be sharing your space and how large it is.

If your school doesn't share the layout, you should be able to find your school's housing options online, including room dimensions and standard layouts (some schools even offer virtual room tours).

Most dorm rooms are small-perhaps a couple hundred square feet. If you're lucky enough to get a single room, it will likely be smaller, and if you end up in a triple or a quad, you'll probably have a slightly bigger floor plan.

The good news: Your dorm room comes with basic furnishings. The bad news: Those furnishings are indeed basic-likely a desk with a desk chair, a dresser, a closet and a bed with a mattress. Think of them as the bare minimum and then build from there.

Your school may have additional items available to rent, such as microwaves or dorm-size refrigerators, so it's best to check before purchasing and lugging along your own. There may also be additional rules on what's allowed, with many schools banning candles, hot plates and other potential hazards.

Once you know what comes with the room, you can start planning how to tackle decorating your space.

Tip #1: Reach Out to Your Roommate

If you're sharing a room, try to connect with your roommate prior to move-in day so you can coordinate and avoid potential duplication of efforts.

This advance planning is also key from a decorating standpoint, says Linda Merrill, principal of Linda Merrill Decorative Surroundings, who suggests finding a common theme or color scheme. You may hit upon something easily, such as mutual favorite colors or a sports-related theme, she says, "or your roommate may not be remotely interested in decorating or have different interests."

If you're unable to reach your roommate or come to a consensus but are eager to create design unity, "go with a neutral color palette," suggests Merrill.

Tip #2: Create a Haven for Sleep

As your bedroom, your dorm room has one function first and foremost: being a comfortable and inviting space for sleep. "The dorm really is all about the bed," Merrill says.

About Your Bed

The good news is that a mattress is provided. The bad news is that the typical dorm mattress is a thin, somewhat uncomfortable mass-produced mattress made for year-after-year durability rather than comfort.

If you're able to swap out your mattress, that would be the best first option. The beds provided in college dorms are typically twin XL, which has the 38-inch width of a traditional twin but adds an additional 5 inches to be 80 inches long instead of 75.

If you find yourself arriving at your dorm with a less-than-ideal sleep setup and you're able to swap it out, we've got you covered. DoorDash has partnered with Mattress Firm and our team of Sleep Experts® to offer a selection of our top-selling mattresses, frames and accessories with 2-hour* delivery so you can get your best sleep quicker than ever.

If it's not possible to trade out your mattress, consider augmenting it with a bed topper like the Tempur-Pedic TEMPUR-Cloud® Mattress Topper, which offers cooling benefits in addition to increased comfort. "A nice bed topper makes a big difference," Merrill says.

Once you've got a comfortable mattress, it's time to dress your bed with sheets. Our Sleep Experts® recommend the Sleepy's Deluxe Cool Stretch Sheet Set because of the moisture-wicking technology and soft but durable fabric. Lisa Fleming, principal of Lisa Fleming Interior Design, suggests bamboo sheets, which are derived from bamboo fibers, so they're hypoallergenic while also being soft and durable.

When you're purchasing your new twin XL sheets, consider getting two sets so you'll have additional flexibility when laundry day comes around. (If you're wondering, aim to wash your sheets once every week or two.)

You'll also need to supply your own pillow. Rather than cart your favorite pillow back and forth, you'll want to purchase a second one for your new home-away-from-home. If you don't have a favorite pillow, pop into your local Mattress Firm for a pillow fitting.

Another comfy way to add style to your room: a cushioned or padded headboard that attaches to the wall with Command Velcro strips. While some are essentially large flat pillows, others are more sophisticated and even include chargers, Fleming says. If you're crafty, you can even try your hand at DIYing your headboard. This gives you the opportunity to make something that expresses your personality and perfectly fits your vision.

Additional Sleep Considerations

Especially if you're not used to sharing a room with someone else, you may need additional accessories to help keep your sleep space dark and quiet. Consider using an eye mask to help block out light and earplugs or a white-noise machine or app to help mask sound.

You can also consider upgrading the window covering in your room. Temporary adhesive-backed blackout shades can work, but you can also add black-out curtains without having to worry about drilling holes (which colleges frown upon). "If you have an inset window, you can use a tension rod and place it inside the window frame," Merrill says.

Another device that can make a real difference in your comfort is a small humidifier, especially in the winter when the room can be really dry, Fleming says.

Tip #3: Designate a Study Space

When it's time to study, you need a space that's comfortable and well-lit. If you're sitting at the desk, you may find that the overhead lighting isn't enough. Adding a desk lamp is a relatively inexpensive upgrade and may offer additional functionality, such as a charging port.

If you need to block out sound so you can concentrate, consider investing in a pair of noise-canceling headphones.

Tip #4: Don't Neglect Nourishment

If you have a small fridge in your room, the top surface can double as a tabletop surface for setting out snacks if friends drop by, says Merrill. You can also purchase a rolling metal cart with multiple shelves or drawers to use as a nightstand or multifunctional storage between the two beds. "I saw one being used as a coffee station," she says. "The concept is an open-storage nightstand with shelves that are easy to clean."

Tip #5: Keep Practicality in Mind

Especially in a small room, storage is likely to be at a premium. To compensate for this, many students take under-the-bed-storage to new heights-literally-by adding bed risers. These range from portable plastic feet to boost your bed by a few inches to sets of carbon steel risers that can add more than 20 inches to your bed's overall height.

Depending on how high you go, your under-bed space can give you a lot of storage space to stow things like plastic storage bins and drawers (and there are even extra-long dorm bed skirts to hide it all from view).

You'll likely also need a stepstool, or better yet, an ottoman that can double as extra seating and also offers storage. "Multi-use pieces are important, Merrill says, "and they're super functional."

Tip #6: Express Your Personality

Even within the small footprint of your dorm room, there are plenty of ways to express yourself. Think about your bedding as a starting point, Fleming suggests, but also consider bringing posters, photos or other artwork from home. Twinkle lights are another nice accent, she says, as are peel-and-stick wallpapers, which are easy to remove at the end of the school year.

A throw rug is another way to add a pop of color and make the room look more finished while providing a comfy feel underfoot.

Tip #7: Take Your Time

As nice as it will feel to have a fully decorated space, be open to taking your time, given that you'll have a better sense of what you'll need and use after you've actually moved in.

"Don't bring everything you've ever owned," Merrill says. Instead, "Bring only what you really think you'll need and fun things that will make you feel comfortable." If you're lucky enough to be close to home, you can always make a quick trip back later to grab anything you feel is missing.

As an example, you may spot design hacks or cool accessories in friends' rooms that you wouldn't have otherwise known about. Or, even if you're a social person, "you might find out that your room is right off the common area, and you don't need to be entertaining in your room," she says.

"It's like moving into a new home," Merrill sums up. "Get to know it a bit."

*Based on average delivery time. Delivery times may vary and are not guaranteed.

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