You earned a degree and have been living outside university life for a couple years. Has the college experience followed you? The next step as a newly minted adult is to spread your interior design wings. Just because you can recycle something doesn't mean you should.
Swap the futon for a genuine mattress
Donate your convertible couch to an undergrad. Your bed is a personal space, not a public bench. In residence halls, it seemed smart to own furniture with alternative uses because it saves space. Now is the time to invest in a headboard; attach it to a metal bed frame. Sorry bohemians, the unadorned floor mattress is extremely unsanitary! Buy a box-spring to reduce wear and absorb shock. While you’re shopping, upgrade shoddy blankets to multi-piece comforter sets.
Replace temporary furniture with something durable
Your style changes, and your furniture will, too. Ikea items, while functional, are juvenile and unrealistic. Plastic containers crack, and particle-board dressers break. Save time and energy by purchasing quality wood instead of synthetics. Commit to pieces that match your headboard for a unified bedroom look.
No posters
Collect original art rather than its reproduction. John Belushi can drink whiskey on the wall of a fraternity house, but this should not be the statement piece in your new living room. Ditto on eastern influenced tapestries. Psychedelic drapery belongs in yoga studios.
TIP: If you prefer photos, create a gallery wall. Stay away from kitschy frames or taping pictures to bare paint.
Coordinate kitchen/bathroom accessories
Oust the mismatched silverware and plastic plates of yore. Throw away antique towels. As you experience the luxury of a personal kitchen and washroom, get rid of non-essentials (one time use utensils, bath caddies, and shower shoes).
Wave goodbye to the National Panhellenic Conference
From one Greek to another, banish your Letters to your email signature. Pledge paddles and fraternity/sorority composites do not belong visibly in post-college living spaces. Start living in the present, and resign the regalia to scrapbooks and reunions.
Curb the amount of alcohol on display
If you have a basement or spare corner, set up a bar. Stop amassing copious amounts of half full liquor bottles on top of your refrigerator. Restrain from overstocking. Depending on space, you can add a wine fridge or bar cart.
The good news? You can be an indecisive decorator, so don't hold back!
Picture courtesy of The Odyssey Online.