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    Creative Dorm Room Decorating Ideas on a Budget

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    It is that time of year again… back to school and college. Here are the best – tried and true ideas to decorate a dorm on a budget along with ways to keep the small space organized with these creative dorm room decorating ideas. 
    Post Updated: 7/13/2021

    Over the past 7 years I have helped my two daughters move in and decorate 8 dorm rooms and college campus apartments.
    In this post I am going to share the dorm room essentials, quick and creative dorm room decorating ideas, tips and tricks that I know work and won’t break the budget when it comes to getting a dorm room or college apartment set up. All of these ideas make the grade!
    So get ready to move the furniture around to create the best use of space so that everything you bring to decorate your dorm will do double-duty – EVERYTHING!  Organization and smart accessible storage is key to making the room both attractive and livable.
    Creative Dorm Room Decorating Ideas
    How can you decorate a doom room cheaply? With creativity and planning before you even arrive on campus.
    A few months before college starts, most students get excited and think about the color and style of the bedding, lamps and cute organizers they will need for their dorm room, but the number one thing you need to have with you on move- in day are a few tools!
    Having a tool box filled with basic tools will make everything you do on moving day much easier. Trust me! If you bring one, you will be the most popular person in the dorm as everyone will want to borrow your screwdriver, hammer or glue gun. 

    On move-in day a toolbox gets packed in the car last so that everything from a screwdriver to fabric glue is ready to whip the room into shape as it gets placed in the room or at least done on move-in day. You will find the contents of my toolbox in this post:

    Pick the Bedding First
    When decorating a dorm room, the first decorative element you need is to pick the bedding. The bed is so important – it serves as a sofa for friends to sit on and a place to relax, do school work, eat, and sleep.

    Look for a comforter that you can put a colorful duvet on that will hide stains and will be easy to wash when needed.  The room’s color scheme or half the room’s color scheme can be based off the color of the comforter/bedspread.
    Get Creative With Fabric

    When decorating a dorm room on a budget, there are many inexpensive fabric options to choose from.
    Fabric added to the room in the way of window treatments, chair covers, wall hangings, and art will add a lot of style and color to the room.
    If you want to add some color to the plain walls,  buy some fabric yardage and hang it on the wall using the Command Brand mounting strips across the top of the fabric and along the ceiling line. Two or three of the strips is all that will be needed.   Let the fabric hang freely. It will look like wallpaper.
    How to Hang Art on Top of Hung On the Wall Fabric: Use Command Brand mounting hooks on the wall under the fabric. Once hook is placed, cut a small slice in the fabric where the hook is so that the hook can fit through the slit. Hang your photos or art on the exposed hook.
    Other Fabric Options to Consider:

    Colorful Sheets: Head to the thrift store or stores like HomeGoods and TJMaxx to find colorful or patterned sheets that can be used t cover a window or an open closet.
    Use Command Brand Hooks To Style Window Treatments:

    Most of the Command Brand hooks are pretty self explanatory, but the utensil hooks – have a moveable hook and are perfect for tying drapery panels to the wall with twist ties. I did this in my daughter’s apartment bedroom one year.  I used colorful ribbons to hide the twist ties. 
    Everything on the wall was hung using the Command Strips.
    Loft the Beds
    Photo: Dorm to Die For
    Lofting the bed gives the room double the space. I found this photo over at Dorm to Die For.  At the college my oldest attended, all the beds were loft-able. 
    Create a Clothes Closet Under a Lofted Bed
    To make the space under a lofted bed into a place to hang clothes, attach a tension rod along the front side of the bed to hang a curtain on a tension rod.
    Use “U” clamps to attach a closet rod or curtain rod to the underside of the box spring. When the curtain is closed, clothes will be out of sight. 
    You can also use the space under a lofted bed for a desk and or chest of drawers.
    Make a Lofted Bed Organizer

    Hang a flat handled basket on the bed in a color to coordinate with the room.
    Tie it to the bed rail along the top of a lofted bed for easy access to a phone and charger, book, tissues, etc. This way you won’t have to jump down from the bed.

    Create Extra Seating

    Space is at a premium in a dorm room so it is nice to have a few extra seating options for when friends are hanging out with you.
    These storage and seat-in-one ottomans made from milk cartons serves double-duty.

