Dorm Seating and Storage Made From a Plastic Crate

This dorm seating and storage post is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Dormify. The opinions and text are all mine. This post contains affiliate links.

It’s that time. Kids are packing up, eating their last homemade meal, and getting ready to head to the dorm for college life. And decorating a dorm room is half the fun of going to college, right? If you’re still unsure what to do with your dorm room, I have some great effortless small space decorating ideas {with amazing inspiration from Dormify} as well as a super simple DIY project that’ll add dorm seating and storage all rolled up in one!

Decorating a Dorm Room

In any dorm room or bedroom, the bed is generally the focal point of the room. That means trendy and fashionable bedding is key {and one of the best ways to add color and set a theme in a small space}.

Adding color and mixing and matching patterns are fun ways to make your personality shine even in a cloned dorm room with generic furniture.

Toss pillows are a great way to add texture and design and also one of the best ways to change decor when you get tired of the room. Contrasting colors, bold patterns, and fun or whimsical designs can really make a space feel like home and also add some youth to a space.

Temporary wallpaper is the perfect way to add color to a room without leaving a permanent mark, something that’s so important in a dorm room, rental house, or other temporary housing. It’s also a great way to create an accent wall or create two different areas in a shared room.

Temporary wallpaper is self-adhesive, easily removable, and completely awesome. Want a really cool idea? Use this wallpaper instead of a headboard. Cut a headboard shape {the more whimsical and shapely, the better} and attach it to the wall behind your bed. You’ll have an instant faux headboard that’s also instantly awesome.

DIY Dorm Seating and Storage

Style is important but in a small space, seating and storage are always two of the hardest things to find. With just a few supplies and about thirty minutes of time, you can have both those problems solved with only one DIY project: cushioned crate seating with built-in storage.

To make this dorm seating with storage, you’ll need a plastic crate, a piece of plywood cut to the inner dimensions of the crate {you want the plywood to sit on top of the inner lip so you’ll need to cut it to approximately 15.5 inches by 13 inches assuming your crate is the standard size}, cotton batting, and fabric. Since this project doesn’t require much fabric, it’s a great way to use up some of the leftover fabric stash.

Place the fabric down on your work space with the wrong side facing up, add layers of batting on top of it {as many as you want to create a comfortable thickness for sitting}, then place the plywood on top of all the layers.