Living in a college dorm can be one of the best or worst parts of your college career. The dorm experience varies from student to student, but one of the easiest ways to improve dorm life is through decor. Decorating your dorm can make it feel more like home, which can be an important feeling to have for those students who move across the country to attend school. Including nature in dorm decor can help set a relaxed and welcoming mood in your dorm room. Here are a list of easy, cost effective ways to include nature in dorm decor.
Pinecones are a great way to involve nature in dorm decor and they are totally free. If you live somewhere with pine trees, you’ve probably kicked your fair share of pinecones while walking around. Next time you notice a pinecone, just pick it up and put it on your windowsill, bookshelf or desk. This will add a natural touch to your dorm without the responsibility of watering a plant. Pinecones are a reminder of home for people who grew up around pine trees as well, so they make a lovely item to include in your dorm decor.
Another option to use nature in dorm decor is to hang a bouquet of dried flowers on your wall. Doing so looks attractive, and can add to a natural theme in your dorm room. Chose types of flowers that are significant to you, represent where you’re from, or that you enjoy for their smell or appearance. Lavender is a great option for dried flower bouquets because they smell and look amazing even after they start to dry. Adding a ribbon or twine around the stems of your flowers is a dainty finishing touch. If you can find flowers from a garden or field this decor option is free, however avoid picking flowers from protected open-spaces or your neighbor’s lawn.
There are a multitude of ways to add specific smells to your living space, and doing so can greatly improve your dorm room’s atmosphere. Some of the easiest ways to do so are burning incense, using candles, or using air-freshener. Before you move into your dorm, figure out if there are rules against lighting candles or incense as the banning of these items is fairly common. If your dorm allows candles, this is a perfect way to include nature in dorm decor. Spend time smelling nature scented candles and pick a few that you enjoy or remind you of home. Smell is the sense that most evokes memory, so modifying the smell of your dorm room is a great way to have a piece of home and a piece of nature in your dorm.
Having plants in your dorm room is another way to incorporate nature into dorm decor. Cacti, succulents and bamboo are some of the easiest plants to take care of so they will require very minimal effort. Taking care of a plant is satisfying and they will brighten up your dorm room nicely.
Hanging up photos or artwork of nature is probably the easiest way to include nature in dorm decor. Printing out your own photos or images you’ve found online is a cheap and easy alternative to finding actual pieces of nature to put up in your dorm. Plus, wall decor is crucial for small dorms that do not have as much space for decor objects that sit on surfaces like shelves or desks. If you’re not sure which images to hang on your walls, searching for photos of important places, or looking for work by your favorite artists and photographers can be a good place to start.
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