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Dollar Store Niceties to Personalize Your Dorm Room

Dollar Store Style – The Blog

Dollar Store Niceties to Personalize Your Dorm Room

So, girl, you’re heading off to college or university this fall and you’ve collected all the necessities you’re going to need living away from home. You’ve got the sheets and pillows, towels and bathmat, a coffee maker, dishes and other kitchen necessities.

Now you want to add a few niceties to the mix so your dorm room feels more homey. Before you go running off to a home store, check out these items you can get for $4 or less at Dollarama.

 

 

This cozy throw is perfect for cuddling up in when you’re reading, are up late studying for exams or even just draped over the end of your bed. DMaison is Dollarama’s store brand and it tends to be just a little better quality than similar items they carry. This is a full-sized throw that comes in assorted colours. 

 

 

Hang some inspiring artwork to remind you of your goals. Command hooks are great for hanging things on walls you can’t hammer nails into. There are loads of pictures and wall hangings to choose from at dollar stores that won’t lay waste to your budget.

 

 

Put your favourite picture in this cute 4 by 6 inch frame that lights up. Don’t forget the batteries!

 

 

This two-way sequined frame lets you change out photos easily via clothespin clips and “write” short captions in the sequins. 

Speaking of sequins, check out Dollarama’s selection of sequined cushion covers. Recovering an old cushion is a lot cheaper than buying brand new cushions, as a rule. However, I have also seen some DMaison cushions at Dollarama, including some covered in faux fur,

In my opinion, these cushions rival any I’ve seen in other department stores and for at least half the price!  

 

 

Add some fun to your room with a light-up unicorn or cloud. These are for the wall, but I also saw some free-standing light-up unicorns at Dollarama that would work if you’ve got some free space on a desk or shelf.

Again, batteries are not included, but you can find brand named ones at Dollarama, too.

Beach House Party Decor on a Budget

Summer/Outdoor Living

Beach House Party Décor on a Budget 

Themed parties are lots of fun and you don’t have to spend a boat load of money at a party store to get decorations for the occasion. Remember that you may only be using decorations once. Here’s how to decorate for a beach party on a budget.

Beach Light

I found some striped taper candles at Dollar Tree that put me in mind of lighthouses. They came two in a package in different colours. For this simple centrepiece fill a low glass bowl with white decorative sand and centre the candle “lighthouse.”

Use some small shells to make a pattern around the candle’s base. Here I’ve created a kind of star pattern using two different kinds of shells. You could use sea glass, instead of shells, to add some colour at the base of the lighthouse. A combination of both might also look nice.

Outhouse Sign

I thought it would be kind of fun to turn the bathroom into an outhouse. I found some outhouse rules online and printed some on decorative paper I already had on hand. But you don’t need special paper. Add an outhouse picture to the top of the page, if you like.

 

Here, I’ve used some found twigs and positioned them as a frame for my rustic sign. Use a longer twig for the top of the sign so you’ll have someplace to attach a hanger.

Once you’ve arranged the twigs to your liking, use craft glue to attach them. Give the glue plenty of time to dry.

Next, tie some twine to the top twig to make a hanger. I used a command hook on the outside of the bathroom door to hang the completed sign.

Nautical Banners

The next décor item involves making a banner of nautical flags. 

You will need some thin cord or rope and three packages of paper napkins. (yellow not shown.)

Unfold each napkin and cut along the folds so you have four squares. I used three different colours that are prominent in real nautical flags.

Fold each square into a triangle. 

Once again, Command hooks come to the rescue. I used four of these clear small ones for the length of wall I was covering with a banner.

Once the hooks are in place at intervals along the wall, gently pull the cord down into the hook so it’s secured in place.

You need to hold the two sides of the napkin closed so they don’t stay flopped open and look more like a flag. I used a small piece of two-sided tape on the tip that I secured after the “flag” had been placed over the cord. If you want to use this banner outside, I would recommend gluing all the edges shut to prevent the wind from causing havoc with them.

 

 

These faux nautical flags will add lots of colour to a party at a beach house.

You won’t need all the napkins in the three packages, so use the rest at the dinner table as a continuation of the theme. 

Read the next article to see more budget ideas for decorating at a “beach house.”

See Inexpensive Beach Decor

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