Measure the length and width of the room with a metal measuring tape. Measure the exact width of doorways and windows, and where they're located on each wall.
Convert your measurements into a 1/4-inch scale floor plan, the scale used by professional decorators where 1/4 inch equals 1 foot. Use 1/4-inch grid paper or the free online room planners provided by Thomasville and Stickley Furniture.
Measure the furniture included with your dorm room. Note whether it's fixed or movable. If it's fixed, add it to your floor plan. If it's movable, cut scale templates from 1/4-inch grid paper or make furniture templates within the online room planner.
Make a list of additional furniture you'd like to have, such as a nightstand, bookshelf and an upholstered chair. Estimate their sizes and make templates for them.
Move the furniture templates around on your floor plan, trying different arrangements. Arrange furniture into zones for sleeping, studying and entertaining. Think of your dorm room as a studio apartment, and overlap zones if you can get double duty from an area.
Choose a color scheme for your dorm room. A cohesive palette makes a room look professionally decorated and feel larger. The continuity keeps the eye moving around the room.
Select your additional furniture and your bed covering. Follow your color scheme. Make sure the furniture fits in the space you allotted on your floor plan. Choose a washable bed covering, since dorm beds usually double as seating.
Add lamps to your bedside table and desk. Hang a swag lamp in your entertaining zone. Don't rely solely on the overhead fixtures for lighting.
Accessorize your dorm room with a rug, artwork, throw pillows and curtains. Hang artwork with adhesive hangers if you can't use nails. Opt for white sheers or curtain panels with simple tailoring.