Women:

Don’t be afraid to get artsy: Find a cool piece of artwork you admire or are really inspired by and put it on display. Anywhere from your basic craft store or home goods store to a local flea market, you can find awesome artwork wherever you go.

Mason jars galore: These easy-to-use jars will hold anything and everything you can possibly imagine, all while looking cool and chic. From pens, pencils, bobby pins, thumbtacks, loose change, makeup beer caps — the possibilities are virtually endless!

Focal points: If you’re not up for finding a bunch of little decorations to make up your room decor, find one decoration you really like and let it speak for the entire space. It could be giant letters of your initials, a collage of personal photographs or an interesting piece of furniture — let the object do all the decorating for you.

Men:

Posters, posters, posters: It’s the easiest and most traditional way to show off your favorite sports teams, musicians, movies, places and school spirit. The key, however, is not overwhelming the room with them. Keep things simple with only your favorite posters here and there.

Be functional: Use what you have and make it a part of the room. If you have a skateboard, sports equipment, video game consoles, ect., arrange it in a way people see it and know it’s a part of the room.

Hang up your hats: A way to organize your hats while decorating that dead space on your wall is to hang them up for display. This is an easy way to show them off while still being functional (and keep them from becoming misshapen).

Both:

String up lights: These simple and affordable lights can create a comfy warm glow to take the place of the bright and not-so flattering lighting that may originally come with your dorm or apartment. They are easy to drape or hang up with tacks or removable hooks, making them a portable piece of decor.

Show off your books: Don’t let your books just randomly accumulate in one spot for the entire semester. Instead, designate a shelf or a space on your desk for your books to stay while you’re not using them. Keep them up with bookends, which are easy to find and come in various designs.

Technology central: The amount of technology we have in our lives is undeniable. So why shouldn’t it be a part of your room decor too? Most TVs, computers, cell phones, headphones and sound speakers come in polished and shiny designs that go with any room decor. So make them visible in your space and don’t allow them to be hidden or buried in a miscellaneous objects pile.