The Frugal Dorm Roomby Mary Ann Romans | More from this Blogger 18 Aug 2007 03:43 PM Back to school is around the corner and big kids are getting ready to head off to college. It seems that the list of stuff they need is enormous, isn't it? Your wallet might be hurting just about now (and I'm not even talking about the tuition!) So, it is nice when you can put your frugal hat on and get creative, especially when it comes to sprucing up the dorm room itself. There are plenty of great ideas out there for furniture and decoration that will make a nice comfy home away from home for your college student. An inexpensive loft bed This is an old trick that I myself took advantage of when I was in college years and years ago. Loft beds are a really cool part of the dorm experience. I remember how my college roommate showed up with a custom made loft system for her bed that cost close to $500 and had to be installed by her father and brother. My loft system cost exactly $12.75 and was installed by me. What was the difference? I drove down to a local business and bought four cinderblocks. They were sturdy, raised my bed up to provide storage underneath, and were just right for a college student's budget. Frugal furniture For a funky (and cheap) idea, purchase some old sturdy suitcases at a thrift store. You can stack them up to form inexpensive furniture, such as a coffee table or an end table. As a bonus, they are great for storage. To jazz them up, you can even decoupage old travel stickers (print some out from the internet), cover the suitcases in contact paper, etc. An (almost) free message board A message board on the front or back of a door is a great addition to a dorm room. You can easily make your own using an old picture frame. Remove the glass, but save the cardboard backing. Cover it with a scrap piece of fabric, then replace it in the frame. Add some tacks and you have your own message board! You can decorate the frame in so many ways, from spray painting it, to wrapping it in yarn or ribbon. What ideas do you have for a frugal dorm room? Mary Ann Romans also writes for the Computing Blog here at Families.com where she shares everything from the latest news on technology to cool downloads and fun websites. Related Articles: Frugal Art: Make Your Own Bookplates Frugal Decorating: Making Postcard Art Sales Tax Holidays: Frugal Back to School Frugal Ways to Decorate A Child's Room Learn more about Mary Ann Romans  Mary Ann Romans is a freelance writer, wife and mother of three children. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, the kids and a 16-pound cat. Relevantfrugal tags User Comments No comments on this article yet. Be the first to comment! Community Tags college, dorm room, Decorating, frugal, University Discuss this article
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