    Create a Bedside Table

    Make lids for square baskets. It is easy to do with cardboard from boxes and fabric.
    Stack the baskets on top of each other to create an easy to reach storage spot as well as create a little bedside table

    Decorating a Dorm Room Essentials to Pack
    Buy these dorm room essentials ahead of time so you won’t have to run to Walmart 5 times on move-in day.  You can find most of the items needed in this list at Ross, TJ Maxx, Marshalls, Bed Bath and Beyond, IKEA, Target, and Walmart.
    1. Command Brand Strips Hooks & Hangers

    The biggest innovation in dorm room or rental decorating since I went to college is 3M Command Strips – Hello! Wonderful. They are amazing and can be used for so many things.  Spray a little bit of rubbing alcohol on the walls, doors, sides of a desk, bed frames, chairs – you name it and you can hang just about anything easily.
    When it is time to move out – they are a cinch to remove and leave no damage. 3M even has replacement tapes and tabs so you can use the hooks and hangers again the following year.

    2. Clip-On Light, Floor Lamp & Backrest Pillow
    My oldest didn’t understand why she needed these when she was a freshman. It didn’t take her a long time to figure out why – comfort and task lighting while studying on the bed.

    If lofting a bed, the clip-on light can easily be clipped onto the bed frame or even mounted on the wall with Command Brand strips.

    This style floor lamp with adjustable arms works well in a dorm.  Each light can be directed where needed – on the ceiling for ambient lighting, on the bed for task lighting = double duty.

    3. Power Strips & Extension Cords

    There are never enough outlets in a dorm room for all the electronics you use.  One or tow power strips and long extension cords are needed.  Throw in a few 3-prong adapters, too.

    4. Over-the-Door Hangers & Organizers

    These types of hangers are perfect for hanging not only over doors, but they work over the bed rails as well.
    Use two or more so you will have plenty of storage. They are great for bath towels, handbags, coats, and hats.

    Hanging TIP: If you place an over-the-door hanger over a door and the door doesn’t close – get a pair of pliers and bend the top section that goes over the door to mold it to fit – works every time.
    5. Closet Organizers

    Some rooms have nice closets, others have only an armoire.  Making use of a variety of closet organizers will increase the storage.

    Closet Organizer DIY: Use shower curtain rings on a hanger to hold scarves or belts.
    6. Stackable Storage

    Stack, stack, and stack some more.  Easy accessible stackable storage is the best way to hold stuff – from books, toiletries, food, etc.
    IKEA makes small shelf units and these may work well in one room, but not the next year in a different room.
    I have found that classic milk crates are the best. The reason – versatility.  They can be stacked and used in many different ways. One year they may be used in a closet, the next – across the shelf on the desk or dresser to hold food and/or dishes.

    Stacking Organizing Idea: Cut a square from dollar store foam boards to fit inside milk crates. This gives the crate bottom a level surface to place items on so they won’t fall through.

    7. Tension Rods & Cafe Clips

    Tension rods and cafe clips can be used on windows, under lofted beds, and in closets.
    Photos: BH&G and Martha Stewart
    As long as the window is inset you will be able to create easy no-sew treatments using a tension rod and café clips. 
    Photo Above: On the left are two scarves that are folded over along the top edge of the scarf and simply clipped on.
    On the right, use fabric glue to make finished edges on fabric that is cut to fit the size of the window, then clip on the rings and hang.
    Don’t forget that shower rod tension rods found in the bath department are much wider in diameter and when two are placed about a foot parallel to each other a pine or mdf board can be placed on them to create a knock down portable shelf for a closet.
    8. Bed Risers

    If the bed doesn’t loft, then use bed risers. Buy the extra tall ones so that you can get as much extra space as possible.  They even come with electrical sockets now – smart as there are never enough outlets.

    9. Rolling Storage & Bins

    This style of rolling cart with drawers can hold extra toiletries, school supplies, and/or clothes.  They move around the room easily when needed which is a big plus.
    Use the rolling drawers as an end table to hold a clock, phone or lamp. 
    10. An Area Rug
    Check stores like Target, Walmart and HomeGoods for an affordable area rug. A 5 x 7 usually will fit. It will make the room feel cozier and decorated.

    If you have gotten to the end of this post, then you now have a few more creative ideas on how to decorate a dorm room on the cheap, but these ideas are really only a starting off point.
    Once you get on campus you will see just how creative and resourceful students can get when it comes to making a dorm feel like home sweet home.

    More Budget Decor Ideas for Dorm Rooms:

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      Try This: Mix and Match Your Bedding

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      Have fun when the seasons change by swapping out sheets, comforters and blankets on your bed. Seasonal change or even when you are simply changing the sheets to wash them, are the perfect times to give your bedding a mix and match makeover with the bedding you already own.

