Going off to college is an awesome experience. It’s also incredibly expensive. Besides the books, tuition, and food plan, you also have a brand new room that you have to buy things for and decorate. And it’s not a particularly large room either, so you need to get creative with your dorm accessories. When I went to college, I dreamed of having my walls covered in Harry Potter posters and fancy tapestries. That was before I realized that those things cost something called “money” and I was an 18-year-old with none of that. So, I had a very boring college dorm because I didn’t look into cheap alternatives to dorm decorations. I didn’t even have a mirror, so it’s safe to say that I looked bad 98 percent of the time. Luckily for you, I found easy and cheap decorations that will make your room look amazing without draining you of all your extra cash, which is hard to come by in college. You’ll have your room looking so adorable you won’t ever want to leave! But you should leave for class because that’s what you’re there for, obviously.

Here are eight creative and inexpensive ways to decorate your dorm. Hang Photos With Decorative ClothespinsYou could hang up your photos up with tape, but that would be boring. With cute decorative clothespins, you can hang your photos like a banner across your wall to make your dorm feel more like home! Buy these for $9.99 at Michaels Lighten Up Your RoomLights are key to making a dark dorm room look cozy. With these bronze string lights, your room will look fit for a princess, which you are, obviously. The best part is that they are only $14.99. Buy them at Bed, Bath & Beyond Use Tape To Upgrade Your DoorWashi tape is a decorator's best friend. It comes in dozens of designs and styles, and can be used for basically anything. You can put abstract designs on your door or windows, and it comes off easily. Plus, it is super inexpensive and easy to find! Buy some for $4.99 at Michaels Make A DIY Tapestry From An Old SheetTo me, the best kind of accessories are the ones you can make from stuff you already have.

You can take some old sheets and tie-dye them for an amazing tapestry to hang in your room. It will brighten up any dorm and you won't have to spend $50+ for a tapestry! Find a tutorial hereCreate Your Own CalendarBy using paint swatches that you can get for free, you can easily create a calendar to match your dorm. cheap homemade halloween decorations for outsideIt will help you stay organized and add a pop of color to your room!diy room decor spring 2015 Check out the tutorial hereAdd Some Flair To Your BedYou might think throw pillows are a bit unnecessary but I can assure you they are not. home decorating ideas for apartments

Pillows are a simple and cheap way to cozy up your room. There are some really cute ones with inspirational sayings that will actually inspire you to get out of bed and go to class in the morning.christmas decorations ideas for outside You can buy this one from Target for $15.99Buy A Floor MatRugs and mats are an easy way to make your room more complete. christmas decorating ideas for an apartmentThey come in all different kinds of colors and styles, so you're sure to find one that will match your personality.best exterior paint for old house You can find this one at Target for $12.99Buy Succulents!Succulents are very in right now, if you haven't noticed.

They are a perfect way to add more life to a dorm room. They are cheap and easy to manage, and will make your room How are you decorating your dorm room? Tell us in the comments! You can follow the author, Nina Braca, on Twitter or Instagram 10 Surprising Things You Need To Bring To Your College Dorm Follow Gurl, Pretty Please! Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Pinterest, and InstagramI discovered the Amazon Dash buttons last year on Prime Day. I had no idea what they were but they kept popping up as I shopped so I did some research. They were super cheap that day (I think a buck each?) so I put a few in my order and decided to try them out. (DIY floating shelves tutorial) When you notice you're running low on whatever the product is...you just push the button. It will flash with a white light (the Downy button on the left) and then when the order is completed, it will flash green (the right): - When you get the button you need to set it up for the item/size you'll want to be shipped each time.

It comes with instructions and it took just a few minutes for us to set up each one. After that you just push it and you're done. There's actually a Kindle book that tells you all you need to know for these buttons now! It has excellent reviews so there may be info in there I don't know about these little jobbies. We use the Downy button, Ziploc, Gain button and my favorite, the Cottonelle, but they don't seem to have that one right now. (They do have Charmin!). Affiliate links included for your convenience! I showed you how we reconfigured the kitchenette in our basement so this area that used to be open below now has cabinets and a wine fridge. My first step was to patch those holes. The smaller ones I fixed using this method. The bigger stuff I filled in with putty. Not gonna lie, the final result wasn't perfect because I knew it would be hard to see later anyway. And because I can be crazy impatient. I talk a lot about the Minwax prestain conditioner and how important that is too -- I think it's similar to what water does, but the conditioner also helps to even out the wood before staining too: