Fall Dorm Room Decor Ideas

Fall is approaching...fast. September 22nd is the official first day of fall this year (2020), which means, if you are one to decorate your room for it, nows your time to get some inspiration. These ideas are simple and cheap ways (excluding bedding) you can make your room a lot more festive! My friends and I loved making our rooms fit the season as it made our rooms feel a bit more personalized and homely and even motivated us towards the final stretch, reminding us that reading week (thanksgiving) was just around the corner! Here are some simple ideas of ways to decorate your dorm room (or bedroom) for fall this year:

Bed:

Image inspiration: 

When looking at fall-feel beddings, there are so many options out there to fit the aesthetic you're going for. Whether you want plain coloured bedding or some fun, printed sheets, there is something out there to match your vision!

Suggested colours: chestnut brown, dark brown (acorn brown), maroon, burgundy, orange, cream, white, mustard yellow

Suggested prints: pumpkins, plaid, autumn leaves, squirrels and acorns, chestnuts, 

- pillows: a cute plaid pillow or plain coloured is a great way to make your bedding look more festive. You could also add a mini pillow with a cute pumpkin or fall quote in front of it!

- blankets (for use or as a throw over): whether you go for thick and fluffy or light and airy, blankets are a cute, and helpful, addition to your fall bedding. Keep it simple with one colour, or make it jazzy with a plaid pattern!

- stuffed animal: For decor or to cuddle with, a cute festive stuffed animal can add the cuteness element to your bedding! Something festive like a pumpkin or a squirrel or even just a simple bear can be an adorable addition to your bed!

- sheets: Though your sheets may not be seen often by others, you could always go that extra mile of picking some festive themed bed sheets to really make every single aspect of your bedding festive. A plain orange bed sheet or a cute autumn leave printed sheet can do just the trick! 

- pillow cases/covers: As many bed sheets or duvet covers come with matching pillow cases/covers, you can always pick out some colours that really tie together well with your other colours and bedding theme! 

Desk:

desk inspira

- plastic pumpkins: Available at the dollar store or most home decor stores!

- fake leaves: Though these might get a little messy if left loosely on a flat surface, using double sided tape or tack can be used to stick these around the outside of a desk or dresser! 

- fake (or real) fall flowers: depending on the type of plant parent you can be, maybe going for some fake flowers like Chrysanthemums, Croton, or Ornamental Peppers to add some fall colour to your room is your best bet! Fake flowers can be found in dollar stores, craft stores and most home decor stores!

- wooden pumpkins: A super cute DIY idea is to get a wooden door hanger or a thin wooden stand that is shaped like a pumpkin and paint it however you want! If you feel your room is lacking a certain colour, paint it in the shade you want it and keep it on your door or on a desk!

- festive mugs: There are so many cute mugs out there shaped like pumpkins or with some nice words on them. Though some of the saying on mugs can be a little intense, there are some mugs with a simple little message on them that can be really cute for fall!

Whiteboard:

If you go to a university residence in Ontario, there is almost always a whiteboard on every room door where you write your name and can draw whatever you want on it or decorate it house you want to. If this applies to you, here are some ideas on how to decorate your whiteboard for fall!

- pumpkins with your (& your roommates) name in it

- autumn leaves as a border 

- a candle with your name & room number on it

- thanksgiving food/desserts all over 

- a Bible verse about gratitude (see here for suggestions: Alphabet of Bible Topics (and Where to Find Them)

- ghosts (with different expressions)

- squirrels and acorns (though squirrels are kinda hard to draw in my experience) 

Scents:

Suggested scents: warm vanilla, apple, pumpkin spice, coffee beans, cinnamon 

Bath & Body Works scents: Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin, Cozy Vanilla Cream, Sweater Weather, Warm Apple Pie, Black Cherry Merlot, Flannel  

- wall plugs: the absolute ideal candle replacement if you aren't able to light candles in your room!

- room spray: I used these all the time in my dorm room, but avoided the strong scents so it wasn't drifting into the halls or in anyone else's room. This is a great way to get those candle-like scents around your room if candles aren't permitted!

- candles (if permitted): With the warmth of the candle light and the smell all around the room, candles are a classic fall item.

- soaps: Keeping your hands clean from the germs and bacterias of flu season is crucial! Get some fall scented soap to go along with your festive theme here.

- lotion: Another great way to get that fall scent around is by using lotions!

- hand sanitizers: Given the current circumstances, hand sanitizer is very much needed. If you do get some fall scented hand sanitizers, many stores have limits on the amount of sanitizer you can purchase, but if they don't, please be mindful of the amount as many people are needing hand sanitizers too!

- shower gel: Once again, a great way to add some autumn scents into your day!

Snacks/drinks:

snack inspiration: 

This is a super cute touch you can add to your room! Adding some festive candy and snacks into a decorated jar or container can be something fun, festive to keep on your desk or side table! This was one of my favourite parts of decorating my dorm room for fall as it let me add something festive that anyone could grab and enjoy. 

Festive candy:

- candy corn

- m&m's (fall edition) (yellow, brown, red, and orange)

- pumpkin pie oreos

- pretzels

- Brach's autumn mix

- orange, yellow, and red jelly beans

- orange lollipops

- gummy pumpkins

- caramel popcorn

- fuzzy peaches

None-candy snacks:

- draw jack-o-lantern faces on snacks like oranges, prepackaged mandarins (pretty much anything orange)

- draw ghost faces on snacks like white cheese strings, pudding cups, pre bagged popcorn

- draw frankenstein faces on green jello cups, 

- fall trail mix

- cheese puffs

- crackers

- cheese strings

Drinks:

-  pumpkin spice latte mix

- orange juice

- chai tea bags

- apple cider

- pumpkin spice coffee creamer

- salted caramel hot chocolate mix

Walls:

decor inspiration:

- pumpkin lights: Hang them up with some tape or tack and string them along your bed or over your windows!

- stringed fake leaves: A super easy DIY decoration is to attach fake autumn leaves to some fairy lights and string them along your room or window! 

- printed fall aesthetic photo: Find some free printable fall images or take some with your friends and family and print them to frame or hang onto your dorm room walls! (make sure to stick them with something that won't take the paint off the walls!)

Though these are very brief and simple ideas, they definitely helped my dorm room look a lot more festive and really did get me a lot more excited being at school as it was almost like motivation reminding me that reading week (Thanksgiving break) was approaching which, soon after, meant Christmas break! You can obviously run in any direction you want with these ideas, they are just simple suggestions! Happy decorating! 🍁