A dorm room is more than just somewhere to sleep. It's also a study spot, a place to party and hang out with friends, and a potential sanctuary from the hectic pace of Finals. It isn't hard to make it an eco-friendly space, too. First get a feel for the space you're working with. How big is your room? Take stock of the fixed design elements: windows, sink, shelving, electrical outlets, or lighting. Is your room already furnished, and if so, do you want to add more furniture? Once you have an idea of what's already in the room, think about what you want to do with it. Are you going to stay minimalist, or do you want do to some serious decorating? Do you just want to see what happens, or do you want to plan around a theme?
Now it's time to start putting your dorm room together. Furniture is the best place to start, since it will be taking up the most space and dominating the room. If your dorm is already furnished, your work has been done for you. However, if it isn't or if you still want to add a few pieces, there are some easy eco-friendly options.
The first is used furniture. It's cheap and you're not using up any extra resources. It's also not hard to find some interesting pieces to change a fairly institutional space into once that's comfortably bohemian. You can also repurpose items and make them into awesome furniture pieces. The giant reels that hold telephone cable make great coffee tables - just don't forget to sandpaper off the splinters! Take drawers from old dressers or desks and attach them to the wall and you get instant shelving that looks a lot cooler than anything you could buy from a big box store.
While dorm rooms come with their own light fixtures, adding your own let's you change the atmosphere. A string of Christmas lights is a universal favorite for adding a little color or a warmer feel to a room. Instead of buying conventional Christmas lights, spend a little more money and buy a string that uses LEDs. They run cooler so they use less electricity and they last a whole lot longer. Compact fluorescent lightbulbs, or CFLs, have the same benefits as LEDs and are a good substitute for fixtures that would usually use incandescents.
Now it's time to start putting your dorm room together. Furniture is the best place to start, since it will be taking up the most space and dominating the room. If your dorm is already furnished, your work has been done for you. However, if it isn't or if you still want to add a few pieces, there are some easy eco-friendly options.
The first is used furniture. It's cheap and you're not using up any extra resources. It's also not hard to find some interesting pieces to change a fairly institutional space into once that's comfortably bohemian. You can also repurpose items and make them into awesome furniture pieces. The giant reels that hold telephone cable make great coffee tables - just don't forget to sandpaper off the splinters! Take drawers from old dressers or desks and attach them to the wall and you get instant shelving that looks a lot cooler than anything you could buy from a big box store.
While dorm rooms come with their own light fixtures, adding your own let's you change the atmosphere. A string of Christmas lights is a universal favorite for adding a little color or a warmer feel to a room. Instead of buying conventional Christmas lights, spend a little more money and buy a string that uses LEDs. They run cooler so they use less electricity and they last a whole lot longer. Compact fluorescent lightbulbs, or CFLs, have the same benefits as LEDs and are a good substitute for fixtures that would usually use incandescents.
- You can repurpose items and make them into awesome furniture pieces.
- Make your bed an eco-haven by buying organic cotton or bamboo sheets.
- It's not hard to make your dorm room eco-friendly.
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