Believe it or not, it’s already mid-summer, which for us college-girls means that it’s time to start getting our dorm room in order! Organizing and decorating my dorm rooms the last two years has made me look forward to going back to school even more. Call me an organizational freak, but there is nothing like getting everything unpacked and situated, and finding the perfect spot for it all. And what’s the absolute first thing I’ve always done on move in day? Make up my bed. When you first move in, the room looks dull and stale (hello lovely cinder block walls and dingy carpet squares..). Making up your bed instantly adds cheer to the entire space and from there it becomes more and more like your room. 

 Thus, I have recently been perusing the internet for the cutest bedding for the upcoming year.  I definitely lean toward comforters and duvets, because they are big, fluffy, and cozy, and that’s obviously the kind of bed I want in my life. This pom pom throw (which you can monogram!) is a must as well, and I’ve always laid it over my bed or a chair in my room. 

However, if you don’t seem to be gravitating toward the duvets, then take a look at these comfy quilts, which are just gorgeous. This is the bedding I used last year and I loved it. My roommate and I decided to match, which I think made the room look more unified. But if you’re not into the whole matchy-matchy look, then I’d recommend getting bedding that has coordinating colors. Take a look at my freshman dorm room and my sophomore dorm room to see exactly what my bedding looked like. 

 Now, here are 10 of my current fave duvets!

I cannot get over the huge pom poms on this ivory duvet. I have all white bedding at home and absolutely love the fresh and crisp look it adds to my room! Would I be concerned about white bedding in a college dorm? Possibly– unless you’re a strict no-food-in-bed kind of person (but where’s the fun in that?!). So I would recommend just Scotchgarding it and throwing on a bunch of colorful pillows:) 

Again with the pom poms! This rainbow “pom-fringe” duvet has my heart, and you’d definitely have no problem at all finding colorful coordinating pillows and decor! 

This John Robshaw blue and mint patterned bedding reminds me of a meadow and the ocean all at once. So if you like the outdoors but love being in your bed even more, then this one’s for you. 🙂

The Lilly Pulitzer for Garnet Hill florals duvet collection is everything. I simply cannot get over how they’ve brought the vibrant Lilly patterns to life-size bedding. I just want to curl up in here and dream of palm trees, tropical beaches, and summer all year round. 

This shades of blue paisley bedding seems to fall on the less girly spectrum of bedding patterns. To me it gives off a cooler vibe and could be paired with a beautiful hanging tapestry and white twinkle lights! 

For all of you golden girls out there… this metallic gold polka dot duvet is feminine, fun, and heavenly looking. Scroll down to see the gold sequin pillow that I have, which would go oh-so-well on this bedding. 

This navy reversible duvet set is an all-time classic. I went with navy and pink (and gold!) as my dorm room colors this past year and could not have been happier. Throw a pink monogram pillow on there and you’re set! 

Put the lime in the coconut! This turquoise and lime duvet and sham set  is looking a lot like a tropical escape. I would definitely need to tan towel before getting into this Caribbean turquoise bedding. I’m all about those vibrant colors! 

This bohemian bedding is fancy because it’s not only gorgeous on this side, but it’s also reversible. So if you’re that person who is a big food-eater-in-bed, then I’d recommend investing in this functional duvet that doubles as two! 

Besides the bedding, if you asked me what I think made our room the most “homey,” I’d say our white shag rug, the curtains my mom put on our windows, and our white twinkle Christmas lights that lined the entire ceiling (which we hung with command hooks and they stayed up all year long). It’s easy to overlook those details, but I honestly think they elevate the atmosphere of the room entirely, and take it to another level. 

I linked my favorite dorm decorations below, and I will definitely do a larger follow up post on more decor and storage, so let me know what you’d like to see! But for now, here are a few other sites to visit to find high quality, functional, and adorable room accessories!

Garnet Hill’s Dorm Room Essentials page

PB Teen’s Bedroom Storage page

West Elm’s Home Organization page

Waiting on Martha is a decor diva’s dream… 

Target’s storage and organization page 

(look particularly at the cubby storage that you could put on your desk for additional shelving)

THE CONTAINER STORE 

(this is my organizational heaven, and they are having a summer sale right now)