How To Make Your Dorm Room A Little More Seasonal This Fall

It can be hard to keep up with the holidays and changing seasons in your dorm room decor. Papers and exams mark your calendar, you spend free nights running out to parties, and you’re still trying to squeeze in more gym sessions every week. Still, there’s something nice about living in a space that feels cozy and actively reflects seasonal festivities. As Fall approaches, here are some quick and easy things you can do to add seasonal touches to your dorm room.

1. Focus on the Focal Point

If you don’t want to spend a ton of money decorating every counter of your dorm room with pumpkins and orange-colored atrocities, changing your bedding is the easiest way to significantly alter the entire vibe of your room. This doesn’t have to mean buying a bright orange bedspread or ugly pumpkin pillows (unless that’s your thing). Instead, look for a design that’s genuinely cute while still evoking a Fall mood, whether that means a collection of browns and neutral colored blankets, pillows with subtle orange accents, or a leaf print throw blanket.

2. Candles Create An Atmosphere

Personally, I think Fall and Winter scents are the most appealing as they really conjure up an entire mood. Unlike the smell of freshly cut grass or summer mojitos, you can actually fall into the smell of crinkling leaves, fire pits, and apple cider. As such, candles do a great job of making your counters look nice while also providing a Fall atmosphere to your entire room (maybe the only perk of living in such a small space!) This tip might only work if you live off campus or if your school has very relaxed candle policies, so check your school’s regulations before you go on a full on candle shopping spree.

3. Customize Your Fall Theme

This is one of my favorite decoration hacks: framing printeable designs. Instead of spending a small fortune on store bought (and often tacky) posters, blocks, and really any object stores can print something cute on or stick a pumpkin to, find a design you genuinely love, print it out on high quality paper, and frame it for your bedside table or countertops. It costs next to nothing and gives you way more freedom than if you head to your local craft store or Marshalls. Get a rustic look, Halloween vibe, or full on pumpkin fest design; the choice is all yours.

4. Welcome People To You Fall Space

I rarely see welcome mats outside of dorm rooms or college housing, and yet I have grown incredibly affectionate towards my own dorm welcome mat. The stylish addition really does make the space feel more like a home and beckons guests inside, and they’re affordable enough to change them out for the seasons if you choose to do so.

5. Fully Fill the Room

The last tip for turning your dorm room into a Fall themed haven is to make sure you do enough. Adding in a single pillow or two isn’t going to make you feel like you’re an adult who is fully embracing a new season. Spend the time to think about how you can make every area of your room, at least in some subtle way, work with your theme. One of the easiest ways of doing this is to get a ton of small pumpkins or flowers and fill vases, scatter them around candles, or even create wall decor/a hanging wall feature with them. Again, this suggestion leaves a lot of room for interpretation. Put bright yellow daisies everywhere or white pumpkins on green ferns or black pumpkins with lavender; any Fall look can work as long as you stay consistent.