Six dorm ideas, for the thrifty freshmen

Six+dorm+ideas%2C+for+the+thrifty+freshmen

Ross Parks
May 12, 2014

When making up your mind what your dorm will look like, save some space. Make your space work for you like you are working in it. These few, both essential and exploitative Do-It-Yourselves will help make any dorm or new living space feel more like your own.
Floating Bookshelves: 

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Head out to your local library for some book ends, which will serve as both interesting pieces for your room, as well as a great way to store your textbooks this coming year. Photo by Ross Parks
Having trouble thinking of ways to store the few books you actually need anymore and you don’t want to haul a whole bookshelf into your cramped dorm? Well here is the perfect solution for all us high-tech, low funds, college minimalists, or any other frugal fanatic. Find a good old fashioned book end, the thin metal ones you remember from the libraries we all used to go to? Well, grab one before they’re all gone and screw or nail that bad boy right into that wall by the flap, which should be pointing up. Now, you have done it, pick you largest or least used textbook (there isn’t room for all of them on the bottom) and insert the metal inside one of the hardback sides (heavy side on top) and start stacking until you have to stop.
Clothes hangers into shoe hangers:
I know I am not a girl, and therefore shoes aren’t my thing, and I doubt they ever will be. But I know one thing is for certain, I have no use for any more of them laying around than necessary, so I beg the ladies headed off to higher education to think about this next option seriously. After admitting you have a problem, find some old wire hangers and some strong scissors. Cutting off the bottoms of these hangers, and curling up the ends, you find yourself with an easy and space efficient way to store those extra pairs of shoes, or twelve.
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No art project is really complete without some color, and neither should your dorm. For some quick color go grab a spray bottle, and some acrylic paint. Photo by Ross Parks
Some color for your court:
For when any project, either required or not, sometimes a little spray paint gets the job done. Grab some acrylic paint from any arts and crafts store along with a spray bottle, and mix two parts paint with water. Suddenly you can now complete any project lacking that one thing. For some color on your math binder to fixing that scratch you got on your car in the parking lock, this little trick might save more than just one project. Just be careful, the size of most spray bottles makes them tempting to needless spraying, don’t let that inner child out too much, you’re supposed to be growing up.
Dry-Erase Board:
Don’t forget all your last minutes thoughts as you rush off to class, or not. Get your time in order in just a few east steps. First find a blank sheet of paper, which shouldn’t be hard to do after you get your first paper assigned. Next, spare or buy yourself a colored or clear plastic paper sleeve and insert the paper right on in. Find yourself a tac, marker and some tissue paper and you have yourself a note ready dry-erase board for all those last minute, yet crucial thoughts. You can also make a calendar out of this idea by the week or month, you choose. Just replace the paper once you’ve finished up, or wipe it all off and start again.
Shoe String Coaster: 
If you’re like me and there happen to be a few shoes that went bad in the sole before the strings fell to pieces, good news. For all those late night study sessions and eventual guests to your place, think about your wood furniture, and stop being selfish. With some glue gone magic or some careful safety pinning, after a few scissor snips rolling the laces up into a drink-mat makes for a cheap, thrifty and absorbent substitution for traditional and expensive alternatives.
Wire Clip:
Not that things will get too serious with all of the electronics of your dorm at first, don’t be fooled by how they lie innocently on the floor now. With little space to roam, the chords of your cramp quarters will soon become all in numerous unapproved of entanglements with one another. Please, be above their ways and simply attach a couple heavy duty paper-clips (the black ones they use on large stacks of paper and serious books) to the side of a table and slip the wire in the opening, and close it, so that the chord stays ready waiting at all times.
By Ross Parks