Sustainable Dorm Room Tips
There is a hint of crunchy leaves and dusty books on the air this month as college students prepare to return to universities. If you are a college student interested in sustainability (or saving money!), or if you know a college student, we have some great tips below on sustainable dorm life that are easy, light on the wallet, and good for the planet!
Storage Hacks
As previously mentioned, old glass jars are a cheap and chic way to store everything from snacks to pencils, and they can also double as drinkware or containers for leftovers! Stacked bamboo crates can also make for some easy-to-assemble bookshelves/tv stands/appliance stands/shoe racks that are more sustainable than the chemical-laden manufactured wood used in cheap items. Thrifting furniture is also a great way to meet your storage needs for less, especially if you like vintage decor.
DIY Decor
Speaking of decor, thrifting is a great way to find lots of items. You can find not only decorations in the form of picture frames, vases, and tablecloths, but you can score some very practical things like dishes, microwaves, record players, clothes, etc. Buying new is not always needed, especially if you don’t want to load up your dorm with expensive items you might lose or break in the move. Decor like mismatched frames holding pictures of friends, a vintage tea table, or a collection of old records tacked up on the wall can make your room unique and memorable!
Refuse and Reuse
Non-paper towels, fabric dusters, linen napkins, tote bags, stainless steel or bamboo cutlery, stainless steel or glass water bottles…All of these can be reused again and again, so after the initial purchase (or you’ve received them as a gift), these items will save you LOTS, as well as keep all that waste out of the environment! If you sometimes find yourself with a disposable item like a to-go container or plastic bag, try to stretch it for at least a few more uses to help reduce waste and the demand for unsustainable materials being used for “disposable” items.
Disinfect on a Dime
Sometimes, you need a strong disinfectant in a dorm room…and we get that. Most of the time though, you can just make your own! Recipes like these can be easily refilled into a glass bottle for pennies per ounce (mind their safety notes and be careful not to mix certain chemicals like bleach and ammonia/vinegar or hydrogen peroxide and vinegar). You can also buy bulk for some soaps, shampoos, and conditioners (like our stock over at The Bent Penny), or if you need compact and lightweight self-care items to hit the showers, check out our bar soaps, dry shampoo, or liquid-free shampoo and conditioner bars.
Stocking, decorating, and maintaining your dorm doesn’t have to be pricey or require buying a lot of stuff, and you can make it unique and beautiful even if you don’t buy all new. With a little ingenuity, you can have a sustainable dorm room that will wow friends and stay within a budget!