USC Bedroom - (Pinterest)

Dorm rooms are inherently ugly. No offense to the designers of the dorm buildings, for their designs are actually quite aesthetically pleasing (at least at USC). But when thousands of college freshmen need a place to stay, the pragmatic solution is to give them a shared box with some furniture and a window. Compared to other schools, USC’s dorm rooms are actually quite nice. But no one wants to come home after a long day on campus and stare at a blank, barren wall. College students want to make their dorm room a home, and add their own personal style. Today, it is easy to simply go on Pinterest and find inspiration for magazine-worthy room décor. But for college students, budgets often come first.

Target has everything you need and more to help you style your room. They have an entire wing of the store dedicated to home décor. So if you, for example, decide to hang pictures, you can buy a collage frame that fits 10 pictures for only $25. Target also has inexpensive printing within their stores, where you can bring in pictures on a USB drive, or even download them straight from Facebook.

Another decorating route for the sentimental picture-lover is to purchase museum putty, which can be found at the Container Store for $6, and make your own wall design sans frame. You can look on Pinterest for design inspiration, and find creative ways to hang your pictures. For instance, you can spell out your initials in pictures. The museum putty is perfect for dorm rooms as well because it is just as strong as tape, but will not damage the wall or paint job.

CVS also is local to most college campuses, and will print your pictures off a memory disk for $0.19 per 4x6 picture.

If pictures are not your thing, you can take the poster route. Target is also an excellent place to find posters of everything from bands, to celebrities, to artwork. These posters can cost as little as $5, and are a great way to add some vibrancy to your room.Target also has other wall art, which includes paintings and canvases of just pretty pictures, or inspirational quotes. Many of these you can get for as little as $10.

Though everyone will want to decorate their dorm room in their own, unique style, one constant décor theme in dorm rooms will be school-specific swag. At USC, for example, students do not lack in school spirit, and many reflect this through their dorm room. The easiest place to go for school pride decorations is the school bookstore. At USC, the floors are stocked with different Trojan banners and flags that were made to spice up dorm walls. These come in many different sizes, so you have options, and range in price from about $13 to $30. Amazon also offers lot of USC decorations. These may be cheaper, but you may have fewer options. Also, attend campus events and be on the lookout for free poster or sticker giveaways. Free décor always is a bonus!

The most definitive part of one’s dorm room though, may be the bed; your bed is the best way to showcase your personality. While you do not have to spend thousands of dollars on bed décor, you want to get decorations that will not only be comfortable and aesthetically pleasing, but also durable. The place with the best options in terms of diverse style and resilience is probably Bed, Bath, & Beyond.

For boys and girls alike, BB&B has a myriad of styles, colors and materials. Whether you want a pattern or a solid, or 200 or 600 thread count, BB&B is your place. You can get a comforter set for as low as $150, but another option that the store offers is sets that include a bedspread, sheets, towels, etc. Not only will they all match but you actually save money on these bundles. And for a special bonus, Bed, Bath & Beyond is also selling a USC complete bed ensemble for as low as $100. Fight on, Bed, Bath & Beyond.

So whether you want a decked-out, collegiate room, a room filled with pictures or a chic art deco room, there are ways to decorate on a budget. Pinterest is a good go-to place for design inspiration, but Target, Bed, Bath & Beyond, Amazon and the USC Bookstore are all excellent, inexpensive resources for room decoration. So get shopping, get creative and happy decorating!

Reach Staff Reporter Samantha Jacobs here