Budgeting seems to be the motto of college students worldwide. So how do you obtain the well-decorated dorm from the ads without breaking your budget? D.I.Y. of course! Check out these inexpensive and easy projects that will spruce up your living space.

Cutesy Cork Board

Supplies needed:
Corkboard: $8.99.
Fabric: $6.99 per yard. I searched the clearance section and found a pattern I liked.
Ribbon: $3.99.
Tacks: Prices for these can range anywhere from $1 to $10, depending on how many you get in a package. I found a pack of 180 tacks for $2.29.

I found all my supplies for this project at Hobby Lobby.

Stretch your fabric of choice over the board. Make sure it’s pulled tight, and staple the excess fabric to the back of the board. Add ribbons, flowers, jewels or other decorative embellishments to make it your own. Tack up pictures, notes, quotes or reminders and never forget anything again.

Change up your chargers

Supplies needed:
Washi tape:  Around $2, depending on where you buy it.

I bought a bunch of different patterns from Office Max, Hobby Lobby and Amazon.

This is a fun and easy way to make sure you and your roommates never mix up chargers. Wrap your favorite Washi or duct tape around your laptop, iPad, Tablet, Kindle, Nook or phone chargers. You can use the same tape for every charger, or mix it up.

Lovely Letters

Supplies needed:
Wood Letter: $3.49.
Paint: $1 to $5. I went with the cheapest I could find and it cost $1.37. If you don’t already have paintbrushes, I found a pack of six for about $3.
Flower: $3.99.

I bought all my supplies for this project at Hobby Lobby.

You can choose to decorate a word or a single letter for your initials. Paint, tape, cover with fabric, tie with ribbons or hot glue buttons, jewels or other embellishments and make the letters match your room.

Magnificent Mason Jars

Supplies needed:
Mason jar: $2.49. I actually just asked my mom for a mason jar, she has tons. Use your resources!
Paint: $1.37. I used the left-over paint from my letter.

Paint the inside of a mason jar your favorite color or a color that will match your dorm. If glitter is your thing, feel free to add that too. For those of you who are artistic, paint on cute designs.

Darling Dry-Erase Board

Supplies needed:
Frame: $3.99.
Scrapbook paper: $0.99
Paint: $1.37. Again, I used left-over paint from my letter and my mason jar.
Ribbon: $1.99.

I got the frame at Target and everything else at Hobby Lobby.

This is an adorable way to leave notes for your roommates or reminders for yourself. Find a frame, as big or small as you want, and get a cute piece of scrapbook paper to put behind the glass. You can spruce up the frame with paint, ribbon or leave it plain. Whatever floats your boat.

Decorating your college dorm definitely doesn’t have to break your budget. With some simple supplies and plenty of creativity, you are well on your way to having the cutest dorm on campus.