      Could your bedding use a wake up call? Do you change the bedding on your bed every season?
      I do, two times a year for seasonal changes to lighten it up for the warmer months of the year or to cozy it up for the cooler seasons.

      There’s no rule that says your sheets and bedding have to match in the way retailers like to sell them the “Bed in the Bag” way.

      I often post about how to use the furniture and decorative accessories you already own and move them from one room to another to change the look of each room, but now… why not do the same for your bed?

      If your linen closet is anything like mine, you may have quite a few bed linens stored there that over time you have simply forgotten about.

      Time to get in there to see what you actually have and can use to give your bed or any bed in your home a free and fun makeover.

      After taking the winter weight plush comforter and the channel stitched velvet quilt and shams off my bed, I wasn’t sure I wanted to put on the sheets and comforter I had last summer, but I didn’t want to buy anything new.

      So instead, I gathered all the blue and white bedding I owned and then played around using all of it on the bed instead of only using one matching set of bedding.

      These pillow shams have been folded neatly in my linen closet for the last 5 years! Time to use them again.
      Mix Sheet Sets, Shams, Comforters and More
      To mix patterns so they will look cohesive, there are definitely some key points to keep in mind: scale, color, and balance.

      When selecting the bedding options from your collection of bedding, remember to include a mix of scales such as pairing Damask print shams with polka dots sheets and a small patterned quilt to create visual interest.
      Be inventive and make up a new color story for the bed if your room color scheme is neutral. There are no rules that say you can’t mix a bunch of colors and textures to create an inviting and colorful bed in fun and unexpected pairings – no matching needed.
      A Few Mix and Match Bedding Ideas to Try
      Here is where you can have fun with any matching bedding set you already have. Mix it up with other sets to design a new look for your bed.
      Find a unifying element by taking color cues from a print on one piece of bedding. This could be the main color you want to use. Then choose the rest of the bedding that coordinates with it or simply looks good together in an unexpected way.
      If you change only one part of your bedding, change the shams. Sham covers can add a pop of color, seasonal style, or pattern. Plus, the large size makes the bed feel more comfy-cozy.
      Is your comforter or duvet reversible? Flip it.
      Look around your house for a decorative pillow in another room that would look good on your bed.
      To make a print on the bed pop, pair with white sheets, comforter or spread.
      Mix the new with old and vintage looking.
      How to Style Pillows on a Bed
      The Hotel Inspired

      Very symmetrical – stack two bed pillows on top of each other or propped on the headboard. Lean two more pillows in front of these and then a bolster in front.
      The Pillow Collector

      When you love decorative pillows so much and can’t have enough of them on your bed. Then go for it and add as many as makes you happy.
      Casual Ease
      Photo: Pottery Barn
      When you want an easy, effortless look, use an odd number of pillows. The aim to achieve ‘casual’ is to layer up bedding and accessories for an effortless look that doesn’t look like you tried too hard.
      Piled and Propped

      Adds a little bit of hotel inspired with a casual air.
      The Karate Chop

      Add a karate chop to the top of your bed pillows or poke the middle of your pillows to give them dents for a lived in look?
      The Sandwich
      Photo: Emily Kate Roemer Stying: Megan Hedgpeth
      When you have a large number of bed pillows at your disposable and like lots of color and pattern. Prop large shams or pillows against the headboard and sandwich patterned shams in between the propped pillows and 2 standard bed pillows covered in colorful pillow cases.
      The Matched Set – Reversed
      Photos: PotteryBarn
      If you have 4 pillow shams – 2 of one color and 2 of another, try this bed pillow placement idea. Or if you only have 2 sham-covered pillows and 2 standard pillow case covered pillows, reverse which one is in front for the other side of the bed.
      The Avant-Garde Rebel
      Photo: Pottery Barn
      Don’t like following rules? Then this bed pillow placement idea may be just your thing.
      The Minimal Zen

      And finally… the warm weather look I went for that makes my husband Ed extremely happy – is using only the actual pillows we put our heads on when we sleep.
      I may sneak in the two shams that I haven’t used in 5 years though. 🙂
      Where Do You Put Decorative Pillows When Sleeping?

      Where to put the decorative pillows when you are sleeping on the bed can become a problem if you have a lot of decorative bed pillows to take off every night.
      I try keep my pillows at a minimum and do like the look of large sham covered pillows over smaller decorative ones for my king size bed.
      I place them in a large basket at night that is across from my bed. Sometimes I move the basket to the opposite corner, but it is always in my room. Its only use is to place pillows in at night.
      When these pillows are not in use for the season, I store them in my linen closet.
      So the next time you change the sheets on your bed or are doing a seasonal change, don’t take styling the bed too seriously.
      Play with your bedding and mix it up!
      The bed styling that reflects your personality and style is the one that is right for you.
      My Bedding Resources More

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      Decorating With Thrift Store Finds: Tips on How to Find The Good Stuff

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      When you want to decorate your home on a budget, thrift stores and resale shops are the best places to go to find items to use, but what should you look for once you go? I am sharing what to look for and how to transform the items to fit your decorating style.

