How to best outfit a dorm room

[Count Duckula]

I have a TV/VCR and DVD player already, and possibly a computer.  I'm allowed a 4.2 cubic-foot refrigerator and a 750-watt microwave.  I don't know what else is provided/allowed.

I want to know how to cram all this and the clothing-storage space I need into the room with enough space to fit in a rolling chair and a small recliner.  And then I need personal touches.
[right][snapback]73618[/snapback][/right]

You can have a microwave in your room?! *jealousy*

I live in a 10'x7' with modular furniture. The closet, dresser, and desk/cubby are literally built into the walls. If you haven't bought the furniture already, I suggest a computer cart and a desk chair that will fit underneath with good knee space.

You might want to leave the recliner at home unless you can't live without it. A bed and a desk chair are all your room really needs. And make sure the furniture you bring is sturdy enough for double-duty: a dresser/table that's strong enough to hold the weight of a TV and VCR and DVDP and gaming consoles and video collections...not that I'm speaking from experience here or anything. :blush:

Might want to weed through your clothes too. Bring seasonal stuff with you if you know you can go home for the holidays. That's how I survived my sophomore and junior year. Thanksgiving, Xmas, and Easter, I brought clothes home and swapped for the weather.

For the walls: posters. Cheap, quick, covers up those blank spaces. My wall decor is part movie posters, part Star Trek calendar, part magazine clippings, part bizzare and random stuff. Allposters.com has some nice finds for under $10. So does Beyond the Wall but their usual stuff is a tad more expensive.

The more stuff you can hang from the walls, the better. If you can drill holes into the wall (provided that they're spackled up and painted over by year's end) try hanging some slotted racks and brackets, cut a few 2x12s down to size (about 3' long) and put 6" 1x12s on each end. Voila, bookshelves. You can also hang Xmas or cable lights from your ceiling, put in curtains, hang plants, etc.--just make sure it's okay with Res Life first.

To be honest, when you live in a shoebox, your living space becomes a womb. Not too many people in singles on this hall entertain more than two at a time. Five are a fire hazard. >_< There's always gonna be someplace on campus or in the dorm to go if you want to relax or hang out with friends.