An MSU Junior’s Dorm Is Unrecognizable After This Wall Decor Hack

Ella Lin, a junior at Michigan State University, likes to keep her single dorm minimal and tidy, yet cozy. She’s achieved this through her impressive Jellycat collection and clever DIY projects that have transformed her once-turquoise dorm. After a stressful day working toward her Animal Science degree, Ella (@ellascalendar on TikTok; @ellaglin on Instagram) likes to surround herself with things that reflect who she is and what she loves. 

How’d you end up in this space? I found my dorm while searching for housing options for my sophomore year of college. I had an unsatisfactory roommate experience in a double my freshman year, and knew I wanted something different. I saw that my school had permanent single dorms, and after doing some research I knew this residence hall would be perfect for my lifestyle. The first year that I moved in was an adjustment, but I quickly got used to a quieter way of living, and I wouldn’t trade it for the world. I am a junior now, and still happily living in the same building.

Now that you’ve made it your own, what specifically do you love about it? I love how I’ve made my dorm into a cozy, relaxing space I can call home. 

What’s your space best known for? My room provides a relaxing outlet at the end of a stressful day. I look forward to cozying up under my covers and watching a movie, FaceTiming my friends or family, or reading a book. I don’t have a lot of visitors, so I enjoy keeping my space to myself.

Define your personal home style: My style is always changing, but I always try to incorporate objects or elements that represent who I am as a person, rather than a certain aesthetic I want to emulate. I like to decorate my space with things that remind me of my childhood, such as stuffed animals, or things that represent what I love, like animals on my wall. I like my space to look clean and put-together, so I lean toward lighter pastel colors with simple patterns that add a touch of charm.

What’s your favorite element of your space? My favorite part about my space is probably my shelf above my bed. Over the semester, I’ve filled it with books I’ve read, my Jellycat collection, art I’ve created, and other things that bring me joy and comfort. I love to wake up and admire the collection of the things that make me happy.

What’s your proudest DIY or product hack? I lived in the same building last year and wasn’t a fan of the bright teal wall it came with, so I decided to experiment with peel-and-stick wallpaper. It took me only an hour or two to fully install, and it turned out great. It really transformed the space and gave the walls some more personality. I decided to do it again this year, but play around with multiple wallpapers and I even added peel-and-stick molding. Overall, installing the wallpaper took me a single evening, but I did struggle a bit because I didn’t realize the striped wallpaper had to be pasted to the wall with water. That was a learning curve, but I love how it turned out. I don’t think I spent more than $120 on the materials, and I still have a lot left over, so you could say I got a great deal! 

In an effort to remove the stigma associated with talking about money in college, we’re asking students to share how they plan and budget for their space.

How much does your housing cost per semester? $3,600

Do you have anyone helping to fund your housing? Yes. My parents work hard to support me, so I am grateful that they can provide my housing.

Do you pay for your living expenses? Partially.

How do you earn your income? Part-time job and side hustle.

How much did it cost to decorate your space? I don’t think I’ve spent over $200 on my dorm this year. A lot of my decor items are DIYs or come from previous years.

Do you have anyone helping to fund your decor? No.

What was your best budget find for this space, and how much did it cost? All of my DIYs. My favorite would be the garland above my bed. It cost less than $15 to make — I just bought a few yards of assorted fabric, and a rope/string to hold everything together. Craft stores have a bunch of sales, and DIYs make decorating your space a fun activity!

What was your biggest splurge for this space, and how much did it cost? Probably my wallpaper. I spent around $120 in total.

What was your biggest challenge in decorating your space? Working with the small space of the room. The furniture it came with didn’t match my style and took up a lot of space in the room. Plus, the bulk of my fridge, microwave, and other items also made the room seem cluttered. I moved some things around to maximize my floor space and focused on seeing what decorations I could add to the existing furniture. I keep my space as clean as possible to prevent over-cluttering as well.

What’s your best tip for optimizing a small space? Because a dorm is such a small space, it is very easy to feel overwhelmed by clutter throughout the week. I love to do a weekly deep cleaning, as well as make sure to tidy up a little bit every day to prevent long-term mess. It also helps to focus on decorating walls and shelves more than adding furniture that sits on the floor, to really maximize space while also incorporating your personal style.

This submission’s responses were edited for length and clarity.

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