      If you have been reading my blog for a long time, then you know I like decorating with thrifty finds. I enjoy the “The-thrill-of-the-hunt” when shopping thrift stores, yard sales, and church rummage sales to find items that I can transform to use to decorate my home “in my own style”. This type of decor gets me excited. 🙂

      I was recently reminded of this when I found out that a huge Goodwill is being built in my town, along with a reader who emailed me wanting to know where I get all my white pitchers. It is a question I get asked a lot.

      I wrote back and told her that most are from local thrift stores and a few are from HomeGoods. She wrote back and said she shops at both, but never finds anything good. 🙁
      Often, I am asked how I always find “good stuff”. 
      This is what I hear from my friends and readers all the time…
      …“I go to the thrift store and never find anything”. “It is all junk”.  “ I don’t have a good eye” or “It’s so gross” to “Can I go shopping with you?”
      Once I was told that I should not shop at thrift stores because they are for people that have lower incomes and really need the items.  If I buy it – nothing is left for them.
      This is not true. Most stores use the money made in the store to give to charity.  So when I shop these stores, I am in turn giving to the charity or the non-profit organization that runs the store.
      Decorating With Thrift Store Finds: Tips on How to Find The Good Stuff
      When I set out to go thrifting, I always keep an open mind as you never know what you are going to find.

      I do however, have a list in my head of items that I like to collect that I use around my house. These items are – anything white – white pitchers, dinner and serving ware, ceramic pieces, books, baskets, furniture and vases are the most versatile items I use to decorate with.

      But I always come home with other stuff that I transform to fit my style or on some occasions use just as is.
      Tip No.1: Don’t Overlook the Ordinary

      When I am at the thrift store I don’t look for new or designer brand items. I look for the ordinary and consider what I can do with them to make them decor worthy.
      A 50 cent extra-large pickle jar used just as is, can become a perfect flower vase.

      Ordinary items are just waiting for you to add your style to using paint, paper or fabric.

      I bet you have seen baskets, not only at thrift stores, but at yard sales. It seems everyone want to get rid of baskets, but what they are not considering is how to change them to make them into something both decorative and useful.

      With a few snips with a knife or a good pair of scissors, baskets, even with handles can become chic storage containers.

      Tip No. 2: Keep Your Mind Open for Anything and Everything
      You may go in a thrift store seeking to find a piece of furniture for your guest room, but…

      …see a modern and unique glass vase that is only $1.60.

      Modern and unique pairs nicely with old-fashioned hydrangeas on a bedside table.  If I didn’t do a quick stroll around the thrift store after looking at the furniture, I would have never seen this vase.
      Tip No. 3: Know Your Style
      You have to know what you like and don’t like – otherwise everything just looks like clutter and junk.

      I found these candle lanterns for a few dollars years ago at a thrift store. They are OK just as is, but the color didn’t fit my style of decorating. However they are classic and have great lines so I knew I could easily transform them to my liking.

      Painting the bottoms using white chalk paint turned them into decorating items I like. I hope you never get bored of seeing them, as I have been using them for years now, both inside and outside my house.

      When you know your style – you will know that by removing a part of an item, cleaning it up, or painting it – it will look like something right out of a home decorating catalog. 
      I added small cedar wreaths to the candle lanterns this past Christmas and raised them up using another item I always look for at thrift stores and that is hard covered books that I can cover with colorful gift wrap or paint to make lifts of varying heights for decor, lamps and flower vases.
      Tip No. 4: The Good Stuff Goes Fast
      The home decor items that sell fast at thrift stores are usually reflected by current decorating trends.

      For instance over the last year, large distressed stone or terra cotta lamps like the ones sold at Pottery Barn for hundreds of dollars are very popular to DIY.
      Lamps with the right shape, even if they are ugly, are swooped up fast…

      …as they can be easily transformed with some Spackle and or paint.

      When thrifting with a group of friends, there is always going to be one item that all of you will reach for immediately when you see it.  This happened to me and my friend when we saw a cake stand.  I let my friend buy it knowing that eventually another one would come along. It did.
      Tip No. 5: Shop Often

      Make thrifting a weekly event. Mark it on your calendar.  I go once a week. Find out when the stores near you put out new items. This way you get a better chance of finding something sought after.
      Tip No. 6: Look For Items That are Useful

      When browsing the thrift store aisles, look for items that have good lines and shape. It is also important that they are in good condition and can be cleaned up with soap and water.

