As fall settles in at Southern Nazarene University, students are finding creative ways to bring the season into their dorm rooms without breaking the bank.
For SNU students, decorating can be difficult when budgets are limited and dorm rooms offer limited space. However, students say creating a fall atmosphere does not require a large collection of decorations or a large budget.
Grace Robie, a sophomore at SNU, said she likes using warm colors such as orange, brown and green when decorating her dorm for fall.
“I like decorating my dorm based on fall colors like oranges, greens and browns or any warm color,” Robie stated.
Robie explained that she does not spend much on decorations because she looks for inexpensive options. She tends to shop at consignment stores, Target and Hobby Lobby and prefers a combination of purchased and homemade decorations.
“I like a good mix of DIY and bought decorations,” Robie commented.
For students looking to decorate on a smaller budget, Robie recommends dollar stores and craft stores such as Hobby Lobby. She also suggests making small crafts instead of purchasing every decoration.
Seasonal decorations and garlands that can be hung around a dorm room are among the items Robie enjoys using. She said students do not need to decorate every part of their room to make it feel like fall.
Shopping during sales can also help students stretch their budgets. Students can check stores such as Hobby Lobby, Michaels and Target for seasonal discounts before making their purchases.
Lyndsay Ball, a senior, said she usually spends between $20 and $30 on fall decorations, depending on whether her roommates contribute. Last fall, while participating in the Disney College Program, she decorated her apartment with pumpkins, ghost decorations and pumpkin pillows.
“I like that I got to make it feel cozy, cute and a little spooky,” Ball described.
Ball said some of her favorite inexpensive decorations are cozy fall blankets and string lights. If she had $20 to decorate a dorm, she said she would go to Five Below and choose several smaller decorations instead of spending the entire amount on one item.
“I like being able to get multiple things instead of spending $20 on one decoration,” Ball said.
Ball also recommends waiting for sales, especially at Michaels and Hobby Lobby, before purchasing decorations.
Abigail Johnson, a sophomore, said she usually spends around $15 on fall decorations. She decorates her room with mugs and pictures and said her favorite inexpensive purchase has been a fall mug from Hobby Lobby.
Johnson said students should consider the limited space in a dorm when deciding what to buy. Rather than filling the room with decorations, she recommends choosing a few items that can make a noticeable difference.
“If I had $20 to spend, I would buy throw pillows and blankets,” Johnson explained.
Students can also use items they already own rather than purchasing everything brand new. A mug, blanket or picture can be incorporated into a fall display with a few seasonal decorations. DIY crafts can provide another way to personalize a room while keeping costs low.
For students with a $20 budget, the students’ suggestions offer several possibilities. A trip to Five Below could provide multiple small decorations, while a dollar store or craft store could provide supplies for homemade décor. Students could also focus their money on one or two useful items, such as a pillow or blanket, that can be used throughout the season.
Ultimately, decorating for fall does not have to mean filling every available space or spending a lot of money. A few carefully chosen decorations can make a dorm feel more comfortable while still reflecting the student who lives there.
Robie said her best advice for decorating on a college budget is to “keep it simple but also cute to feel like yourself.”
Photo by: Paige Davis