Originally published August 7, 2008

Muskogee High School Class of 2006 graduate Kelcie Engelbrecht makes sure to say she’s “not really a bargain shopper” when it comes to decorating.

“I get lucky sometimes,” the Oklahoma State University junior said. “I happened to go to Hobby Lobby right when they were transitioning to their fall things and Christmas things, and they had all these decorations, furniture and all these wall decorations. And I love Overstock.com; I got sateen sheets for $30. And I got furniture from a neighbor about to have a garage sale, an Ethan Allan couch and set of chairs that her kids took to college.”

What Engelbrecht called “luck” came from knowing where to look. Whether its a homey look for a drab dormitory room, a campus suite or off-campus apartments or houses like Engelbrecht has, students can surround themselves in comfort and still find ways to save money.

And this doesn’t mean charging everything on the parent’s credit card.

Northeastern State University sophomore Sheree Harris of Catoosa said she’s decorating her dormitory room with “pretty much the same stuff” she had last year.

The only difference, she said, is that she has her own private room this year as a resident assistant, but shared a room last year.

“My roommate bought the refrigerator and I brought the microwave,” she said. “I did all the dorm decorating. All the posters were mine.”

On Wednesday, as she moved into an NSU dorm, her major expense was a small refrigerator, though she and her mother were planning a trip to Wal-Mart later in the afternoon.

“We’re just going to get food for the fridge,” she said.

Harris’ advice for saving decorating money is to “use a lot of stuff from home, as much as you can.”

“And get something you can use over and over,” she said.

University of Central Oklahoma freshman Nick Anderson, who graduated from MHS in May, will move into a four-bedroom campus apartment this weekend, said his mother Mea Anderson.

“We went here and there and picked up stuff on sale,” she said. “We found a lot of bedding that was marked down.”

She said because his campus apartment will have a kitchen, they had to look for eating and cooking utensils.

“Big Lots had an eight-place setting with silverware, cups, plates and bowls for $25,” she said.

UCO junior Kali Brownell, a 2006 Hilldale graduate, said she bought a lot of her dormitory decor at discount stores such as Ross Dress-For-Less or Dollar General Store.

“I have a lot of books on my shelves and a bright-colored poster to match my bedding,” she said. “Rugs and curtains definitely make the room more homey.”

Things from home, like Harris uses, also add to dorm decor, according to Tammie Willis, NSU assistant director of housing.

“They can bring posters that match their bedding,” she said. “A lot of them post pictures from home on their walls. A few students decorate their walls with their syllabus papers.”

Willis said she doesn’t see that many people buying furniture for their dorm rooms.

“If anything, they take furniture from the lounge to put in their room,” she said. “If the community on the floor uses that lounge a lot, that’s not a good thing. But we don’t mind as long as they return it at the end of the year.”

She said some students still carpet their bare tile floors with carpet samples — making multi-colored checkerboard patterns popular when their parents were in college.”

“That’s more out of practicality,” she said. “The dormitory floors do get cold.”

NSU is remodeling its dorm rooms to have a more homey decor. Renovations include carpeting, metal beds that can be bunked or raised to create “a loft,” new paint and new desks, Harris said.

A dozen ways to decorate on a budget
1. Magazine collages: Cut up those old issues of Cosmo, Vogue, or Sports Illustrated and tape up favorite photos and witty headlines on those drab wooden closet doors.

2. Christmas lights: An easy way to add softer light than those fluorescent overheads can provide.

3. Calendars: A $10 calendar yields 12 easy posters, and there's an unlimited variety to choose from. Find one even the new roommate can love.

4. Milk crates: Need more storage? Spray paint ugly milk crates with bright colors for an affordable (and stackable) solution.

5. Photos: An easy way to remember everyone from home or celebrate the new friends you've made at college. Get a one-use camera and take photos of people on the floor doing crazy things. Make sure to get doubles! Display them on a snazzy memory board, or make one yourself.

6. Postcards: Send out the new address and have everyone from home send postcards from wherever they went to college and whenever they go on vacation. Use them as ideas for where to go for spring break!

7. Wall calendar: For the organizationally challenged and super-busy, find the largest white board calendar possible. It'll fill up wall space and help get those papers in on time.

8. Maps: Usually cheaper than posters, giant maps generally come in pretty pastel colors. Get a modified one with Australia on top to start conversation.

9. Coloring Books: Have friends choose pages to color, and then hang them around the room. A bit childish, but it's amazing what some people come up with.

10. Sarongs: Though they're basically glorified sheets, these are probably the easiest way to cover up a lot of wall for little money, not to mention those pesky ceiling tiles.

11. Chalkboards: Break from the dorm door white board trend by going old school. Stick a pack of chalk outside, or hang a board inside and have visitors doodle or leave messages. Plus, it's cheaper to replace chalk than the constantly disappearing white board markers. Poster board works, too; once it's full, hang new sheets. The fun never ends!

12. Potted plants or fresh flowers: Like Mom always said, taking care of a plant is a good way to gauge responsibility. It's also a classy and simple way to add color and personality to a room. Plus, it'll help mask the odor of the dirty laundry piling up.

Source: American University’s “the Eagle”