You’ve done all the hard stuff – you’ve been accepted to college, selected your courses for the semester, and found a roommate – and now there’s just one final hurdle: transitioning from your dorm room to your college apartment. Even though your space is probably the size of a shoebox (give or take), there is plenty of room to make furnishing mistakes!
Here are some of the most common mistakes to avoid when furnishing your college apartment (and a few tips for what to do instead).
Mistake #1: Not consulting with your future roomie.
No, you don’t have to be those roommates who show up to campus with matching bedspreads and coordinating wall art, but you’ve still got to coordinate a few things. After all, you don’t want to roll up with two sofas, two microwaves, and two TVs… or worse, zero! You’ll definitely need to figure out how to split furniture with roommates so that your college apartment has everything you need (and nothing you don’t).
Mistake #2: Skipping the rug.
It really doesn’t matter where you go to school: college apartments tend to be universally drab and sterile. By laying out a big, soft rug, you can quickly and easily make your space feel cozier. Plus, a big area rug pulls both sides of the room together cohesively, even if you and your roomie have pretty diverse decorating tastes. Another perk: getting out of bed is a little easier when you’re landing on a lush, warm rug.
Mistake #3: Hauling all of your furniture from home.
Why spend any money furnishing a college apartment? You’ve got your whole childhood bedroom set ready to go! Not so fast. First, lugging furniture to and from campus is no easy feat, unless you’re planning on renting a moving truck at the start and end of every year. (Oh, and where are you going to sleep when you’re home for the holidays?!) Second, unless you’ve hit the college apartment jackpot, you’re probably not going to have as much space in your college room as you did at home.
Mistake #4: Buying everything you could possibly need… ever.
Just because your friends are taking a sectional, a bar cart, a coffee table, a spinning shoe rack, an ironing board, and four lamps to college doesn’t mean you need to, too. Instead of buying and packing every single thing you might need, think like a minimalist. Bring the essentials and wait until you’ve settled in a bit to figure out what else you need. A small apartment can feel a lot smaller when you’ve crammed items and furniture into every square inch. (The same goes for college apartment wall décor – covering the walls in photos and posters can make the space feel cluttered and cramped.)
Mistake #5: Not measuring your space.
Don’t eyeball it. Before you get a piece of furniture for your apartment, measure the space where you intend to put it. “I’m pretty sure that will fit,” are famous last words when it comes to furniture shopping. Before you drag anything up flights of stairs and into your brand new college apartment, double (or triple) check that it will actually fit.
Mistake #6: Getting free furniture online or on the curb.
It might be tempting to pinch pennies as much as possible when you’re furnishing your college apartment, but getting cheap or free furniture isn’t always as great as it seems. Your furniture will get a lot of use – after all, this is a space where you’ll sleep, eat, study, and host friends. Second and third-hand furniture that is poorly made, broken, and dirty won’t hold up, meaning you’ll be hunting for furniture all over again in a few months’ time. That’s not to say you can’t find some budget-friendly gems at thrift shops and curbs… just be selective!
Mistake #7: Reaching for single-use furniture.
You won’t have much space to work with in your college apartment bedroom, so it’s always a good idea to find furniture that can play multiple roles. Your bookshelf should also function as your TV stand. Your ottoman should have built-in storage. Your desk will likely double as your dining table. That padded Papasan chair should be suitable for studying, eating, watching TV, and reading. The best kind of college furniture is multifunctional.
Mistake #8: Not considering renting furniture.
Purchasing brand new furniture is expensive. Hauling furniture to and from campus is a massive hassle. Free, scavenged furniture often doesn’t hold up. The solution? Renting furniture! CORT Furniture Rental is an excellent option for college students to check out. Furnish your home away from home with high-quality furniture without the big, upfront cost of purchasing it outright. CORT offers Student Packages – and when you’re splitting the cost with your roomies, it’s even more affordable!
Not only does renting furniture through CORT Furniture Rental save you the hassle of moving, but it’s better for the environment, too. All of CORT’s furniture and decor are designed with quality materials and to endure through several rental cycles. Long before CORT Furniture Rental’s furniture and decor items are worn, they’re moved over to CORT Furniture Outlet where they’re sold at fantastic discount prices to their forever homes — a win for you and the environment!
Avoid the mistake so many have made in the past and purchase quality, affordable furniture for your college apartment at CORT Furniture Outlet. Explore the treasure trove of furniture and decor items at your local CORT Furniture Outlet online or in-store today and pick up as soon as the same day. It’s easy, convenient, and affordable. What are you waiting for? Start browsing furniture for your college apartment today!
