When University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire junior Jon Lanctin moved into the dorms his freshman year, he wondered how he would fit everything into such a small space.

“It was like trying to play Tetris,” he said.

After Lanctin began to compare his room to a prison cell, he took it upon himself to decorate and make the space his own.

“I taped all my posters to the wall, but they all fell down,” he said.

When moving out of Mom and Dad’s, making your new place seem like home is important, as well as keeping a smaller living space organized.

Owner and designer Cecelia Cronk of City Living, 15 South Barstow St, Eau Claire, said that large mirrors and high ceilings work to make a living space seem larger.

If you have the option of painting your walls, Cronk said, lighter colors are better. “Choose a paint color that’s not too dark,” she said.

Rooms also look bigger if there’s less clutter, Cronk added. Extra storage can be found with ottomans and armoires, she added.

University of Minnesota sophomore Mollie Mitchler said she uses every inch of space in her apartment to create the most storage. Tote boxes work well to slide under beds and in closets, she said.

“Keep digital files instead of paper files,” Mitchler said. Files on a computer or on a portable USB drive take up less space than a stack of papers.

UW-Eau Claire senior Alex Galston said getting furniture for your new place is easy. “The best time…is when other people are moving out,” he said.

Whether you’re living in a dorm room, apartment or house, making the space your own is the most important thing.

Fill it with things you like,” Galston said, “because you have to live there.”

Mitchler said making the place your own requires buying decorations.

Emily Skinner of Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, agreed.

Skinner said to cover the bare brick walls. She said she once tore up gossip magazines and placed the photos over every inch of her walls.

Using recyclable items is a great way to add your personal style to a room, she said.

Turning plain, wooden tables into creative masterpieces is one way. The following are steps to recycle your bottle tops and add flair to your table.

Photo by Erica Dakins	What you’ll need: A coffee table. It doesn’t have to be in good shape, so search garage sales and thrift stores. Bottle caps in different colors Silicone glue or a hot glue gun Glass or Plexiglas cut in the shape of the top of the table
Photo by Erica Dakins	Make sure the bottle caps are free of all beverage residue
Photo by Erica Dakins	Choose a design to create on the tabletop with the bottlecaps; use different color bottle caps to create different patterns and shapes
Photo by Erica Dakins	Glue the bottlecaps into place on the table, starting at the middle and working your way to the outside
Photo by Erica Dakins	After placing the bottle caps in your desired pattern, leave to dry at least twenty-four hours
Photo by Erica Dakins	After the glue is dry, place the glass over the top of the table