HOME SWEET DORM ROOM

One of the first things that I knew before coming to the UK was that I was for sure going to live on campus. I didn't want to go through the process of finding and paying for off campus housing. Newcastle University made it really easy to find student accommodation and I ended up getting my 2nd choice (out of 10). I am in graduate only accommodation which I like a lot; I have my own room and bathroom and then share a kitchen with about seven other people. I also really like that the building is secure; we have a key fob that we have to use to get inside, as well as a keycode. The area is friendly I never feel unsafe walking alone at night. I happen to be the only girl in my kitchen and that has been interesting. This week I had enough and put up the dreaded "CLEAN UP YOUR MESS!" sign but to be nice I bought a bunch of cleaning supplies and put it in the communal space, so these guys have no choice. It has been working thus far; I am pretty sure they know it was me because every time I walk into the kitchen now, they quickly scurry to clean up. 

I love the balconies on my building

Once I arrived and slept in my space for a few days I realized I needed a few things. My room came with bedding but it just didn't work for me so I went out and bought a few things so that I could feel more at home. I found some great things for cheap at Primark and ASDA, some thrift shops and eBay for nic nacs. I have a large makeup collection and while I didn't bring everything, I brought a good amount and found some cute ways to organize it in my desk and bookshelf. My favorite thing, is the recipe book stand that I found at TK Maxx to hold and display my palettes. 

I like home decor so I wanted to try and decorate for cheap, so I could feel comfy. I really like the gold circles on the wall as an accent. I had these in my old room in DC and had a half sheet left over so I thought I would bring them with me. They were easy to pack and they peel right off without damaging paint on the wall; they are basically contact paper. I just have some pictures to put up on one bare wall for things to be complete but all and all I am pretty satisfied with where I will be spending my year! 

Some quick tips for people looking to make their space more comfy

1. Find your local thrift and value stores! You can find some really cute and one of a kind things there. 
2. Command strips! You can use them for so much, even hang curtains! I used mine to hang and display some of my necklaces on my wardrobe and am planning to hang some pictures soon. 
3. Bring the important things with you! Pictures, artifacts, makeup..anything that is going to make things feel a bit more like home. 
4. Get creative! You would be surprised what you can do in a small space. Look to Pinterest and DIY blogs for inspiration. Don't go crazy trying to figure out how to make it work, chances are someone has already done it.