Answer these five questions to get tips about how you should customise your room for the maximum style and minimum spending.

 

1. You've been chatting to a lad/lass for a while and you've asked them on a date. Where do you take them?

 

A - A screening of the RSC's Hamlet, followed by coffee at Chapters. Naturally you'll bring your copy of the play so you can cross reference the director's editing.

B - A pitcher at spoons because there's 2 for 1 and you'll make it a Wednesday because who knows, you might even stay for a night out.

C - Netflix and Chill in your room. Why go out when you've just bought a new sound bar and your mattress topper is memory foam.

D - A walk by the river, followed by a green juice at Flat White - the best way to test their stamina for later.

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2. A teaching strike hits and you've got a free day. What do you do?

 

A - You head to town to scour some charity shops for over-sized cardigans and jumpers. Once your knitted goods quota is full, you head home to watch the latest episode of His Dark Materials over a hot chocolate.

B - Obviously, you're hungover so it's Deliveroo, duvets and naps all day. You've sworn never to drink again. Ever. Until someone suggests the Swan.

C - You FINALLY have a few hours free to play DOTA in peace. The door remains locked all day.

D - You've never heard of a "free day". You're up for rowing at 5am.

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3. Alarms are sounding, red lights are flashing and everyone's is running out of college. What do you save?

 

A - Your signed version of the 'Handmaid's Tale'. Atwood is love, Atwood is life.

B - Your bedfellow from the night before - you've already got enough guilt from forgetting their name.

C - MacBook. Enough said.

D - You're strong and speedy enough to gather everything in under a minute and leave your room with a smug smile on your face.

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4. You're at pre-drinks and the group is choosing which club to head to. What's your suggestion?

 

A - Or? You could all just watch a film? And order food? Just kidding. Unless you're down?

B - Babylon, then Klute, then Jimmy's. Then afters which keep your housemates up until 6am but it's fine because the video you got of your paralytic mate is hilarious.

C - Fab's because you live and breathe Drum and Bass and you secretly rate the cheap cocktails.

D - You're on a lash ban so you're only going to stay for 15 minutes anyway.

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5. Someone has written you a Tindur. What does it say?

 

A - "Dear the girl/boy in the modern times history lecture. Can I have your notes?"

B - "To the girl/boy wearing an outfit made out of bin liners in Players. You're the best looking trash I've ever seen. DTF?"
C - "Dear your initials, I love the way you work a keyboard. What else can those fingers do?"

D - "To the girl/boy wearing neon spandex in MC gym today...nice ass."

 

If you got...

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Mostly A's - The Literature Lover

You prefer Ted Hughes to Tequila, but that doesn't mean your room should be boring. You're probably already a committed Pinterest user, so look there for inspiration. Make some free posters on www.canva.com and hang them up with cute washi tape (no marks on the wall = keeping the deposit!). Use a hollowed out book cover to hide ugly cables and plugs and keep your space firmly in the 19th Century (or, if you are averse to this defacement of books, try a pretty photo album or notebook cover instead). You can easily decorate details like hangers with ribbon or magazine cuttings and PVA glue. Don't forget a great reading light, which you can get for a fiver from Ikea. Lastly, grab some soft furnishings and scented candles for cheap on www.matalan.co.uk to create the most divine cosy nights in.

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Mostly B's - The Going-out Gremlin

Let's be honest, you haven't tidied in weeks. In fact, you probably are still living out of the boxes you used to move in. Therefore, the priority is efficient storage. Grab some collapsible boxes to go on your shelf, Ikea even have them in funky colours so they double as decorations. You could also invest in some under bed storage to keep clothes which don't match the season, or formal attire you don't use often. For aesthetic value, why not buy a large photo frame so you can collage pics from all your favourite nights out and repurpose and empty bottle by putting a short string of battery operated fairy lights in it - the perfect ambiance for your next pull.

 

Mostly C's - The Tech-head

Someone may mistake your room for Curry's considering the amount of screens in it. But life's better when everything is charged at 100%, and with the amount of tangled cables you have lurking about, that might be difficult. Why not invest in some hooks to keep them separate and colour code them with tape? Additionally, bring some life into your high-tech swamp with some potted plants - aloe vera and cactus are the most low-maintenance around but they still lend any room a hint of chic. Lastly, the greatest purchase you will ever make are these noise-sensitive LED lights from Amazon (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Govee-Bluetooth-Lighting-Decoration-Christmas/dp/B07Y2DWGXS/ref=dp_ob_title_light), which change colour and intensity depending on the sounds in the room - a game changer for pre-drinks or nights in.

 

Mostly D's - The Fitness Freak

Practicality is important when your life is on a tight schedule. Luckily, it is easy to cater for this in your décor. If you're the type that loses your keys/wallet/singular pen regularly, repurpose a cute mug to pop your valuables in when you come in the door, to make for a quick early morning exit for training. Another great organisational tip, is to get a laundry basket that has sections for lights, darks and colours, thereby saving you time on washing. In order to save space too, you can buy one with a foldable frame so you can easily put it away when not in use. However, practicality should not overshadow style - your room needs to look as good as your glutes! Why not browse the New York public library digital collections (https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/) for some publicly owned and culturally relevant images to hang on your wall and remind people that you have both brawn and brains!

 

 

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