12 practical yet fun Amazon finds I'd decorate my dorm with

If you're planning to move into a dorm this semester, you might already have an idea or two of what you want to furnish or decorate your dorm with. Sometimes your college will give you a basic list to start you off, other times you get personal recommendations from family and friends who've lived the dorm life before, and sometimes you might head to the internet to find even more ideas — all in the name of creating the best dorm you possibly can.

I'm not going to dive into the best dorm essentials or ways to make your dorm room more relaxing or entertaining. Instead, I'll show you how easy it is to transform the boring, practical things you have to buy into fun, whimsical things you want. Opt for printed sheets, a green gooseneck electric kettle that looks like a statement piece, and a reed diffuser that'll keep your dorm smelling wonderful without the fire risk of candles, which are usually banned in dorms.

Basically, any time you're shopping on Amazon for something for your dorm room, take a second to ask yourself, "Is there a cuter version of this?" More often than not, there is. Scroll on to see which 12 practical dorm buys I found fun versions of.