I commuted to college, so I never had my own dorm room, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t seen my fair share of them. I’ve visited plenty of friends and family members who lived on campus, and I’ve seen dorm rooms ranging from spacious to closet-like. One of my best friends lived in a huge suite that almost never felt crowded. On the other hand, my little sister’s first dorm room was so tiny that two people couldn’t stand between the bunk beds at once. Fordham University in New York City boasted amazing views and a great setup, while SUNY Cortland in upstate New York had smelled and featured only uncomfortable wooden furniture. No matter the size of the dorm room, though, one thing has remained pretty constant: none of the dorm rooms are actually nice. At least, until someone with great decorating skills gets in there and fixes them up. Sure, you could head to Wal-Mart or Target or wherever to buy tons of dorm room decorations and cute knick-knacks, but why do that when you could make some unique ones for yourself?

DIY dorm items always make your room like more cozy and intimate… they make it feel like home. Plus, your roomies will be super impressed. Here are 15 fun and easy DIY ideas from Pinterest to get you started! 1. Make a boring throw pillow or cushion way cuter by following this easy tutorial. Simple polka dots can make a huge difference! These can make your bed look prettier, or can just make the common area look more welcoming. 2. Make a string of Christmas lights look more unique by sticking them inside ping-pong balls. christmas decoration 2014 pinterestA string of lights is the best way to make your dorm room look instantly more nice.christmas decorations ideas with ribbon Although I can’t find the tutorial, it looks relatively simple.christmas cake decorating for beginners

3. Create the cutest ironing table ever so that your clothes are never wrinkly. And when you’re not ironing on it, it can make a cute little table. 4. Make your own comfy body pillow that can be great to sleep with, or can be used in a common area instead of a chair. I’m seriously considering doing this myself. 5. Make a shadow box holder for your jewelry. Even if you’re not allowed to hang this up, it will be perfect propped against the wall on your desk.living room decor gold Bonus: the bottom acts as a shelf!house colors with brick front 6. Create a pretty loft-type space with your bunk bed by hanging nice sheets and lights. christmas tabletop decorations to make

You can hang the sheets down so they hide whatever you store under there, or you can stick a bean bag chair under there to relax in. I would strongly advise against that makeshift hammock though. 7. Glittery mason jars could not be easier to make, and they’ll make really pretty containers for whatever you want. Using them as a vase for fake flowers make a perfect decoration. 8. Making your own headboard is way easier than you would think. This one can be super temporary because it’s not attached to anything. Trust me, this will make your tiny little bed look SO much nicer. 9. Make polka-dot ping-pong ball lights. How pretty are these?! 10. If you’re allowed to hang stuff on your ceiling or walls, make this canopy. It will give you some much-needed privacy. 11. Make a picture garland instead of a collage so that your pics stand out from everyone else’s. 12. Bean bag chairs can easily look tacky and silly. Make yours more mature and pretty by DIYing it up.

These are a great alternative to chairs. They don’t take up as much space, are easy to store away, and pretty comfy. 13. If you can hang something on your door, make this hamper. It keeps dirty clothes out of the way, and makes laundry so easy. The open top makes it super simple to throw dirty clothes in there! 14. Not into the hanging lights? Try this simple fabric flower garland for decoration instead. 15. Make a braided t-shirt rug. I’m not going to lie, this looks super difficult and time-consuming. If you’re really into DIY, though, go for it… it will make an awesome piece. Which of these DIY projects is your favorite? Which are you going to try? What else should be included? Tell me in the comments! You can follow the author, Jessica Booth, on Twitter or Instagram. 16 college tips and tricks you need to know nowMakeovers are only as good as the people behind them. Presenting, in no particular order, our favorite do-it-yourself crew.

We celebrate great design all the time, but there's a specific part of it that we're addicted to: makeovers. A tiny breakfast nook transformation. An easy kitchen redo. It's the element of surprise. And it's about time we acknowledge those gutsy bloggers who keep us on our toes (and in suspense) while opening up their homes to us each and every day. What do you get when you combine a fearless do-it-yourselfer, a passionate believer, and a stop-taking-yourself-too-seriously attitude? Mandi Gubler, that's who. Her no-project-is-too-big attitude has us checking in daily and wondering what she will think of--or make over--next. That she doesn't live next door. Love her as much as we do? You must-see this makeover she created just for domino. (Oh, how we love thee.) Are you hooked on YHL? Our can't-get-enough-of-it addiction with Sherry and John Petersik was kicked off in the very beginning. Sure, while we're constantly amazed by their creations (how do they pull it off?), we're also totally smitten with their ability to admit when projects have gone wrong.

