It’s back to school time! For those of you heading to college – or have kids doing so – it’s time to start stocking up on the items that can transform a dorm room or college apartment into a space that feels like a home.
Fortunately, your local
Habitat for Humanity ReStore
has just about everything you need for your
back to school furniture and décor shopping, all at prices that won’t break the
bank. Check out all the great things you should look for during your next trip
to Habitat ReStore below, as well as some DIY decorating tips that are fun and
easy to create with items you’ll find at many Habitat ReStores.
Filling your living space with places to
sit, sleep and eat is one of the biggest challenges – and expenses – of living
away at college. Habitat ReStore is here to help.
Whether you need a sofa, kitchen table, bed, dresser
or all of the above, you’ll find a slew of new and gently used furniture options at
your local Habitat ReStore. Keep in mind that every store has a different
inventory that changes daily based on donations from your community.
Check back often to find exactly what you need.
In addition to the obvious necessities like utensils,
cups and plates, you also may need many other kitchen accessories like a
blender, toaster oven and the all-important coffee maker (for late night study
sessions). Though these items seem like relatively small purchases, they can
add up quickly. Habitat ReStores often carry a variety of kitchen gadgets at
great prices!
If you’re living in an apartment without laundry
facilities, you may need a washer and dryer. While this would ordinarily represent
a large expense, check to see if your Habitat ReStore has a gently used washing
machine and dryer that will save you trips to the laundromat.
Many dorms are equipped with fluorescent lighting, which
can prove harsh on the eyes. Pick up a lamp or two from the Habitat ReStore to
reduce this harshness and provide your dorm room with a warm glow.
Dorm rooms and college apartments aren’t
typically known for providing an abundance of space. The wide variety of items
available at Habitat ReStore give you a chance to creatively make great use of
the space you do have available.
For examples and inspiration, check out this Buzzfeed
article
on hacks that will help you get more space out of a small closet.
Materials used for the hacks you may find at Habitat ReStore (that you may not
immediately think you need for your college dorm room) include pipes, scraps of
wood, chains and hooks.
Blank walls provide a great opportunity to
turn a generic dorm room or apartment into a space that is uniquely yours. However,
purchasing artwork can quickly become expensive. Most ReStores have a large
variety of art at great prices. You can even turn some finds into projects to
produce your own unique artwork.
For just one really cool idea of how you can
transform an old painting into something new and unique, take a look at number
six on this list
of creative DIY ideas and decorating tips for dorms. In fact, you’ll
probably want to look at all 25 tips on the list.
Speaking of creating your own projects,
sometimes the best ways to furnish and decorate your new living quarters are by
making something completely new.
The possibilities for this one are nearly
endless. See this HGTV
article featuring 40 DIY dorm room ideas
for inspiration. These ideas use a
wide variety of materials you may be able to find at Habitat ReStore, including
room dividers, wooden crates, book ends, rope, trunks and brass fittings.
