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50 Dorm Design Tips for Your BU Digs

Use these tips to deck out your room on a budget

Fluorescent lighting. Bare walls. Faded carpets. This is what you face when moving into a dorm room in the fall. And while the task of transforming a bland room into a cozy home away from home appears daunting, it doesn’t have to be. With some creativity and clever hacks, you can turn the space into a haven for taking a break from the rest of college life.

We’ve compiled a list of our favorite dorm hacks straight from BU students, resident assistants, and professional designers, along with tips from YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and Pinterest. Keep reading to discover some clever and affordable hacks to spice up your room and turn it into home. 

Plan ahead and visualize

Your space is going to be small, making every inch of it valuable. Check out your dorm’s floor plan on BU Housing’s website or YouTube page to get a visual of what you’re working with. Take note of measurements and where the closet and windows are located. Pinterest, Tik Tok, and Instagram are other great resources to check out beforehand to see what past students have done with their dorm rooms.

Have a theme

Having a color scheme or aesthetic to follow will help give your room a cohesive look. Combine whites and various shades of blue for a coastal effect. For a cozier look, lean into dark hues such as deep blues, greens, and browns. It doesn’t have to be complicated: use a white comforter as a base and add colored or decorative throw pillows and a matching blanket for pops of color. 

Coordinate

If you have a roommate, be sure to reach out before you move in to avoid overlap for items you both need. For example, you don’t need two MicroFridges or two full-length mirrors. Doing this will keep your small space from feeling cramped.

Check twice before you pack

BU Housing has a list of things that are banned, such as air conditioners and candles, so familiarize yourself with these contraband items before shopping. There’s no point in buying something your RA will have to throw out!

Use what you already have

Dorm supplies don’t have to break the bank or hurt the environment. You don’t need a brand-new comforter or rug if there’s an extra stored in your basement. Sarah Rho (CAS’25) recommends bringing items from home. “It can be sustainable, cost-effective, and also space-conscious because you’ll probably be shopping and accumulate a lot of stuff anyway,” she says. 

Don’t rely just on Target—thrift and shop local

Instead of buying all your dorm items brand-new, know that Boston offers an abundance of thrift stores and flea markets with great selections of unique room decorations. Check out Goodwill (there’s one at 965 Comm Ave), as well as the Fenway Flea market (1400 Boylston Street), noon to 5 every Sunday. 

Allston Christmas

For students who arrive on campus a few days early, head over to Allston for the campus-famous “Allston Christmas,” where departing residents leave unwanted items like furniture and decorations on the streets for the public to take. There are no specific dates, but renters who are moving out start placing things on the street outside their building before and after September 1.

Two-for-one

Due to limited space, every item in your dorm should serve a purpose. “You want everything to be of use for you,” Rho says. Instead of a regular chair, buy an ottoman that can act as both storage and extra seating or paint a mason jar in a fun design to store your pens and pencils. 

Use your walls and vertical space as much as possible

Craft these DIY hanging shelves to spruce up the walls and double as a place to put miscellaneous items. (To avoid a room charge, be sure you use command strips instead of nailing the shelves into the wall.) Cork boards or peg walls can double as decoration and a place to hang up important reminders.

Know where your electric outlets are

Scout out outlets before unpacking to ensure that you don’t hang a light-up sign with no electricity nearby or move your heavy bureau in front of it. There are usually three to six outlets for each room, so use them wisely. 

Power strips are your friend

Buy a power strip beforehand to maximize electricity in your room. Just make sure it fits all the BU criteria, including a 15-amp rating, 14-gauge wire, and a built-in circuit breaker. Additionally, plug your MicroFridge directly into a wall outlet and not a power strip, since it typically requires more energy than a power strip can provide. 

Clean room, clean mind

Clean up after yourself promptly when you make a mess or even just a little bit every day to keep it clean. Clutter can make a tight space feel smaller. 

Buy what you need before and what you want after

“If you come into college with a wall tapestry, hanging leaves, lights, and five posters, you’re not going to have any room to also decorate with other stuff that you might add,” says Matthew Feliciano (CAS’26). Instead of buying everything you can think of in advance, buy the essentials before moving in, then buy smaller items once you’re here. As professional tidying expert Marie Kondo says, “Once you learn to choose your belongings properly, you will be left with only the amount that fits perfectly in the space you own.” 