      SOLD! for 90 cents.

      Add some pretty paper and you have a chic new tissue box cover.
      Tip No. 7: Don’t Overlook Anything

      Just because the color of the item doesn’t float your boat, or it is just plain ugly, consider the possibilities.   Remember this little brown table?  I looked past the brown fake wood and the plastic wheels.  I saw a solid piece with a pretty vibe.

      A little DIY and I made it mine.  I removed the wheels, added ball finials, had a mirror cut to use on the top and painted it white. Everything can be changed with paint or by removing or adding something to it.
      I use it in my guest room now with a large basket on the bottom shelf.

      Tip No. 8: Don’t Give Up

      Keep searching until you find it. It took me a few months of searching before I spotted the simple brass chandelier that I was on the hunt for.

      With some spray paint and battery-operated candles, it became a beautiful way to light up my deck at night in style.

      Tip No. 9:  Look Beyond the Decorative Furnishing Aisles

      I always look in the book section for books, not only to make lifts for decorative objects as I mentioned earlier in the post, but also to find books with unique pages or colorful spines. I am on a search now to find more of these.
      To line this drawer, I used the pages of a calligraphy book I bought for 50 cents.

      Tip No. 10:  Shop for Seasonal Items Year Round

      To collect all the glass trees I needed to decorate my mantel one Christmas, I looked for glass trees on every thrift store shopping trip I took,  starting about 7 months in advance.  By the time the holidays arrived I had more than enough of the trees to add glitter and candles to decorate my mantel.  If you wait until the holiday or season, you may miss out. 

      Bonus Tip: Edit, Edit, Edit
      This could be the most important tip. For every item I bring into my house – one thing or more has to go out.
      Since I have edited the decorative items in my home like this, I have found the things that I keep – I really, really love. Editing my stuff has helped me pinpoint my decorating style.
      I keep a box in the back of my car that I put the unwanted stuff in so when I go to the thrift store I can easily drop it in the donation bins.
      What Doesn’t Make it into My Thrift Store Shopping Cart
      As much as I love finding decorating items on a budget, I have a few items that I never look at. They are upholstered furniture, pillows, electrical items and anything that cannot be thoroughly cleaned in a sink or washing machine.
      Where Else Do I Find Used Items to Decorate My House?
      Church Rummage Sales – One of my favorite sources for finding used items on the cheap is church rummage sales.  Church sales are better than a yard sale because there are dozens of people selling their stuff in one place and the prices are truly bargain basement. 

      Retirement Community Resale Shops – This is my secret source for finding the “good stuff” that many don’t realize exist. Find out how to locate them in your area in this post:

      Yard Sales and Facebook Marketplace – I have never found anything I like on Facebook Marketplace, but I know so many that do. Yard sales pop up all the time – to get the best stuff though, you need to be there as soon as they start selling in the morning.
      If you are in search of finding some new items to decorate a room or your whole house without having to spend a lot of money, then make a date with yourself to go thrifting. Make it a weekly thing as the thrill-of-the-hunt is fun and can be very rewarding.
      You May Also Like These Thrift Store Item Transformations: More

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      How to Decorate So You Feel at Home

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      How to decorate your home in the best way possible, so you feel at home.

      When I first started blogging, I kept one of my favorite quotes about decorating and lifestyle in my blog’s sidebar.  If you have been a reader since the beginning, you may remember it.

      Diana Vreeland the legendary fashion editor’s insight so elegantly reveals the impressions we feel when we are in others homes. We may visit a friend’s home and love the way she arranged and accessorized her family room.
      When we enter our own family room we frown and think it lacks style and we need to go buy something new because it doesn’t look the same as your friends…
      …or does it?

      Decorating versus Lifestyle
      When I did residential design, clients would show me room clippings from magazines with the look they wanted to achieve in their space, but I found what they really wanted was the lifestyle and feeling the room evoked.
      I ended up not actually decorating for them, but helping them to “style their lives” and help boost their confidence in the choices they made.  It rarely involved spending money. It was more of a matter of making better use of what they already owned.
      When you think about how to decorate your home  – walls, furniture, paint, fabric, and accessories usually come to mind, but the list often omits the most important factor – YOU and your families unique traits, passions, and personalities, and of course the “stuff” you love.
      These traits and things we all personally do to our homes with individual flair add up to enlighten others without us even knowing it. We don’t see our own decorating style from their perspective.
      It is when we think we need to copy or follow the dictates of some arbitrary decorating source to create a beautiful home, that it backfires on us because it is not authentic.

