How to Make Your Dorm Feel Like Home

Is it weird that I still remember walking into my freshman dorm for the first time last fall and noticing how bland and empty it is? Without all of your stuff and decorations, the space definitely looks bland at first, especially when your dorm is your new home at your school.

A lot of freshmen in college struggle with homesickness as they are away from home for the first time and I think that making your dorm feel like home as much as possible helps you adjust to calling your school your second home. Around September or October, my friends who lived on our floor were saying how we would say we were going home when we meant our dorm rooms and how crazy that was as it felt like home very quickly! I wanted to share with y'all how to make your dorm feel a bit more homey so you'll be calling your dorm room home too!

image via my freshman dorm tour

add throw pillows

Buying a bunch of cute throw pillows for your bed (and futon if you have one!) is such a great way to add a personal touch to your space. It makes it look more like someone lives there and makes your space more comfortable and inviting!

add a cozy rug

Most dorm rooms have an oddly colored carpet or cold tile on the floors so adding a cozy rug helps to warm up the space a bit. Whether it's to add a pop of color (my next-door neighbors on my floor had the cutest hot pink rug!) or to be a cozy neutral, it makes your room more inviting and less sterile!

add touches of home

Don't be afraid of not bringing something to college because you're too old for it. I know a lot of girls who brought a favorite stuffed animal or blanket with me and it makes your room more homey. Decorating in a similar style to your house at home or adding something that reminds you of home can make your dorm be cozier.

personalize your space

Adding personal touches is the best way to make your dorm look less sterile and more homey! Whether it's a wooden monogram on your wall, a gallery wall that shows off your personality, or fun items on your shelf, this is a great way to show off your personality and jazz up the space!

add pictures of your favorite people and places

I printed a lot of pictures of my family, friends, and some of my favorite places to hang up in my room. I hung up a bunch by my bed, which was always comforting to know that even though I may not physically close to my family and friends from home, they were always supporting me!

add colorful curtains
I think curtains are one of those items that makes your room look like a "real" room rather than a dorm room! This isn't something you don't have to spend a ton of money either- I wound up finding curtains that used to be in my younger sister's room and happened to fit the color scheme of my dorm!

make your bed be as comfy as possible
A comfy mattress topper is a must-have for college! If you're only going to splurge on one thing for your dorm, definitely splurge on a good mattress topper as it is so worth it to get good sleep!  My bed was always so cozy and it was so nice to crawl into it after a busy day of classes! I also added a headboard, which made my bed look more like "real" furniture and less like something 500 other girls have in their dorms.

How did you make your dorm feel like more of a home? Let me know in the comments!