Decorating for your first apartment can undoubtedly be overwhelming. But despite the overwhelm, it’s truly one of the most fun parts of getting your first apartment.
When I was first moving into my college apartment, I had no idea where to start decorating and it caused so much unnecessary stress, which was such as bummer because that was part I was most excited for!
Enjoying the process is just as important as the finished result. To help make your apartment decorating process as smooth as possible, I put together a list of all of the college apartment decor essentials to help you get started!
We will be going over bedroom decor, bathroom decor, kitchen decor, and even living room decor. Get comfy and grab your shopping list, it’s gonna be a long one girls!
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College Apartment Decor Essentials
Bedroom Decor Essentials
Bedding
If you want a fluffy hotel-style bed, a duvet and duvet insert is the way to go. This best selling set I linked above is super affordable and will go with any style of room decor.
Throw Pillows
Having cute throw pillows will make your bed pop and are a focus point in your room.
Pro tip: Buy a pillow insert that’s one size bigger than your pillow cover to make your pillows more fluffy!
Blankets
Cozy blankets in your room are a must have if you find yourself getting cold at night! I love how this one is decorative so it would look amazing at the end of your bed without drawing too much attention.
Mirror
Putting a floor mirror in a corner (typically next to the window) helps amplify the amount of light that comes into your room and makes your room look bigger than it really is.
Night Stands
A bedside table/nightstand is a great addition to any bedroom. If you can fit two in your room, it will make your room look super classy and sophisticated, but having one will be just fine too!
Not only are nightstands practical, but they really extend the look of your bed and help fill in the extra wall space.
Seating
If you have the space in your apartment bedroom, I highly recommend adding some extra seating. Having an extra chair will come in handy if you have friends over so that everyone can have a place to sit.
Plants
Plants have a way of just bringing a room to life. If you’re not into the idea of having to keep a real plant alive, these fake plants I found will still give you the same effect without the maintenance.
Wall Decor
Plain walls can be a little boring. You can give those some flare by adding a few simple wall decor pieces like these!
Lamp
Overhead lights can be harsh and bright especially at night. I love lamps because they provide a soft light that brings a sense of coziness to your room.
Other decor
These decor pieces are seriously so cute! They are perfect to use to decorate shelving, dressers, desks, and more.
Bathroom Decor Essentials
Shelving
It’s no secret that apartment bathrooms can be super small and lack storage space. Lucky for you it’s easy to create your own storage space that’s still cute at the same time!
Floating shelves are a great minimalistic way to add extra space to your bathroom without taking up space. You can place these shelves right over your toilet to hold things like toilet paper, cotton balls/swaps, and more.
The tiered rack is a cute and simple bathroom storage space idea to hold your bathroom towels, beauty products, and other essentials. You can even put baskets in the cubby holes if you want everything out of sight.
Wall Decor
Having a cute bathroom a must! Check out these cute bathroom wall decor ideas that will transform your space!
Shower Curtain
I love the simplicity of this shower curtain! It will go with any color scheme that you are going for in your bathroom.
Bathmats
Wet and cold floors are a serious no-go! Getting bathmats is a must if you want to keep your feet warm and your floors dry.
Kitchen Decor Essentials
Cookbooks
Not only are cookbook functional, they make really cute decor too!
Charcuterie Boards
These affordable charcuterie boards are an apartment kitchen decor must-have! You can layer them behind your stove like this, or layer them on your kitchen counter like this to elevate your space.
Condiment Dispensers
Another way you can style your apartment kitchen is with cute condiment dispensers. The key is to put things that you grab often in these dispensers so they can be easy to reach for when you need them!
Decorative Tray
Having a decorative tray on your kitchen counter will help keep clutter off of your countertops. Check out this post to discover cute ways to style a decorative tray in your kitchen!
Living Room Decor Essentials
Couch
Your couch will be the centerpiece of your entire living room. When you are moving into your first apartment, there is really no need to splurge on an expensive one. You most likely won’t spend very much time in the living room.
This affordable one from Amazon is a great price point. And if you can split it with your roommates, it makes it even better!
Coffee Table
If you are looking for an affordable coffee table, check out this cute one from Amazon!
Chairs
Having an accent chair in your living room is a great way to add some extra seating for when you have friends over, while also filling up extra space.
TV Stand
You will most likely not be able to mount your TV on your wall in your college apartment, so if you plan on having a TV in your living room a TV stand is a must.
End Tables
How cute is this living room end table?! I’m seriously OBSESSED. It adds the perfect pop of gold and would look amazing in a boho or glam themed living room.
Area Rug
Area rugs help ground the space and brings everything together. They also help create an inviting cozy and warm space.
Plants
Plant’s aren’t just for the bedroom, they will bring your living room alive too! This fiddle leaf fig would look so cute in a corner in your living room.
Mirror
If you want your living room to bigger and more open placing a mirror like this one on your wall will do just the trick!
Lamps
A lamp like this one is another great way to make your living room feel cozier and inviting at night so you don’t have to turn on your main lights.
Wall Decor
Bring your living room walls to life with cute wall decor pieces like these!
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