Go up

Bed risers add to your storage space by propping up your bed to store items under. Jack Byram from The Spruce recommends Utopia Bedding’s 2-inch bed risers as the best for dorm rooms for their stacking capabilities and high weight limit. For a more decorative look, check out the Honey-Can-Do wood or walnut wood risers. Honey-Can-Do also has an option for these risers with an outlet for those who want convenient and easy charging near bedtime. 

Under the bed storage

While some dorms have spacious closets and lots of shelves and drawers (we’re looking at you, Warren Towers), others do not. Target, Amazon, and many other stores sell bins and drawers for all your under-bed storage needs. These bamboo organizers from Amazon have wheels and can be stacked on top of each other for easy maneuvering and convenient storage. The Container Store and IKEA also carry options for plastic containers. For West residents, Feliciano recommends using the space behind the included under-bed drawers.

Command strips are your new best friend

“You can’t have enough command strips or command hooks,” says Carly Von Halle (Sargent’25). Since students are not allowed to nail decorations into the walls, command strips are the best alternative for useful and wall-safe decorating. Check out the different kinds: heavier weight strips carry items like towels and winter coats, and lighter strips hold items like a small sign for your door. If the white doesn’t match your room, consider spray painting your hooks the color you want. 

Bedding

College students lead busy lives, so they need their beauty rest. Make your bed as comfortable as possible with a feather or foam mattress pad and lots of blankets. We also recommend buying a mattress protector to cover the mattress since no one likes feeling bed frame springs when falling asleep.

Pillow talk

Pillows can help prop you up for watching TV or studying as well as for sleeping. We recommend one or two sleeping pillows, and for both decoration and comfort, a few throw pillows, but not too many or they’ll just end up on the floor.

Bed or lounge?

Be creative with your seating. Buy one of these body pillows, which can turn your bed from a place to sleep to a hangout spot. 

Show your personality through your decor

Room decorations should showcase who you are as a person. “This is going to be your home for quite a bit, so you definitely want to feel comfortable about where you’re living,” says Akwasi Antwi (CAS’25). “Let your artistic nature just kind of flourish.” For customized posters and pillows, look on Etsy and Instagram. Shop at the BU Campus Store for any BU-related decorations, like a BU-themed pillow or blanket.

Lighting the night

It can be difficult to make fluorescent lighting cozy, so opt for lamps or string lights instead. LED lights are also a popular lighting option and give you multiple options for color. Try this sunset lamp to set the mood in your room and provide some synthetic vitamin D during the cold winter months. 

Keep everything smelling nice

Get rid of the musty dorm smell with a scented plug-in (like Bath & Body Works Wallflower) or an oil diffuser. For a cheaper alternative, opt to make your own DIY oil diffuser out of wooden blocks and essential oils with the tutorial here. Other options to keep your room smelling fresh include scented beads, air fresheners, and even baking soda. And remember to dispose of any food or empty containers immediately to avoid a funky stench. 

Place tea bags in your shoes

On a similar note, put tea bags in your shoes (especially your sneakers) to keep them from stinking up your room.

DIY headboard charger

If you want an outlet with easy access to your bed, but don’t want to break the bank with a charging headboard, try this hack instead. Get a power strip and double-sided velcro strips. Stick one half of the strip near your bed or on your headboard and the other to the back of the power strip and you have your very own headboard with an outlet. 

Cover the walls

Antwi says he tries to avoid negative (empty) space on his walls. “It just feels much more cozy to have every part of the wall covered in something, not just a blank wall,” he says. Prints, posters, banners, photos, and artwork are all great options for sprucing up your walls. Contact paper can also be a good alternative to wallpaper. 

Go minimal

On the other hand, Feliciano prefers a minimalist style after having a more “crowded look” freshman year. “I let a couple of the few decorations I have kind of have their own spotlights as opposed to a thousand things that keep your eyes darting around,” he says. “It makes my room look cleaner and neater.”

Suitcases double as storage

Unless you are planning on traveling frequently, consider keeping out-of-season clothes—like bulky winter jackets and sweaters—zipped away in your suitcase and stored under your bed or in a closet. 

Floating or bedside nightstand

Instead of taking up valuable floor space, use a nightstand that clips onto the side of your bed or a floating nightstand. Make your own with this DIY tutorial. 

Headboards

Looking to provide some harmony in your room? Consider buying or making matching headboards with your roommate that require only three items (wooden dowels, gorilla glue, and fabric) and a few tools. Find a tutorial here.

