College is a great time for self expression, and the best way to express oneself is through your room. Obviously you live in your room so you spend a lot of time in there, and more often than not, your friends spend quite a bit of time in there, too. When you first get to college, your room looks more like a prison cell than a place to live: void of any personality.
Now I am a cheap-o, but I love making my own stuff, so it works out well. Below is a list of cheap, easy, and fun DIY crafts that can make your room burst with personality! Click on any of the pictures to head to Pinterest for the directions for that craft!
1. Favorite Quote
Requires:
* Canvas
* Paint (I prefer acrylic but it's your choice)
* Brushes
2. Crayon Art
Requires:
* Canvas
* Hot Glue Gun
* Crayons
* Hair Dryer
3. Picture art- crayon
Requires:
* Printed Pictures
* Canvas
* Crayons
* Hot Glue Gun
* Hair dryer
4. Light Initial
Requires:
* Cardboard Letter (available here)
* String Lights
5. Creative Whiteboard/ Daily planner- dry erase
Requires:
* Collage frame (available here)
* Basic Card stock/ wrapping paper
* Glue
This is the perfect way to keep track of your weekly tasks!
6. Canvas Silhouette
Requires:
* Canvas
* Pencil
* Knife
* Paint
Simply draw on the back of the canvas and cut it out. Spice this up with your favorite colors or to match your room theme!
7. Dorm Sweet Dorm Mug
Requires:
* Blank Mug
* Sharpie of your choice
* Oven
8. Beautiful full length mirror
Requires:
* Full Length Mirror
* Hot Glue Gun
* Fake Flowers
9. Doorstop
Requires:
* Brick
* Paint
One of the biggest pieces of advice I was given for college was to leave my door open; I personally had a door that wouldn't stand open at all, and if the window was open, a small gust of wind would slam it shut. My residence hall made an event out of creating a roommate doorstop by painting a brick, but you could also do it yourself or with your roommate if your school doesn't provide an opportunity like mine did.
10. Washi tape wall decor
Requires:
* Washi tape
* Pictures
This is perfect for people who want to hang up pictures or wall decals without spending a lot of money. Just a few small rolls of washi tape and your have an infinite number of designs.
11. Dry Erase calendar
Requires:
* Picture Frame
* Glue
* Paint Swatches (free at Home Depot/ Lowes)
Small WARNING: The following 3 crafts are a little more expensive and time consuming.
12. Planter- dinosaur (look at my Ideas & Craft pinterest board)
Requires:
* Stylish fish bowl
* Crushed rock/ aquarium gravel
* Charcoal
* Small plant/herb of your choice
* Small dino toys and flowers (or whatever decor you choose)
Don't forget to water your plant!
13. Flower Art
Requires:
* Canvas
* Fake Flowers
* Hot Glue Gun
* Spray Paint
14. Magnetic Makeup board
Requires:
* Magnetic Sheet (available here)
* Magnets (available here)
* Picture frame
* Spray adhesive and/or hot glue
* Fabric/scrapbook paper
* Old pill bottles (optional) for brushes
* Paint (optional) for pill bottles/ frame
I have a lot of make up and very little storage pace, as do many other female college students. While I haven't personally made this yet, it is on my to-do list. This one is going to take a lit bit of time with sticking the fabric/scrapbook paper to the metal and then gluing the magnets on to your makeup, so beware of that for this project.
For any canvas work, I recommend buying them at Michael's because you can get a 2 pack 11x14" for just a few bucks and they are pretty durable (and Michael's does a LOT of coupons, frequently). Another good art store is A.C. Moore, and occasionally you can get cheap art supplies at Walmart. I personally advise in investing in a cheap hot glue gun (available here) because you can use it for so many crafts and they are easy to use and clean up.
