Rules of the {College} Bedroom

Let's talk bedrooms today.  College bedrooms.  I know most people's vision of a college bedroom or a college home in general is anything but inviting.  But I don't believe in skimping on a place where I spend so much of my time.  I sleep in my bedroom, I used to do endless hours of studying in my bedroom (along with a healthy dose of facebook checking & youtube watching), and I write almost all of my blog posts from my bedroom.  I personally want it to be a nice place to spend time.

So, as promised, and with a bit of inspiration from Emily, here are my rules of the bedroom.

1) Two words.  Satin. Pillowcases.  There's less friction than with cotton pillowcases, and therefore less frizz.  Sign me up any day for something that promises less frizz.

2) Fresh air.  In Minnesota, I would say it is probably only possible to sleep with my windows open 1/4 of the time.  It's either too cold in the winter or too hot and humid in the summer.  But when it is the perfect weather, I love taking advantage of the crisp breeze and fresh air.

3) Lamps. Lamps. Lamps. And candles.  I am not a big fan of overhead lighting, so I always pick lamps for my bedroom.  I love candles, too.  They provide the perfect ambiance.  This past winter (before we realized that our heat wasn't working) I even used them to try to heat my room before going to sleep.  Sagas of a college student.

4) Framed pictures.  I don't love trinkets or any decorative pieces that don't have another purpose, but one thing that I do love are framed pictures.  I have a collage in my room of some of my very favorite pictures and a painting in the middle that I got from Paris when I was 17.

5) Natural light! And pretty drapes to block it.  I got my floor length drapes from Target last fall and I love them.  They look so elegant (or at least I hope they do!) and make my room feel taller than it is.

6) Organized office space.  Because college bedrooms usually also function as offices, it's important to me to keep my desk organized and minimalistic.  I don't have drawers so I bought magazine files to hold folders and to act as book ends.

7) A comfy bed, that's always made.  I've made it a habit to make my bed every morning because it starts my day off on a productive note and it makes everything look nicer.

8) Improvised headboard.  Let's say you're a college student with either A) Not enough money for a headboard or B) Not enough room for a headboard.  I bought a few giant pillows and set those against my wall to make the bedding look more finished and to improvise as a headboard.

What are your rules of the bedroom?