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Moving your teen away to college can be hard. When it comes that time though you want them have a place to call home for the school year. I couldn’t leave mine in the dreary plain room that you first walk into. They are going to be spending a lot of time there and need to at least like the feel of it.
First off know that not all rooms are exactly the same. We went into the first year with a plan for my daughters room that involved being able to raise her bed because when we were shown rooms we were told that it was always an option…it wasn’t. Had to come up with a new plan real quick.
Second of all don’t assume it will be cleaned to your standards. We discovered this the second year. Come prepared with cleaning supplies and plan to clean for awhile before you start to move in and decorate.
Next you’ll want to raise bed or not and rearrange furniture to flow well with your plan. Take a little time while your cleaning to really think about the best arrangement. My suggestion is start with the bed location and where they feel that they are going to be most comfortable. Work around this. They are the ones who have to live in this room for the next 9 months so they need to be happy with the location of their bed.
A few simple things can really help the room feel homey and like their own. Make sure they choose the color theme since they are the ones looking at it everyday. Get items that match and flow well together. You want a calm relaxing area that is also functional. They will spend a lot of time here.
Essential Items:
- Comforter
- Sheets
- Pillows
- Mattress pad
- Office supplies
- Curtains
- Towels
Basic tools for move in day:
- Cleaning supplies
- Tools – screwdrivers, allen wrenches, hammer, small nails
- Vacuum
- Power strip
- Tape
- Bed risers
Decorating Items:
- Picture frames
- Artwork for walls
- Command hooks and picture hanging strips
- Lamp
- Mirror (full length and lighted make-up)
- Lights
- Area Rug
- Throw Pillows
Organizing Essentials:
- Cube storage organizers
- Small shelf to hold cube organizers
- Bulletin board
- White board
- Laundry basket
- Clothes hangers
- Rolling cart
- File bin
- Shower caddy
Before move in day you need to have theme in mind such as colors and style. There are many things you can purchase in advance such as all of the essential items along with decorating ideas. Most of the organizing essentials can be purchased ahead of time also. Once you get there be prepared to adjust plans slightly if needed because of room size and measurements.
The room my daughter got the second year ended up being a lot smaller in size and we ended up using storage bins under the bed for some items. For example shoes ended up in a bin because there was not as much room for shoe rack as before.
Designing a dorm room requires creativity and flexibility. Start with your basic ideas and plans and adjust on move in day as needed. Coordinating items and sticking to one style will make room feel comforting. No one wants to live in a single room that is disorganized with no flow. Have fun decorating!
