Decorating a dorm room is essential

for turning a highly impersonal space into something workable.

Think about it: You are now living

somewhere hundreds, if not thousands, of people have lived in

before. This is a room replete – if not resplendent – with

toothpaste-filled nail holes and strange carpet stains located in

places where the only solution is covering them up with a throw

rug.

The problem? That rug may cost

upwards of $20, which is a price that can be hard to stomach when

$20 is your ramen noodle budget for the week – or the month.

Shopping around at thrift stores may

seem like the only option, and while there are great things to be

discovered, even big-box stores can yield frugal-yet-cute

finds.

Here’s what a shopping expedition to

some local stores uncovered:

Snowline

Hospice Thrift Store, Folsom (616 E. Bidwell St.)

Snowline Hospice

is a local organization that helps families deal both physically

and emotionally with the death of loved ones. According to its

website, the sales from the six thrift stores directly benefit the

organization and its mission.

• Three milk glass vases can be both

decorative and useful and add a homey touch to a fiberboard

dresser. ($1.50 each)

• A hot-pink throw pillow with a

black button and black piping adds a pop of color to a darker

bedspread. ($2)

• A funky, red linen lampshade with

beaded fringe is versatile enough to go with a few different color

schemes. Adding the shade onto an old lamp base makes for some

cheap illumination. ($5)

Tuesday

Morning, Folsom (685 E. Bidwell St.)

Tuesday Morning delivers

HomeGoods-esque décor with smaller price tags. Some items are a

little expensive, but poking around can uncover good deals.

• A light pink organizer box with

white and chocolate brown polka dots would be a great place to

store your keys, phone and Dining Commons meal card in easy reach.

($5)

• A bigger, darker pink box with

steep sides can hold socks or the notebooks and pens you need for

class. ($7 and available in other colors)

Target,

El Dorado Hills(4400 Town Center

Blvd.)

While Target is not exactly known

for its super-cheap stuff, taking a good look around may be worth

the while.

• An extra-long twin comforter is a

must for those extralong dorm room beds. A dark brown one can hide

stains and go with a masculine or feminine design aesthetic.

($19.99)

• Extra-long white sheet sets

(including a fitted sheet, flat sheet and pillowcase) and

regular-length pink, orange, green and blue stripes were on

clearance – even at full price, Target sheets are a bargain.

($12.48)

• Taking a nap smells better with a

brand-new pillow, and at this price, you can buy a new one when

your roommate (or an oddball visitor) steals yours. ($4.04)

• Wire mesh magazine holders can be

used for stray papers or organizing those pesky syllabi professors

insist on giving to you. Buy one, three or five – there is no

sticker shock with these dollar-section finds. ($2.50 each and

available in different colors depending on the store)

• A matching mesh wastepaper basket

is tiny enough to be tucked under your desk and sleek enough to

blend in. ($2.50 each and available in different colors depending

on the store)

• And of course, no room is complete

without a little art on the walls. Don’t spring for pricey prints –

a pack of patterned paper can be framed and hung on the wall or you

can even make a collage with the paper and painter’s tape (you do

not want to damage the paint on the walls). ($.99 for eight

sheets)

The total for everything seen here

is $66 before tax, which is just a little under half of a Sac State

parking pass. This may seem like a big investment, but you can

always pick and choose – and remember, this stuff can transfer

easily to your first apartment.

Just try not to make any more

strange stains.

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Alex Poggione can be reached at 

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