How to Hang Curtains in a Dorm
Moving into a college dorm is an exciting experience. But if you’ve ever set foot inside a dorm room, you know how small and outdated they can be.
Besides the cramped quarters, most dorms are pretty drab. If there are draperies or furniture, they don’t have any flair or personalization.
Curtains are an easy way to enhance your dorm and make your space feel like home. But most colleges have strict decorating rules — many forbid drilling or putting nail holes in the wall, limiting your decorating options.
Luckily, there are a few creative workarounds you can try. In this post, we’ll share five tips on how to hang curtains in your dorm room without damaging your walls.
Read more: 25 Rental Apartment Decorating Ideas
5 Ways to Hang Curtains in a Dorm
3M Command Hooks
3M Command products are an absolute must for anyone living in a dorm or rental unit. Use their hooks to hang lightweight curtains. Simply place a large hook on each side of the window trim and lay a curtain rod across.
Command hooks come in a variety of styles, finishes and sizes. Make sure you choose a hook that’s large and strong enough to hold the weight of both your curtain rod and your curtains.
Want to add a pop of color to your Command curtain setup? Check out these stylish leather curtain rod holder straps we found on Etsy.
Tension Rods
You can use a tension rod to hang lightweight curtains in a dorm if you have wall space between the window trim and the window itself (pictured below).
Tension rods are supported by a center spring and can be adjusted to fit between two walls or flat surfaces. End caps keep the rod snug to prevent it from slipping or causing wall damage.
Depending on the material, length and thickness, tension rods can range anywhere from $5 to $25 on average, making them an inexpensive, damage-free curtain-hanging solution. (Plus, you don’t need to buy any other hardware or accessories if you use a tension rod.)
The only downside? They’re not that strong. If you want to hang blackout curtains or a thicker fabric for privacy, tension curtain rods aren’t your best bet.
Twist and Fit Curtain Rods
Twist and fit curtain rods are a more sophisticated version of tension rods. If your windows can’t accommodate a regular tension rod, twist and fit rods might be a good option.
Like tension rods, you can adjust twist and fit rods to fit the width of your window. These rods also have makeshift “brackets” that latch onto your window’s trim. It’s like having an entire set of curtain hardware rolled into one piece!
Twist and fit rods are sturdier than regular tension rods. With the added “bracket” support, you can hang medium-weight curtains with ease.
These rods are pricier, though. Twist and fit rods start at approximately $20 to $25 and up, with some higher-quality pieces priced over $50.
Ceiling Hooks
Using adhesive ceiling hooks, you can hang floor-length curtains from the ceiling to create a more elegant or luxurious ambiance. Or, use them to divide a room and add privacy, which is especially handy if you’re in a shared dorm room space.
3M’s Command line (which we raved about earlier) carries adhesive ceiling hooks as well, but we only recommend these if you’re using an ultra-lightweight wire curtain rod. Heavy-duty adhesive ceiling hooks are also available on major online retailers like Amazon.com.
Check out this DIY project: This Pinterest user used supportive ceiling hooks, ribbon and a simple tension rod to suspend lightweight curtains from the ceiling to divide her studio:
Kwik-Hang No Drill Curtain Rod Brackets
Adhesive hooks and tension rods are inexpensive and easy to install, but they’re not as durable or effective for heavier curtains. And twist and fit rods are stronger, but they come with a higher price tag.
If you’re looking for a damage-free curtain-hanging solution that checks all the boxes, try Kwik-Hang Curtain Rod Brackets.
With Kwik-Hang, you can set up your curtains in seconds without using drills, nails or screws. Just align the brackets to your window trim, tap them in and hang your curtains!
Kwik-Hang Single Rod Bracket – Black
Kwik-Hang brackets are robust and can hold up to 20 pounds, so go ahead and hang those heavy blackout curtains without worry. These brackets are available in a variety of colors for both single rods and double rods, so you can even layer your curtains to create a look you love.
Prices start at $11.99 for a pair of single rod brackets and $15.99 for a pair of double rod brackets. Kwik-Hang is the fastest, most affordable, damage-free curtain hanging solution on the market.