      When I look at magazines, I get more excited when I see a glimpse into the homeowner’s personal life –   a telltale sign that shows a life in progress.
      It could be the books in the bookcase or the way they have their mudroom set up with the names of their children over each hook. These elements add human interest and tell the lifestyle story of the occupants.
      Instead of thinking “designer” or good, better, best as the only element when choosing furnishings – think comfort, function, and personal style.  Instead of wanting to copy a look you see in a magazine – first figure out what it is about the space that caught your eye – then proceed to add that element to your home.
      It may not have to be purchased or it may just require you to move items out or in from another room.
      How Do You Want to Feel in Your Home?

      Stop thinking about how you want your home to look, instead think… How do I want to FEEL in my home?
      Ask yourself:
      Does your home truly reflect who you are?  If the answer is no, or only a little,  then ask yourself – Why not?  Then figure out what is needed so that it does reflect you.
      Are all your needs being met physically and emotionally?  What do you do upon waking, eating, working? Is everything you need at arm’s length or easy to get? Do you have the right wattage of light bulb to read by? Is the sink at the right height, the cabinet for your dishes right above the dishwasher so you can empty it with ease. Do your rugs feel good under your feet?  These little things make the way you live “the best” – not designer plates or an expensive appliance.
      How do I really want to live?  Is it casual, formal, cozy, spacious, dark, light.
      If you were the only person you had to impress, how would you decorate your home?  This is the hardest to figure out but once you do, you will be on your way to knowing what change is needed so you feel good in your home.
      How one feels in their home is as individual as each one of us – our tastes, personality, and past. Your home should feel customized just for you and your family.
      How to Begin to Feel at Home
      So how do you get your home to start feeling the way you want?  Simply start with a list.
      Start small… tackle a kitchen cabinet first.
      Take everything out and ask, “What do I hate, what do I love?”  Only put back in what you love. From this point forward only add back in what you truly love or need to that cabinet and then move to the next.
      Keep going around your kitchen. Once you’re done, start in another room until you have edited every room in the house.  It may take you weeks or longer, but know that you are on the right path to creating a home that feels like you are getting a big hug every time you walk through the door.

      My Feeling at Home Love List:
      I have expanded on each item to show you how I try to make it happen in my home.
      Comfy Seating – I have an oversized sofa and chair and two movable ottomans in my family room – they are worn, but super comfortable.  To make them look more cohesive with each other, I covered them with white slipcovers.
      Lots of Natural Light – I don’t have window treatments that block any light so throughout the day the house always feels bright and cheery.
      Smells Good – This one is a constant struggle, but I do feel much better in my home when it is clean and smells fresh. I use home fragrance to entice my sense of smell. It also helps when I don’t have a chance to get the Spic N’ Span out every week.
      Expansive views – (a recurring theme that goes with the natural light above – makes it extra important that I make sure I have this in my home). I have regular sized windows, but do not cover them up with heavy window treatments that block the light or views.  I use roller shades at every window so that if I do need privacy or to block the sun, I can simply roll them down.  On windows were I have curtain panels, I made sure that the rods were cut wide enough so when the panels were hung they didn’t cover the window, only overlap the window trim.
      Clutter-Free – I only keep what we love on tables and mantels and bookshelves.    Trendy or stuff bought on a whim always seems to end up in the pile for Goodwill.
      Fresh Air  – Window and door screens are a must in my house for the summer.  I want to catch every breeze that blows by. I could not even imagine living in a house without open windows and doors to allow in the fresh air.
      Color – I like white walls and seating with pops of color scattered throughout each room.   If your spouse dislikes a color you love, don’t let this stop you from enjoying the color in your home.  Paint the inside of your drawers with it. Think how happy it will make you feel when you open one of them to grab a t-shirt.
      Low Maintenance – Enough said  😉  Even as a DIYer I have my limits on what I want to take care of around my house.
      Natural Elements – In the Spring and Summer I bring in whatever is blooming outside and place it in a vase. I usually place it on the kitchen table or island.  In the Fall, I bring in branches with colorful leaves still hanging on.  In the Winter –  greenery that I buy at the local nursery and at Christmas, the clippings from the bottom of the tree when we buy it.  In the Summer, I display my shell collection, in the Fall – pine cones and acorns, although with Trax the cat, the acorns usually become his play toys.
      Candle Light – Candlelight is magical.  I like to use it as much as I can, at dinner, taking a bath, along the mantel, outside in the summer. It elevates the mood to one that says sit and stay awhile.
      Photos of Family– I used to have a lot more photos of friends and family around, but as the photos faded or the frames outdated, I have only put back a few – mostly of my daughters since they no longer live at home I like to see their photos and blow them a kiss as I walk by.
      Mirrors – Across from windows and doors to expand the light. I also place one by my front door so that I can take a quick glance at myself to make sure I look presentable when I answer the door. If you work from home in yoga pants all day, having this is a necessity.
      Simple, Yet Highly Functional –  I like simple appliances with no bells and whistles that take a 100 page manual to learn how to use. On/Off is good enough for me.
      Texture – I don’t like anything that feels scratchy against my skin.  I once made pillows with burlap.  Not only were they scratchy but they smelled of burlap when you sat or laid on the sofa. Not a good feeling.  Out they went.
      Soft White Lightbulbs – I am not a fan of the new LED and CFL lightbulbs.  Even the newer ones that are said to have nicer light still give off an odd cast of light. As long as they keep making soft white light bulbs,  I will be using them.
      When a space starts to feel off, I take out my list and edit the space until it feels just right again. Many times all that is needed is the removal of a few items and the addition of an item taken from another room.

