Decorating on a dime: Thrifting your dorm room with purpose

St. Teresa Thrift Store shows how you can decorate your dorm on a budget

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (WNKY) – A full dorm room setup for under $100? One local college student says it’s not just possible, it’s purposeful.

“I remember when I was a freshman, I fully relied on gift cards and everything I was given to fund my dorm, and it was still pretty expensive,” said Bridget Kniery, a marketing intern with St. Teresa Thrift Store and student at Miami University (OH). “So definitely, there’s a need for it with college students who want to stay on a budget.”

Kniery recently created a section inside the store of dorm room necessities using only thrifted items. She said most of the items were priced between $0.50 and $8, with the entire space likely costing less than $40.

“This chair right here is around $8 and still in mint condition,” she said. “The school supplies are around 50 cents to $2, so the whole setup maybe cost $40, maybe not even that.”

The project is part of a larger effort by St. Teresa Thrift Store, a 501c non-profit, to reach Western Kentucky University students ahead of move-in season, and to show them that secondhand shopping isn’t just affordable, it’s impactful.

“When you buy something here, it goes right back to the community,” said store manager Patty Polston. “We support two food pantries, one in the city, one in the county, and several other nonprofits in the area.”

That includes programs addressing food insecurity, an issue Jennifer Bailey with St. Teresa Ministries said affects roughly one in five children in Warren County.

“Whether you’re donating or purchasing an item here, your impact goes way beyond the register,” said Bailey, director of development and marketing. “You’re helping us invest in the nonprofits that know this community down to its core.”

According to Bailey, about 40% of every dollar spent in the store is funneled directly back into local outreach.

“Out of that $5, a good 40% is going straight back into the community, and it’s going into areas that students live in too,” she said. “It absolutely makes a difference.”

Kniery hopes the project helps students see that thrifting can be just as meaningful as it is cost-effective.

“There’s very minimal risk to thrifting,” she said. “Every single time I’ve gone, I’ve found something that’s lasted longer and felt more personal than anything I bought new.”

And for Kniery, the most important piece of the display wasn’t the throw pillows or the chair. It was the message behind it.

“You’re helping your local businesses as well,” she said. “It’s a full-circle moment. What you donate and what you purchase, it’s all coming back to your community.”