Has your dorm got you down? Need a little spice in your home away from home? Or do you simply want to give your space a boost? Here are 10 tricks that will take your dorm from ordinary to chic.

1.     Raise your bed

To create space underneath your bed and store less frequently used items, raise your bed by a few feet to relocate bins and trunks. Use either a bed skirt or a queen-sized bedspread that will hang down and hide the bins.

2.     Store and sort

Organization is a must for any functional room. Compartmentalize toiletries, towels, pencils, desk supplies and more for easy access and to maximize drawer and shelf space.

3.     Accent lighting

Desk lamps, floor lamps, string lights and natural light are great alternatives to the standard dorm lighting. Traditional fluorescent lighting can be harsh and bland, but alternative accent lighting can brighten up your space with a soft glow. Even opening a window will give off a cozier feel.

4.     Accessorize

Accessories are the key to making your room unique and expressing your style. Because of the small space, try to make them functional as well. Cute shelving, baskets and boxes are great because they can be tailored to your style, while also serving a practical purpose.

5.     Wall art

Covering bland, white dorm walls is essential to transforming a drab room into one bursting with personality. Posters, shelving, pictures and metal designs are all great options for breaking up white wall space.

6.     Cover floors

Cover your dorm floor with throw rugs that express your style from the ground up. Accent and throw rugs add warmth to a room and make it feel more like home, compared to the cold tile or colorless carpet. They’ll also act as an immediate eye-catching focal point of color.

7.     Layer bedding

A dorm bed starts out very basic, so jazz it up with layers of pillows and linens. Heavily textured bedding is great for dorm life because it tends to hide stains and dirt. Layers are also perfect for unpredictable dorm temperatures, and they can differentiate lounging and sleeping.

8.     Curtains

Curtains are a good way to break up wall space and add more texture and color to the room. Sliding curtains onto a rod will make them easier to change, according to the season and your personal style.

9.     Clear desk

Having a desk is a huge part of dorm life, and a great space to display books and pictures. But it’s essential to keep your desk space clean. Not only will a clean desktop be better organizationally, but it will also provide a better stage on which to display personal items.

10.  Shelving

Adding shelving to the walls and desk is a great way to organize and show off some characteristic items that add to your room’s personality. Shelving also breaks up the white walls and adds different height elements other than the desk and drawers provided by the university.

So whether you’re looking to add an accessory, switch your bedding or revamp your whole living space, these tips will help reconstruct your dorm and make it a functional place that expresses your personality.