      In the journey to feeling at home you will take some missteps, but decorating a home is a journey that as it evolves over time, will get better and better.
      What would be on your list? Nobody’s list will be exactly like yours, but if you follow it and edit the rooms in your house you will begin to feel truly at home.
      Download a Free Printable Feeling at Home Love List

      Remember to Keep These Points in Mind

      Enliven Every Day – Surround yourself with beauty.  Don’t save items that you love for special occasions only- use and enjoy everything you own every day. Drink your daily intake of water out of a crystal goblet.  Use the good china every night. Buy the fluffiest towels so when you step out of the shower you feel pampered.  Place a lit candle on the table at dinner every night.  Keep a vase of flowers on your desk.
      Fulfill All Your Senses -All through the house, play your favorite tunes and spray or diffuse room fragrance. Buy the softest bedding you can find so after a tough day your body melts into the sheets.
      Edit…Edit…Edit…  Learn to be choosy – most of us are so programmed to live the way marketers want us to live. They rely on the fact that people no longer have the creative energy after a busy day to think for themselves.  Edit out the noise and only choose what truly makes you smile.
      Follow Your Instincts – That little voice in your head is usually right.
      Break the Rules – How boring would homes look if we all followed the rules?  Decorating rules were made to be broken. There is no such thing as the decorating police – you are the only one stopping yourself from doing what feels right when it comes to picking out what you like and don’t like. Instead of thinking you have to have a sofa in your living room because that is what is expected, ask if your family would prefer to each have their own chair to watch TV.  Four oversized club chairs arranged in the room may be a better option.
      Let it Evolve – Take your time; decorating a home to feel good does not have to be done in a day, a week, or a year.  I let my decorating evolve – it will never be done since I am still living.  It will be done when I am no longer alive.  When you take the time to let the rooms evolve over time is when you create rooms that fit perfectly into your life.
      The next time you find yourself doubting the way you decorate your home, turn the tables.
      Cherish the way you decorate. Realize that others are inspired by you, just as much as you are inspired by them.
      Take pride in the fact that you organize your kitchen cabinets in a way that is ultra efficient.  You think it is nothing, that anyone can do it, but your neighbor thinks it is terrific, since no matter how hard she tries she can never get her organization to the same level.
      The more you edit, follow your gut, and break the rules, the more you will feel at home.

      How to Decorate Series BlogHop
      This post is part of a How to Decorate series hosted by Beth at Home Stories A to Z.  If you are looking for more decorating inspiration from other DIY decorating bloggers, then follow the links below.
      Day 1:1. Beth, Home Stories A to Z: How to Find Your Decorating Style2. Courtney, A Thoughtful Place: 5 Gallery Wall Styles3. Stacy, Not Just A Housewife: How to Decorate with Plants4. Myquillyn, Nesting Place: Turning a House into a Home on a Thrift Store Budget5. Donna, Funky Junk Interiors: How to Turn Worthless Junk into Home Decorating Must Haves
      Day 2:1. Melissa, The Inspired Room: The Secret Ingredient Every Room Needs2. Jessica, Four Generations One Roof: How to Decorate with Container Plants3. Traci, Beneath my Heart: How to Style a Coffee Table4. Cyndy, The Creativity Exchange: Tricks for How to Zone in on the Perfect Paint Color5. Laura, Finding Home: 5 Ways to Personalize Your Home

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      One Last Decorating Detail to Update

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      When it comes to making your house truly your home – every little decorating detail matters.
      I have pretty much transformed every surface in my house over the 5 years since we moved to the lake. I still had one small detail to update though. It was not a big deal in the grand scheme of updating and decorating a house, but for me getting this last detail updated by adding my own style was a very big deal.
      It is the last part of the house where the previous owner’s tastes still exists and it has taken me 5 years to get it done…. talk about procrastination!!!
      Before gearing up to decorate the house for fall, I thought I would finally get this detail updated.

