Let’s talk about The Perfect Room ™. Is there even such a thing? If so, what does it look like? What does it feel like?

Well, I’m here to tell you that there is such a thing. It looks different for everyone, and the way it feels may differ from person to person. Here are two questions to consider as you start the process of creating the optimal space to come back to after classes: 

Do you want your room to be a place of productivity or total relaxation?

A lot of people go for total relaxation, which is totally understandable — you want to be able to wind down after a hard day of classes and RSO activities; staying on high alert just isn’t healthy for anyone. If that’s you, I would suggest focusing your effort on the place you’re likely to spend the most time: your bed. It’s unrealistic to expect that everyone has the financial means to decorate every corner of their room, so as much as I love a well-designed space, I won’t waste time lecturing you on every piece required for the ultimate relaxation space. Instead, you may want to invest in quality sheets and pillows for where you’ll lay your head every night. Well, let’s be real — almost every night. A lot of people who live in dorms don’t necessarily want to go all out for their Twin XL bedding since they may not need it next year. I’m here to urge you to think outside the box. Just because you have a Twin XL bed does not mean all your bedding necessarily needs to be Twin XL bedding. Back when I lived in the dorms, I purchased a Full sized duvet cover/top sheet that I really liked and a regular Twin XL fitted sheet (those are the scrunchy ones — I get confused too). The covers flowed down long enough to hide all the crap under my bed, and I was able to continue to use it in my room at home and the following year at my apartment. If you choose to follow in my footsteps, I would encourage you to purchase a duvet cover instead of a comforter, because a Full-size comforter may be more difficult to fit in the washer and dryer. 

As much as I love relaxing and escaping to my room, the harsh reality of college is that homework is almost never finished. That’s why I like balancing my efforts between my bed and my workspace. If I make my room too relaxing, it can be pretty hard to get stuff done on all those infamous college all-nighters. I would recommend giving your bed a little love while also giving your desk area enough attention as well. That love and attention looks different for everyone depending on what kind of worker you are, but for me, that means making sure that my space inspires me to get work done. For some, that might look like organization tools such as dividers and color-coded sticky notes and pencils. Color coding and dividers are cool, but I personally work best when I surround myself with quotes or pictures that remind me of what I’m working towards. If you’re the same, then you might want to invest in a corkboard or whiteboard to keep in your room and place all your quotes and pictures on to keep you on track throughout the year. 

Does clutter freak you out?

If it does, then a super easy fix is really to just not bring a ton of stuff. That might seem self-explanatory, but moving to school and visiting friends’ rooms (in any other year at least, this year we’ll just have to glance in from 6 feet) can be overwhelming. Seeing all the decked-out rooms of your friends can place a lot of pressure to go all out yourself. I’m here to remind you that it’s really not necessary. Your room is your space. Focus less on the decor of others and look inwards. What things make you happy to see? What stuff puts you at ease? Try incorporating that in your room instead. One of the key ideas of minimalism is to let everything you bring into your life have a set purpose. Not looking inward can lead to over-buying and over-packing; it can lead to U-HAULS. Don’t be the person with a U-HAUL. (They block all the parking and make it ten times harder to move in.) By not bringing a ton of decor or knick-knacks, you also save yourself a lot of cleaning and repacking when your housing contract or lease is up. 

However, if like me, you’re not afraid of clutter, there are ways to express yourself through your decor without being that person with a U-HAUL. The key is to accumulate progressively, which actually brings me to my last and most important point. 

Many people have heard the saying, ‘Rome wasn’t built in a day.’ Similar to Rome, your room won’t be perfectly put together your first or second night after moving in. Our rooms are works in progress, just like we are. It’s important to give yourself the space to grow and evolve. The Perfect Room ™ is ever-changing. As you embark on your college experience, you’ll change and so will your room. 

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