Home sweet home

Moving into a dorm is one of college life's most exciting milestones; it's the first time many young adults are living away from the comfy confines of home.

But the thrill can wane when the dormitory door opens. Most dorm rooms are pretty basic, with plain furniture and institutional floors and walls.

So how do you take a room from Spartan to snazzy when most of the budget is going to meal plans and books?

"No matter how small and cramped your dorm room may be, you can still find cute ways to store all your stuff -- without spending a ton on organizers and decor," said Seventeen magazine editor Kristin Koch.

She and stylist Sarah Newell suggest creating a floating shelf out of a magazine file box, and turning clear plastic paint cans into storage for hair accessories or school supplies.

This undated photo provided by Target shows a door storage device. With storage at a premium in most dorm rooms, an over-the-door full-length mirror hides a storage area for toiletries, jewelry and other items. (Target via AP)

Repurposing and rethinking are the keys to good hacks.

Tikva Morrow is editor-in-chief at Hometalk.com, a New York-based do-it-yourself home and garden website. She says it's tempting to load up on kitschy decor, but that's a budget sucker.

"DIY some pretty embellishments of your own instead," she suggests. "Bring along a few rolls of washi tape for wall decor and picture displays, and make a few large prints for walls."

Decorative tape and fabric also can be used to jazz up shelving and built-ins.

Is that your roommate's laptop charger or yours? Identify the cords and accessories by wrapping them with colorful tape, advises stylist and HGTV.com contributor Michelle Edgemont. She also suggests adding the tape to a plain-Jane table or closet door.

This undated photo provided by Zest it Up shows painted rocks that resemble cactuses. No need to worry about keeping real plants alive, just scrounge some smooth rocks and green and black paint to plant a few faux cactuses in a pot. (Zest it Up via AP)

Look online for instructions on how to make no-sew or simple-sew pillows with old T-shirts or sweaters.

"Cute throw pillows are easy to make, and even a headboard can be DIY-ed using a large piece of cardboard, some fabric and a hot-glue gun," Morrow said.

Shower-stall caddies can be hung on a door or wall to corral loose items, said Gurl.com's Jessica Booth.

And organization blogger Laura Wittman of Alberta, Canada, said shower-curtain rings can turn ordinary hangers into scarf and belt organizers.

Or use the rings to hang fabric or curtains over existing dorm blinds, personalizing your windows.

This undated photo provided by Fiskars shows cupcake holders that look like flowers being used to customize standard string lights. The idea can be used as decoration inside a dorm room. (Fiskars via AP)

Dorm floors are pretty institutional, but students don't want to spend on nice rugs that will get lots of wear and tear. On Hometalk.com, Brooke Bock of Tyrone, Pennsylvania, shares how she made a shaggy throw rug using a piece of nonslip rug matting and recycled sheet scraps.

On the same site, Sarah Ramberg of Simpsonville, South Carolina, contributed the idea of turning a silverware tray into a jewelry holder using paint, stencils and cup hooks.

A silverware tray tucked into a drawer makes good hideaway storage for keys, ID cards, sunglasses and electronics.

Design duo Zest It Up in Atascadero, California, suggests creating an artsy, no-maintenance indoor garden by painting smooth rocks and planting them as faux cactuses in a cool pot.

In many dorms, beds are on lofts over desks or storage areas, said Target stylist (and recent UCLA graduate) Tiffany Ma.

This undated photo provided by Artistic Endeavors 101 shows a shaggy throw rug made from recycled sheet scraps. You could use old T-shirts or other fabrics as well for this unique piece of dorm decor. (Artistic Endeavors 101 via AP)

She recommends using Target's Room Essentials Micro Fiber Sheets with side pockets: "It's like having your own floating nightstand to hold your phone, tablet, book or glasses. You can get your exercise walking to class, instead of climbing up and down from your bunk."

The retailer also has an over-the-door, full-length mirror with built-in organizer.

"There's nothing more boring than the typical cinder-block dorm-room wall -- they're almost impossible to nail or screw into, plus you don't want to get in trouble for marking them up," Ma said.

Consider a colorful tapestry or a mural photo-printed with a "view": a city at night, a scene from some faraway land, a serene nature-scape. Attach the cloth with non-marking adhesive strips.

When you're doing the school-supply run, grab some extra sticky notepads. Pinterest is full of ideas for wall art made with the sticky notes, and instructions for crafting decorative flowers are at post-it.com.

This undated photo provided by Post-it Brand shows a custom faux flower bouquet made out of Post-it Notes, and can be used to pretty up a drab dorm space. (Post-it via AP)

Or create a framed corkboard or mirror using rolled-up magazine pages and Mod Podge.

Using a paper punch, turn metallic or paper cupcake holders into frilly foils for string lights; Los Angeles designer Emma Jeffery shows you how at fiskars.com.