      I am 5’5″ tall and only see the bottom shelf when I open my kitchen cabinets above the stove where the previous owner had blue and white shell motif Contact Brand adhesive shelf liner. Shell motifs were a thing in the house – both bathrooms also had shells as a decorating theme. 🙂

      When I made over the kitchen, I tried ripping up the adhesive Contact shelf lining paper, but only got a small section removed as it was not going to budge. At the time, I figured I would cover it eventually. 5 years is a very long eventually. 🙂
      There is never a time like the present to get something done, especially now that I am spending more time at home.
      To get the cabinet’s bottom shelf covered in something more to my liking, I went to my gift wrap stash and found the black and white plaid that I used to line the drawers earlier this year. That gift wrap also seemed like the right solution to line the cabinets.

      It took all of 10 minutes. 🙂
      This gift wrap is not like ordinary paper gift wrap. It has a vinyl component to it which makes it wipeable.
      You can find wipeable gift wrap at HomeGoods, TJMaxx, and Marshalls in many different patterns and colors. In my previous house, I used it to make a runner for my kitchen table.

      So nice now to see color and pattern that fits my personal decorating style.
      How to Line Cabinet Shelves with Gift Wrap
      supplies needed:
      Wipeable gift wrap or any decorative paper – sold at HomeGoods, Marshalls, and TJMaxx
      Iron-On vinyl or Clear Contact paper if using regular gift wrap or paper
      Scissors
      Tape measure
      Optional: glue stick

      Use a tape measure to figure out the depth and length of the cabinet interior.
      Cut the gift wrap to size with scissors.
      Place gift wrap into cabinet.
      If you want the gift wrap to stick, after placing it in the cabinet, lift the corners and add a few swipes of a glue stick on the underside of the paper.

      When I painted the kitchen cabinets, I didn’t paint the insides or the inner lip where the cabinet doors sit when they are closed. Keeping the lip paint free allows the doors to close all the way, with ease.
      Don’t Have Wipeable Gift Wrap?
      If you can’t find wipeable gift wrap or a color or pattern you like to line your cabinets, then the next best thing to use is any gift wrap you like which can be covered with clear Contact paper or iron-on vinyl as I did when I lined my kitchen drawers.
      Or line your cabinets using the real thing – shelf-lining paper. Here are a few stylish options:
      Stylish Shelf Liner Options

      Black and White Plaid Gift Wrap (similar to mine)
      Gripping Shelf Liner Non-Adhesive
      Contact Brand Cork Self-Adhesive Liner
      Wood Grain Shelf Liner
      Clear Contact Brand Shelf Liner
      Lining cabinet shelves is a small detail that may not seem worth the time, but adding your own style to even the smallest detail in your home does contribute to making a cohesive look throughout a room and entire home, even when behind closed doors.

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      Creating A Space That Will Inspire You

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      I celebrated my 61st b-day on Monday. I spent the early part of the day at the bookstore, then came home to relax, read and just sat outside enjoying a day without a to-do list. When Ed asked me what I wanted for my birthday, I told him I didn’t need anything, but he insisted […] More

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      What These Houses Taught Me About Decorating

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      What have the homes you have lived in taught you about decorating? If you think about it, it may be quite a lot. Over the last few months I have been reading many decorating books, both old and new. From how-to’s to high-end coffee table style decorating books. There isn’t a decorating book I don’t […] More

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      Try This: 20 Minute Decorating Idea

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      Trays are a decorating staple and offer a lot more than simply a way to carry something. What makes trays of all shapes and sizes a versatile decorating accessory is that they are a fast and affordable way to add style to any room in a variety of ways. Read on and learn a few […] More

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      Simply ReStyled Decorating

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      I was going to title this post “Raid Your Decorating Stash”, but decided, “Simply ReStyled” better explains what this post is about. This post is about decorating, which of course I know you enjoy, since you read my blog. XO But not just any decorating… this post is all about the decor YOU own. New […] More