Best Places to Shop for Dorm Decor

This is the second installment into my college dorm series that I'm working on this summer. If you didn't see my first post with all sorts of advice for before you go dorm shopping, you should check it out.

Now that you have consulted with your roommate, decided on what you want your dorm to look like and gotten TONS of inspiration from Pinterest, it is time for the fun part, shopping! Every girl wants that Pinterest-perfect dorm, however having a cute dorm room can get pricy very quickly. Don't worry! I have a ton of recommendations for places to find great pieces for your dorm without having to spend crazy amounts of money.

// Target //

Do I even need to tell you this one? Target is the best for pretty much everything. For all of your basics: sheets, bed pillows, mattress cover, etc., Target is the place to go. They'll also have some great decor finds too, but I recommend getting those on sale (if you haven't checked out Target's Cartwheel app, you should). You can also find some fun things to brighten up your space that aren't technically meant as home decor, like the fun, bright colored tassel garlands and banners they have with party supplies. The Target dollar spot also tends to have some great finds.

// T. J. Maxx / Home Goods //

T. J. Maxx or Home Goods are great places to find decor and storage items at much more reasonable prices. Those cute acrylic containers that beauty bloggers use to organize their makeup? You can find those for probably less than half the usual price at Home Goods. When I was buying things for my freshman dorm, I found two canvas hampers at Home Goods that I have used to hold dirty laundry and spare sheets/towels. I also got all of my thin felt hangers at T. J. Maxx for really cheap. Check back throughout the summer because their stock is always changing.

// Tuesday Morning //

Tuesday Morning is another great place to find awesome decor for really good prices. My mom found throw pillows, a set of sheets, and a set of towels for me at Tuesday Morning when I was going to college. More recently, I found a beautiful metal trellis bedside table with a mirrored top that I plan to use in my dorm this year. Oh it was also $30. What? I've seen similar things online for over $100. Like T. J. Maxx, check back often because they're always getting new things.

// At Home //

At Home might be my favorite out of all of these. It is a home decor superstore and it has everything you could possibly dream of for decorating your dorm for extraordinarily reasonable prices. Their selection of throw pillows is unreal for much better prices than even Target. Think $15 instead of $30. At Home also has tons of rugs at great prices. I think 5ft x 7ft will be the best size for my next dorm room and At Home has lots of cute options for under $50. I haven't looked at their less practical, more decorative items, but I plan on going back and probably will pick up a few things. If you don't have a location near you, their website is great too.

// Walmart //

Now I don't necessarily recommend Walmart for lots of things, as the quality isn't always great, but you can find some good things there. The other week I found some hand towels that perfectly match my dorm colors that I couldn't resist picking up. If you have a bathroom you need to outfit, Walmart would be a good place to go. They have lots of cute shower curtains, tooth brush holders, soap dispensers that all go together. 

// Dollar Tree //

When it comes to organizing your dorm room, Dollar Tree (or any other dollar store) is your friend. I have a bunch of little plastic bins in varying sizes from Dollar Tree that I use to organize my dorm desk drawers for storing school supplies and makeup. I also got some laundry necessities like zippered bags for delicates and a laundry bag from Dollar Tree. On a slightly related note, look at your local Dollar Tree for a stain remover called Oxygen Orange in an orange bottle. It's the best, it got a month old red wine stain out of my white Lilly dress. Trust me having a good stain remover with you will be a life saver.

Do you have any other recommendations for places to find reasonable dorm decor?