DIY Dorm Paintings

I've been wanting to post pictures of my apartment but I am going to have to clean it first. In the meantime, here is a really easy project to decorate your dorm/apartment. I couldn't find that many posters that I loved and matched my color scheme so I painted my own.

 

These designs were really easy and are a mix between free hand and stencil.

After the paint dried, I also added a little glitter. The paintings have traveled with me since freshmen year and are currently in my apartment kitchen area.

 

Here are some looks at how I've used them over the years:

Freshmen year over the bed

 

 

Sophomore year above the TV.

 

 

Senior year in the kitchen nook.

 

Just a simple and cheap way to add a little personality to your dorm room :)

 

 

 



Easy Slow Cooker Chicken

 

Yesterday I made my very first crock pot meal! My grandmother recently gave me this small slow cooker that is the perfect size for my little apartment. I was pretty nervous about using it but it turned out super easy and the chicken tasted great. I wanted something that was very simple to start with. I looked up a lot of recipes for chicken cooked in a slow cooker and adapted them into this:

 

Italian Slow Cooker Chicken

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

1 Italian salad dressing mix packet

1 can cream of chicken soup 

1 package of pasta (I just got what was on sale)

 

1.Put chicken in slow cooker and sprinkle with the Italian dressing mix.

2. Cover the chicken with a thin layer of water and cook on low for 5-6 hours

3. Mix in the cream of chicken soup and let cook for another 15-20 minutes.

 

I served this chicken over pasta with a little cheese sprinkled on the top and a side salad. I was very pleased with how it turned out and am eating leftovers tonight!

Dorm Decor: Clothesline for Photos

This year I am lucky to have an apartment style dorm and I have been working on getting settled in this week. I love displaying pictures in my dorm because it makes it feel even more like home. Today I added this clothes line style decor to my wall to display pictures and cards.

I attached small Command hooks in the corner of each side of the wall. I tied yarn that I got on sale for .88 to each hook. Because the clothespins are a little heavy for the yarn I also used sticky tabs to attach the string to the wall. The tabs are covered by the tissue paper flowers.

To make the flowers I cut out circles from tissue paper (2 circles per flower) and folded them in together. I then stapled the circles together in the back and stuck them over the sticky tabs.

I can't wait to add more pictures and cards as the school year progresses! Here is what it looks like on the whole wall:



Cheap and Easy Dinner

This is such an easy and affordable dinner for college students! In the produce department there are potatoes that come packaged in plastic.I got this one for just .99. You microwave them for ten minutes and they are ready to eat.

If you are new to buying your own groceries you probably haven't even noticed these potatoes. My local grocery store usually keeps them in a basket next to the regular potatoes. My mom gets them for us at home sometimes.

Add some salt, pepper, cheese, bacon bits, etc. and you have a loaded baked potato for less than five bucks. My potato was pretty big so I ate it by itself but you also warm up some vegetables or have a salad for a complete meal that is just right for a college student's budget.



Favorite Five Friday: Dorm Essentials

Freshmen move-in day for NKU is a week away! I can’t wait for the campus to be busy with people again. This will be my third year living in the dorms so I wanted to share some dorm essentials that you might not think about.

1. Mattress Cover and Pad

Protect your bed from bed bugs with a cover that zippers around your entire mattress. Then add some comfort with an extra mattress pad. You never know how old that mattress is or who used it before you.

2. Clothes Drying Rack

A lot of my friends were amazed when they first say this is my room because they had never used one before. It folds up for easy storage and allows you to save money on laundry. If I’m afraid something will draw up I always put it on this drying rack versus a regular dryer.

3. Good Wall Adhesives

If your dorm is older it will be tough to get things to stick to the walls and most places forbid using nails. The worst thing is having your bulletin board fall on you in the middle of the night. I attached ribbon to things I wanted to hang and invested in some Command hooks. Adhesive tape is helpful as well.

4. Power Strip

Your room will not come with many outlets and you will have to share them with your roommate. Make sure you have a power strip to ensure you can plug in your mini-fridge, printer, alarm clock, etc.

5. Make-up Mirror

Your own mirror will be a lifesaver when you and your roommate are trying to get ready at the same time or you don’t want to go to the floor bathroom. Plus, dorm lighting usually isn’t the best for applying make-up.

These are just a few items that I have really found helpful in my years of living in a dorm. My advice is to come with the essentials and buy more as you discover that you need it. Freshmen usually end up overbuying and sending a lot of stuff back home after the first few months.

Also, for move in day I suggest suitcases or bags with handles or wheels versus the big tubs. The tubs get very heavy, the lids don’t stay on well, and they are hard to carry.

I hope this is helpful! Get excited for move-in day!