It’s time to get back to school ready. For some of us, this means heading off to college and setting up a new dorm room. Need some dorm room ideas? We’ve got you covered. It doesn’t take much to turn everyday items into awesome and functional decor! Here’s our top 10 upcycled dorm room ideas.
1. Tin Can Pencil Holders
Tin can pencil holders are a great way to keep your desk and stationary supplies organized and on point. Save your tin cans and clean them well. Then glue on some decorative paper. This is a great project for reusing wrapping paper, old maps or magazine cuttings. This idea also works well for holding makeup brushes.
Source: Mein Feenstaub
2. Framed Jewelry Organizer
Sometimes the best dorm room ideas are the simplest. With just a coat of paint and some chicken wire you can upcycle an old frame into a jewelry organizer. Your jewelry collection has never looked so fabulous!
Source: Marty’s Musings
3. Cardboard Headboard
Most dorm rooms come with a twin bed, but that doesn’t mean your bed has to be boring. Add a bit of luxury to your dorm room with a simple headboard. Flatten the cardboard from one of your moving boxes and cut out the shape of a headboard. Then trim your fabric to be slightly larger than the shape of the cardboard and staple it to the back. You can upcycle a cool sheet from your local thrift shop for this.
Source: Stars for Street Lights
4. Magnetic Makeup Board
Keep your makeup organized with this brilliant use of an old picture frame. Find a picture frame that’s the size you want. There are tons of these at thrift shops. Then have a piece of metal cut to size. You can decorate the metal by glueing on some paper or thin fabric. Spray adhesive works well for this. Then hot glue magnets to the back of your makeup. We love dorm room ideas that double as space savers!
Source: Laura Thoughts
5. DIY Twine Basket
You’re going to want some storage boxes in your dorm room. But they don’t have to be ugly. Turn an ordinary cardboard box into a rustic basket. Cut off the flaps then wrap it in twine using glue to keep it in place. If you want to add a lining try using an old t-shirt or pillow case.
Source: Buzzfeed
6. Paint Chip Calendar
We love this paint chip calendar! It’s such a clever way to create a calendar with an upcycled picture frame. Place paint chips under the glass and use a dry-erase marker to mark the dates. This is way cuter than your typical whiteboard. Great for to-do lists and upcoming events.
Source: Epic Everyday
7. Cardboard Desk Organizer
When it comes to functional dorm room ideas, organization is key. Create a super cute desk organization station using cardboard cereal boxes, duct tape and paper towel rolls.
Source: Aunt Peaches
8. Pillow Case Hamper
The best dorm room ideas are ones that will also keep you tidy. An embroidery hoop can turn a cute pillow case into a hanging clothes hamper. This is a great space saver!
Source: Organized Mom
9. Tree Branch Photo Display
It’s great to display photos as part of your dorm room decor. We’ve featured this gorgeous tree branch photo display before. It’s such a simple and effective way to hang photos. This would look beautiful in a dorm room.
Source: Bloglovin’
10. Braided T-shirt Rug
The best dorm room ideas include ways to make your dorm room cozy and unique. Bring some color into your dorm room with a gorgeous braided rug. This DIY project is a great way to upcycle old t-shirts!
Source: My Poppet Makes
Which of these upcycled dorm room ideas is your favorite?