Curtains

Many BU dorm rooms already have curtains, but they tend to be boring and old. Replace them with sheer or colorful curtains instead to add some vibrancy to your room and show off your view. 

Embrace your inner plant mom (or dad)

Plants give a space a more open feel and help air circulation, plus they’ll keep your room smelling fresh. “I like adding plants to make my room homier,” says Von Halle. Get a little taste of the outdoors inside by heading to Boston City Florist on Comm Ave or Trader Joe’s in Coolidge Corner for a fresh bouquet. Sometimes Residence Life also hosts plant nights, where students can pick up free plants, so keep an eye out for that. Succulents are a great low-maintenance option, along with aloe vera, which can also double for after sun skincare during the sunny fall months. 

Showcase your inner artist

Got a talent for the arts or love to draw and sketch? Consider making your own wall decor instead of buying posters and prints. 

Frame it

Frames will instantly elevate an average poster or artwork. Amazon and Target are easy to browse, but for less expensive and more unique options, go hunting at Goodwill or other secondhand stores. 

Start a photo tradition

Have a Polaroid camera? For a fun way to decorate, take pictures of everyone who enters your room and put up a display on either your door or a designated wall space. If you don’t have a camera, you can purchase a Polaroid photo printer and film. 

Family and friends (and dog?) photo wall

Alternatively, collect photos of friends and family back home and display them proudly. This might help curb some homesickness, too. 

Tapestries and banners

Cover up those bare walls with a tapestry or use one as a closet cover. Flags of your favorite artists, albums, or interests are a great way to express yourself and provide color to your walls. 

Keep the clutter away

Store your desk supplies, makeup, or anything else that might clutter the top of your desk in drawers to keep your surface clean and clear. These desk organizers from Amazon will keep your items organized and will hold their place in a frequently opened and closed drawer with their grippy bottoms. 

DIY mirror with lights

To get Hollywood glam, consider bordering your mirror with lights. And good news, you can DIY this project instead of purchasing one for over $100. Take double-sided command strips and stick them to the mirror and then stick on the lights for the desired effect. 

Do away with the iron

Ironing is a pain in the butt. Try hanging your clothes up while you take a hot shower to steam them naturally instead. Other options include handheld steamers and anti-wrinkle spray. 

Maximize the closet

Get one of these closet organizers to store your sweatshirts. These multi-clothes hangers are also super helpful for saving space in a small closet. 

Discount codes

Do you want to shop at places like Dormify and Pottery Barn, but don’t have the funds? Search on YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram for dorm decorating videos and posts, because sometimes influencers are sponsored by these brands and offer discount codes. You can occasionally score up to 35 percent off this way.

Let’s get zen

You might already be thinking about bringing a yoga mat from home so you can flow while you’re at school. The mat will pull double duty: it can be an additional place for visitors to sit. 

Long is the way to go

Invest in a long charger cord instead of a short one. This makes it easy to use your phone and computer from a different position, especially if you have a lofted bed.

Brita water bottle

Save space in your fridge by opting for a Brita water bottle instead of an entire jug. Plus, you can bring it on the go and fill it up around campus. 

Moving bags are better than boxes

Instead of shoving everything helter-skelter into boxes, try using moving bags. These are especially helpful if you are on one of the lower building floors and don’t want to wait in long lines for the elevators during a busy move-in session. Unfortunately, this may not be possible if you’re flying and using suitcases or shipping items. 

A whiteboard and a doorstop can help you make friends 

Buy a whiteboard to put outside your door. This can be a great way for new friends to leave notes and to start a fun tradition for your floor (try posting trivia questions or asking everyone for their favorite ice cream flavor). On a similar note, consider buying a doorstop to prop your door open and welcoming in floormates.

No wire hangers

Silk or fabric hangers will ensure that your clothes actually stay on their hangers and not slide off. Von Halle recommends using thin silk hangers to preserve space and keep your clothes from slipping off. 

More than just a MicroFridge

Drape an organizer over the side of your MicroFridge to store items without taking up any floor space. This can be used to store extra snacks, too.

Go big or go home

For an extra comfy bed, bring a queen- or king-size comforter and fold it in half instead of a typical twin XL comforter. This makes your bed look extra big and fluffy. Depending on how tall your bed is, it can act as a bed skirt as well. 

Blankets

Drape your blankets over your desk chair when you’re not snuggling up in them. Guests will appreciate the added softness and you can customize your blanket to match the rest of your room.