Financial Wellness - decorating your room

Deciding what you need

Having roommates means you will be limited to just a few square feet of personal space. At a minimum, plan to bring your clothing, desk materials, linens, toiletries, decorations, and personal small items. Depending on your situation and campus, bring your computer and bicycle as well. Hold off on the bigger items, though, until you know more about your living arrangements.

Furniture, kitchen items, and storage

For help in deciding what to bring, do this:

• Click the “campus life” or "living arrangements" links on your university’s Web site to learn more about what you can expect to find in your dormitory room. Undergraduate schools generally don't expect you to enter the parking lot with a moving van full of furniture, so find out if you should leave your desk, dresser, and chairs at home. Chances are, you can.
• If you feel kitchen appliances are a must, call or go online to find out if your school provides microwave ovens or small refrigerators in dorm rooms. Some colleges do. Accommodations like these can save you $150 to $300, not to mention the hassle of moving these items.

Negotiating with roommates

Usually, colleges send you contact information for your designated roommates over the summer. If so, contact them to discuss these two additional moving-in issues:

1. Televisions and small stereos: Ask your roommate about these items. You needn't bring two or more of each. In fact, you may agree you can get along without them.
2. Storage needs: Find out if your roommate is willing to share the cost for a storage rental in the event that overcrowding becomes an issue. You can probably rent a sufficient amount of space for under $50 per month.

Look at the empty wall space in your residence hall room. At least part of it is yours to decorate. To spice up the area, reuse items you already own or try some of the techniques listed here. There's nothing wrong with moving the items you have on your bedroom walls at home into your dormitory room. That way you won't have to spend any money-and transferring your home decor to the dorm room is a great way to convey your individuality.

Decorating on a budget

If you're set on some new colors and frills in your room, the following approach can save you money:

1. Buy your books and school supplies first.
2. Think of ways to decorate your room with academic posters or charts required for classes. These may include quick-reference items such as the Table of Elements that you had buy for a chemistry course.

To view the rest of the article, visit UCSD's Cash Course website