Living in a college dorm room doesn’t mean you have to live in jail cell vibes. And the same goes for your first apartment with the cheapest rent in town. Adding curtains to your college dorm room or apartment windows is a quick and easy way to instantly upgrade your room!
This is my #1 tip to make a room feel more cozy. Adding curtains to your dorm room will instantly make your room look more put together and homey.
Adding curtains is super affordable and really simple. You don’t even need to drill into the walls to accomplish this!
Here’s how to put up curtains, no matter what your window situation is:
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Choose a Curtain Rod
You might not be able to choose your type of rod until after you move in. But if you’re really on the ball and are able to see what type of window you will have before you move in, make sure you measure!
Traditional Rod
If your have blinds, this type of curtain rod will work well because it will go over the blinds!
Your curtain rod doesn’t need to be super expensive or incredibly durable. Remember, this is a dorm room and regardless of what you buy now, you’ll upgrade when you graduate.
As long as it is the color you need and is long enough, that’s all you’ll need. Be sure to measure your window AND how far your blinds stick out from the wall (especially if you have vertical hanging blinds).
Tension Rod
If you have the right kind of window, a tension rod will be the cheapest and easiest option. This will work well with a window that has a deep sill. The best part about a tension rod is that you won’t need to worry about how you will hang it.
Adding curtains to closets, doorways, under the bed, and little nooks are cute ways to incorporate curtains into your dorm room! Tension rods are great for that too.
I had no idea this existed until a few months ago… and TBH I probably would have used these even when I was living at home with my parents. This type of rod is perfect for aesthetics and ease!
Figure out how to hang the rod
So you’ve picked out a rod, now we need to get it up on the wall. If you’re able to drill into the wall, that will be the most sturdy option. But, if you don’t have to drill, you might save yourself some money when you go to move out.
Curtain Rod Command Hooks
If you’re getting a traditional rod, you’re going to need a way to hang it! These Command Hooks are a perfect way to hang a rod without putting holes in the wall.
I really wish I had these when I tried hanging curtains in my dorm room. I tried using the original Command Hooks, but the rod was basically sitting on top of the hook and the rod would fall off the wall all the time. These are little more expensive than the OG Command Hook but they will save you a lot of headache!
Remember- you depending on how wide your windows are, you might need 3 hooks. If you have 2 window panes that you’re trying to cover, opt for 3 hooks. We’re on a budget but looking to keep it classy, so you don’t want the rod to sag or for the weight of the curtains to pull the rod off the wall.
Adjustable Curtain Rod Bracket
I actually have these in my apartment right now. Even if you have vertical hanging blinds that stick out far from the wall, you can still add fabric curtains over them!
All you need to do is hang the rod out farther from the wall so that the curtains will hang over the blinds. This is why you need to measure how much the blinds stick out from the wall. Especially if the blinds are hanging from the wall rather than within the window sill.
If you need a way to hang these on the wall without drilling, you might need to get creative. You could try sticking the a Command Strip to the back of the bracket. Or, if you or your dad is handy, attach the bracket to a small piece of wood and then stick that piece of wood to the wall with a Command Strip. A process but a work around no less..
You can also try these faux nail Command Hooks:
Choose your curtain
Again, the curtains don’t need to be perfect to get the point across when you’re shopping on a budget for decor that is very temporary. However, the rule of thumb when buying curtains is this: measure the window and then add 2 to 3 times that width to ensure you have enough curtain.
That can be a bit excessive, but having extra width to your curtains will allow for an aesthetic look even when they are closed.
Blackout Curtains
If you like it pitch black when you sleep, blackout curtains are the way to go! Let’s be real here… there’s gonna be a lot of late nights and naps to be had. The reason for those late nights are up to your interpretation.
Don’t rely on those crappy blinds! They don’t really work when the sun is shinning.
Sheer Curtains
If blinds do the job for you but you’re still looking to make your dorm room look super cute, sheer blinds are a great option. I love these because they still give a little bit of privacy while still letting in natural light.
Valances
Adding a valance is the perfect way to hide horizontal blinds! Valances are a great option if you want your room to be super cozy but don’t want to deal with excess curtains hanging in the way.
Add a Cute Pull Back
Adding a pull back isn’t require but will give off an even more put together vibe.
Tie pull back
Tie pull back are very cute and don’t require any holes or hooks! You can definitely add hooks though and it might make your life easier so they don’t fall down all the time.
If you want some hooks, these cheap Command Hooks will the the trick.
Pull back hooks
Metal pull backs will be a little bit more expensive (not by much), but they will match your curtain rod nicely. Again, if you can’t put holes in the wall, then you will need to get creative with Command Strips or faux nails.
Mood Lighting
Adding fairy lights is kind of a cliché thing to do in a college dorm room, but I would be lying to you if I said I didn’t like them. I love the light Christmas lights give off in the winter and TBH these lights give me that same feeling inside, so I like ’em. They aren’t necessary per se, but they look super cute behind sheer curtains!
This post has been about inexpensive ways to hang curtains without drilling holes in the wall! Check out these posts for more inexpensive inspiration:
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