Dorm Revamping

I am getting closer to heading off to college and I find myself less and less focused on school around me and more and more focused on the future. I met my roommate last summer at my state's American Legion Auxiliary Girl's State, we got to know each other a little bit there and found out that we share similar interests. Now that we are both half-way through our senior year in high school we are talking more and more. To girls that are trying to find a roommate, I would suggest asking someone you recently met that you know a little about but not someone you are good friends with. It's a fun and interesting process to get to know your roommate.

We are looking at what supplies we need for our dorm, items you can take from home include:

TV
Pillows
Mirror
Game Console/DVD player/Apple TV/Netflix/HULU
Desk Chair
Picture Frames
Storage Containers
Cork Boards
Blanket
Lamp
Trash Can
Shoe Rack
Stereo/ Karaoke Machine


If you are like me, you have more pieces of furniture in your room than probably necessary. However, I know that my college provides you with a desk, a dresser, and a bed for each roommate. That leaves me with a small storage pantry (found at ALCO), a small cube storage system (also from ALCO), two storage ottomans (Wal-Mart), two non-storage ottomans (Bed, Bath, and Beyond), three plastic storage towers (most likely from ALCO), and a ton of little knick-nacks. My roommmate and I have selected a 4 person suite, some of this advice is geared toward suites, but it may be applied to 2 person dorms as well.

You may need to do some re-vamping on some of these supplies.

A TV can't really get a lot more re-vamped - all though a nice TV Stand can make the TV look nicer/newer.


Pillows can be taken, for me it will be harder to decide which pillows to take because I have so many. - A fresh pillow case is all the re-vamping that you need. If you have had your pillows for a long time, this may also be a good time to get new pillows. Target has pillows as low as $7 (http://www.target.com/c/bed-pillows-protectors-bedding-home/-/N-5xtv3)


Mirrors can make your room feel larger. I currently have two mirrors one that is an over the door mirror the other that is a hanging mirror. In a suite style room you and your roommate may want to have an over the door mirror because it will not show in the hallway, instead into the common space. Adding an edging or details can make a mirror look new.



Game consoles or other entertainment devices are good idea so you can watch movies or if you enjoy gaming you can play. Netflix and HULU both offer and amazing library for hours of watching pleasure or if you have a large iTunes Library you can get Apple TV for $100 and connect your iPhone to it in order to display you pictures, watch a movie, play a game or play your music.


Some colleges provide you will desk chairs, for example: my college. However, I know the chairs will not be comfortable enough to spend much time in, so I will be taking my own. Changing fabrics and replacing cushions could make your desk chair more ready for the dorm.



Picture frames allow you to bring faces of those you love with you, but even if you put new pictures in the frames they can still be boring. Adding details and add-ons to your frames can spice them up a bit.


Storage containers are a must have. Even without trying, I know that all of my stuff will not fit in a dorm room. So you want to take the most important (and attractive) things you can. But you have to have a place to put it. Changing the color or adding detail can re-vamp this storage solution


Cork boards are a great way to keep important things visible. You can make them more visibly pleasing by trying one of the following:



Blankets are a must have if you are from the Mid-West. I use a blanket everyday from about October until April. I know that I have some blankets that I have been given that I will take with me but there are some I want to make this summer too.


Lamps are a great way to allow your roommate to go to sleep when you need to work at night. (I purchased my lamp stand and shade from my local Dollar General. I did my own DIY on this lamp to make it college ready)


Trash cans, usually don't need a lot of revamping but you can give it a shot.


Almost every college girl would agree; the dorm closets are too small for all my clothes let alone my clothes and my shoes. A shoe rack can be great storage.


A Stereo or karaoke machine doesn't really have any DIY or revamping but if you'd like you could take a look at these to enhance your good time.





As for the "left-over" furniture in my room.

I plan to take the pantry style storage unit, I plan to paint the unit and add mirrors to the door. I plan to make this a jewelry storage as well as clothing.*

The cubic storage system will most likely be used as either a TV stand after some paint or as shoe storage.*

The two storage ottomans and the two non-storage ottomans will receive new fabric.*

As for the storage towers, I have no idea yet.

*these plans are tentative. When/IF completed, I will post pictures and how-to's.

For DIY tutorials and more ideas check out my Pinterest page (http://www.pinterest.com/maddimajeski/) and for this collection specifically check out (http://www.pinterest.com/maddimajeski/blogger-prettying-in-pink/)

Dorm Special: DIY Lighting

DIY Lighting

College is expensive but instead of buy all new furnishings for your dorm room, why not try to make things out of what you already have. Today we are going to be looking at different styles of dorm lighting.

Shade Lighting

To make this light, you will need:

• a bunch of old sunglasses, if you choose to have them all match you may want to stop by the dollar store and buy some cheap matching sunglasses.
• 2 industrial rings, both the same size.
• drill
• screws
• four metal bars (thin and straight, about 3 inches each)

Now on to making it:

1. Start by aligning the sunglasses how you like them, with one of the end touching the bottom ring.
2. Attach the sunglasses to ring. I suggest using a drill and screws but if you want to super glue or gorilla glue can work as well.
3. Repeat with all pairs of glasses.
4. Attach the four metals bars to the other ring. Have them all facing in towards the cent of the circle. *these poles are what will attach the light fixture to the actual light. So check to make sure that the pieces are large enough to keep from falling off the light.
5. After the bars have been attached go through and attach each pair of sunglasses to the top ring.
6. Hang from the light.

To make these you will need:

• lace doilies or string
• a balloon
• modge podge
• paint brush

How to make this:

1. Start by blowing up the balloon.
2. for the doily lamp:
1. cover the doily with modge podge
2. than cover the balloon leaving a hole at the bottom
3. for the string lamp:
1. Cover the balloon with modge podge
2. add string, but leave a hole at the bottom.
4. Let dry
5. Pop the balloon

Make these with:

• an old lamp shade
• fabric
• hot glue gun

How to:

1. cut the fabric how you want it to appear on the lamp
2. glue the fabric to the shade

Visit http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=diy+lights&view=detail&id=20EA4EA457B23573BAF5F31F6B3EDF964A23ECFC&first=561 for full instructions on how to make this light.