HallsLife

#Jan starters - How to decorate your uni room

By CSmith 16 Dec 2020

Decorating top-tips

Whether it's your first time living away from home or not, moving into a whole new space can give you a mixture of feelings.

There's no doubt that it can be quite daunting, especially if you are travelling further out to study, but you can be sure that everyone will be feeling the same.

The best thing when moving into a new environment is to get yourself settled and put your own stamp on things! After all, you will be living in halls for a whole year, it will be like a second home, so your uni room should be a comfortable place that is completely yours.

What makes you feel at home?

Favourite photos of family and friends is a great way to make your room feel homely - pictures and posters will give your room a real sense of you!

Bring home comforts with you – bedding, extra pillows, lamps and fairy lights are a great way to turn your room into a tranquil zone.

Some guidelines in accommodation mean that you can’t always hang items on the wall, so use the pin-board provided to get creative! Take a look at Pinterest for ideas on how to style your room.

(Here's mine from 1st year!)

If you are unsure about any items you want to bring, guidelines on the website will outline the things that are allowed (e: candles are not allowed)

After a couple of weeks, I even used the pin-boards to exhibit some events I wanted to attend across the University.

Some of my friends even used colourful wrapping paper across theirs to make it extra funky and not so plain! So even if you don’t want to pin pictures or timetables up, there are loads of ways to brighten up your room in a cheap and fun way.

Bedding

A cozy throw or blanket on your bed always makes me feel better for sure, especially if you just want to take a break from the SUesdays and nights out. Most people aren't fussy about bedding, so just make sure you have the right sized sheets for the mattress provided (you may have to buy a ¾ sheet for most flats unless it’s a single).

Just do your own thing and let your style shine through.

Space and Storage

When moving to university, you may think you need absolutely everything from home, but trust us - you don’t.

Start with your essentials first. Making a list is a great idea, and then figure out what you’d like to bring that you feel is too important to leave behind.

If you find that you are struggling for space, storage boxes are a god-send. Storing items under your bed or on your desk are great ways to keep things neat and tidy (inspections happen every semester, so keep that in mind!).

Lighter and brighter

The one major tip for your desk – keep it simple and neat. You don’t need a whole collection of highlighters in various colours by your side. If possible, try to avoid cluttering this space and your room will feel a lot bigger.

Workspace

Remember, you will be there for a year, so make it count! Your room should be a place to relax and have some downtime in, so make it comfortable and make it yours.