Moving out of your childhood home and into a university dorm room is one of the most exciting experiences in a young adult’s life. However, university residences are also notorious for being the dictionary definition of small, bland and boring. Fear not! With a little bit of creativity and some thrifty shopping, you can style your room to be both comfortable and stylish no matter how beige the walls are!  

Give these top tips a go for creating a great look on a tight budget: 

Wall photo mural 

Add some personality to your dorm room by creating a mural using photos. You can use old photos to create a nostalgic collage or new photos to document your current life and friends. Either way, it’s a great way to add some colour and interest to your walls. All you need is some tape, photos, and a little bit of time. 

Invest in a stylish rug 

A decent rug can add both style and comfort to a space. Whether layering multiple rugs or investing in a single large one, rugs are an easy way to add colour and pattern to a room, and they can be swapped out seasonally or as your style changes. 

Use washi tape or wallpaper to refresh furniture 

Most furniture that comes with a dorm room is old and outdated. However, you can use peel-and-stick wallpaper or washi tape to refresh the pieces in your space. Best of all, washi tape and wallpaper come in a wide range of colours and patterns, are easy to apply and just as easy to remove at the end of the year! 

Upgrade your lighting 

Twinkle lights are a great cost-effective option to add a touch of warmth and personality to any space. As a bonus, they’re relatively inexpensive and easy to install and remove, giving you the freedom to change up your look whenever you want. 

Go with quality bedding 

Your bed is the centrepiece of your dorm room, so it’s important to have something that looks good and feels even better. By investing in quality bedding, you’ll be able to create a stylish and inviting space, and you can take it with you at the end of the year. 


Expressing style doesn’t have to be expensive. From photographs to ambient lighting and quality bedding, you can make your dorm feel like home. And don’t forget about storage! Wigwam’s student storage units in Chipping Norton are the perfect way to keep your dorm room organized and clutter-free.  

Give us a call at 01608 656 300 and chat with our friendly team or get a quote online

Written by
Simon Fothergill

Simon Fothergill has more than 20 years of experience in the UK self storage industry and is Managing Director of Wigwam Storage.He writes practical, easy-to-follow advice to help customers make the most of self storage, whether they are moving house, decluttering, renovating, storing business stock or simply needing extra space.With a long background in self storage operations and customer service, Simon shares useful self storage tips, packing advice and storage solutions designed to make storage simple, flexible and stress-free.

Customer Reviews

Wigwam Self Storage place picture
4.8
James Clack profile picture
James Clack
2 weeks ago
I'm renting a 50 sq ft space. The rates are better than the others I looked at. The location is good with parking right next to the unit. The staff have always been very helpful.
Very good customer service. Recommend it.
Bruce Joynes profile picture
Bruce Joynes
2 weeks ago
Very glad we chose Wigwam. everything ran smoothly and the unit is perfect.
Lovely clean place and the app was faultless.
Highly recommended.
Lisa Anderton profile picture
Lisa Anderton
3 weeks ago
Very easy transaction via phone/email to book a unit. Very pleasant helpful staff during initial contact.
Once contract in place very easy app use to access site and unit, very clear easy to follow instructions. Very happy and would definitely recommend
Clarissa Ardy profile picture
Clarissa Ardy
3 weeks ago
Wigman Self Storage consistently delivers superb customer service. I received comprehensive assistance throughout the process of securing my storage unit. The facility is impeccably clean, and the procedure was straightforward. The staff I interacted with over the phone were consistently polite, making the entire experience thus far truly marvelous. I highly recommend Wigman Self Storage to anyone in need of storage solutions.
hedi fakhfakh profile picture
hedi fakhfakh
4 weeks ago
Easy quick no hassle
Easy to set up and access the location. Friendly and helpful staff.
Jeanine Hirschl profile picture
Jeanine Hirschl
1 month ago
I left a well-known storage unit for Wigwam, mainly because of cost, wigwam are more reasonable, the unit is clean and is entry availablity is upto 10pm. You work off an app that allows entry not only to the building also to your rented unit. It is safe, No fear of loosing keys. The staff very helpful. Highly recommended.
Lydia Ebiuwhe profile picture
Lydia Ebiuwhe
1 month ago
Lenny was great at helping me get my storage over the phone, and was engaging and fun. I also received some help from a nice guy at the location; I think his name is Adam, a very lovely fellow. Friendly staff they've got. First time using a storage unit, and it was seamless to set up and easy to use the app without any confusion. The price was also really affordable, beyond what I assumed it would be, and I still got a 50% discount for the first 8 weeks. I highly recommend Wigwam.
Sue Hazell profile picture
Sue Hazell
1 month ago
Excellent Service & product !
Very easy access with parking right outside the door.
Plenty of trolleys, so no need for muscles ! It maybe a little more expensive than some others, BUT the cleanliness & ease of use perfect.
The staff are VERY patient, explaining how each unit works.
It is great to know the manned office hours & how to make contact if not.
Plenty of accessible hours too.
Ps.... they do like a biscuit or 2 in the office I hear !
J J profile picture
J J
1 month ago
Really easy to deal with, Lenny was very helpful and I would recommend.
Chris Hathaway profile picture
Chris Hathaway
1 month ago
Really good, staff very helpful.
Units were good and secure.
only critisms - lights turned off automatically too quickly and no onsite toilet.