As far as DIYing diehards go, the Petersiks have the passion, soul, and skills to run the show. Mandatory pit stop: Alexandria, Virginia. That's where you'll find Alex and Wendy, who open their home to passionate makeover addicts all over the world. We've been stopping by and following the adventures behind their Victorian revival since 2011. While there's no renovation too big or small for this tag team, they're also always ready to share when they hit some bumps along the road. And that's why we wish they lived around the corner. Certain transformations tell a story all by themselves. That's how we feel about everything Rayan Turner gets her hands on. Her infallible eye, attention to detail, and smart on-the-fly decisions (how does she always nail it?) make us swoon. And her friendly, witty nature has us wishing she had a hotline for when we needed pointers or a pep talk. Check out this DIY project she created just for us. Talk about a rockstar. We've been watching Daniel make over places, from an uptown Manhattan apartment to an upstate New York fixer-upper, since 2010.

This guy has a knack for flipping things upside down and turning them into brand-new sparkly spaces. While we like to think we can keep up with him when he's in his supercharged "Obsessive Renovation Mode," the reality is we're just as content sitting back and following along. Most couples would say the perfect date night is dinner and a movie. Ask Justin and Cassity, the power couple behind Remodelaholic, and they'd say it's ripping down a wall. And so goes the story of a DIYing duo who is constantly thinking outside the box, re-creating spaces, and sticking to a tight budget. Check out their $5,000 house transformation. As Dana Miller's mission statement says, home doesn't happen overnight. And we couldn't agree more. Home is a work in progress, and she's managed to win us over with the projects she takes on every day. Square inches don't get in the way of this do-it-yourselfer. If only those little tweaks were as easy as she makes them seem. Some blogs you drop in on every day like clockwork, similarly to how you might drop in on a good friend who lives down the road.

That's how we are with 320 Sycamore. Melissa invites us into her full house (she's a mom of five) to share her passion for making things over on a budget. After all, the best home renos are an everyone-pitches-in family affair.We couldn't have said it better ourselves. And she doesn't mind a little elbow grease either. (Yet another reason she's on our list.) Everything this blogger touches with her make-it-over gusto has us watching closely and wishing for more. Want to make a coffee table like in this in this photo? Get the how-tos here. We're hooked on the countless remodels by Kate Riley, a lawyer turned DIY fanatic, who gives us a reassuring nudge to go ahead and try this project at home. Her adventures ring true for both the pros and the not-so-handy at heart. Casey and Bridget call themselves rookies. We beg to differ. Any challenge--a budget-friendly cabinet makeover, refinishing a desk, an IKEA hack--that this all-star team takes on always results in a victory. They inject a spirit in each project that makes us feel like we're talking to our BFF--with a hammer in hand, of course.

See the special project they've dreamed up for domino. Sometimes it's comforting to meet do-it-yourselfers who take projects at a sensible pace. You know, so the rest of us can keep up. Janet recognizes that holding a glue gun isn't for everyone and reminds us how great it feels to create something that you want to live with. And we think that's pretty darn cool. Get the how-tos here. Carrie Waller has this brilliant ability to make you feel like you can do anything she does. And that's why we're some of her biggest fans. She attacks every project, big or small, with a down-to-earth approach that keeps us tuning in and picking up the glue gun. It's Julia's before-and-after projects (button-tufted chaise, dresser makeover, painted curtains) that have us immersed in her projects on a regular basis. Her even-keeled approach to the big and small projects convinces us that we can actually jump in and follow along any day now. Transformations come in all shapes, sizes, and colors.

The best in our DIYing binders are the ones with thoughtful teachers (hello, Amber) who don't hold back when sharing their projects with smarts and step-by-step how-tos. Her vision for turning anything (please check out this creation) keep us coming back for more. Perfection is overrated in our books. That's exactly why we make it a point of seeing what Molly's cooking up every morning. Her sharp style, relatable voice, and candid approach to tackling projects have us 100 percent hopeful that we can join her one day. A few reasons we heart Brooke: the I-don't-mind-giving-it-a-shot mentality, her penchant for color (you know how we feel about ROYGBIV around this office), and how she pulls it off without breaking the bank. There's no doubt that we've caught her makeover fever. Ready to grab the hammer? Whether you start big or small, take a cue from these seasoned pros on making any project your very own. and share your blogs, ideas, and feedback with us. 29 Design Lessons Buzzfeed Learned from domino ASAP How Style Me Pretty Abby Larson Got Over Her Color Phobia 7 Ways to Decorate With Color (A Beginner's Guide)You Won't Believe This Is From Ikea