Time doesn’t slow down; it only moves faster. At least it seems to move faster. I’m not any kind of physics expert- just pondering my own experiences/perceptions of the time-space continuum.

I’ve been dwelling on memories of a time when summer felt so long {and it was lovely}. It seems like ages ago now. Every year, the energy and excitement coupled with an underlying sense of back-to-school blues kicks into high gear, so even those of us who have graduated can’t help but take notice.

This year we’ve decided to embrace the seasonal shift by drawing from the free-spirited vibe of summer, to take a soft, relaxed approach and ease transition from summer to fall.

Living in Vermont, we harvest a deep appreciation for everything autumn. With the Autumnal Equinox upon us, now is the perfect time to redesign your cozy interiors with fresh accents, driven by the glorious cycles of nature. ➳

This Fall season we are giving you the chance to win a $100 shopping spree by pinning your favorite home decor accessories for your dorm room or apartment. Impress your roommate and floor-mates with your laid-back and cohesive style.

Decorate Your Dorm Room With These Five Simple Steps:

1. Don’t bite off more than you can chew–a lesson that I’ve had to learn and relearn multiple times. First, start with one thing that you want to improve. One of the easiest ways to create a streamlined, cultured space is to limit your overall color palette. Choose your dominant colors and mix them into the patterns and colors that make up your space.

2. Allow the Chi to flow: Chi is energy – the energy that permeates everything around us. One of the fundamental principles of Feng Shui is the Yin and Yang, representing balance and continual change. It is important to be mindful about creating a good flow of chi when redecorating. Be aware of anything that may cause a blockage of energy. A blockage could be defined as anything that would block water if it were flowing through your space. If you have an unavoidable blockage, plants are a great way to balance chi. Plants add color, life and make a grand visual impression when placed on bookshelves & desks. Hanging paper lanterns are another great option if you want to open an energy blockage.

3. Appropriately Style Vanity Essentials: Add a tray or basket to store television remotes, bar tools, etc. This keeps things looking neat and chic. Choose a unique item like these Gold Luxe Candle Holders to add interest to the area.

4. Bookshelves are a great way to showcase meaningful accessories, your favorite reads, and those thick textbooks. An over-styled and cluttered bookshelf can communicate messy and busy. Style your bookshelves with moderation. Add visual appeal by color coding the books light to dark or vice versa.

5. Choose a few unexpected items to add interest. Maybe it’s a coffee table book on Nikola Tesla or a bold throw pillow. I like to consider the five elements of Feng Shui when choosing accessories, as adding those elements creates good chi. Maybe the room you are redecorating is heavily wooded, so feature a picture of water to balance the wood. Mix in some metal pieces, or colors that communicate that element.

When decorating your apartment or dorm room using the Feng Shui bagua, the ultimate goal is to create a space with a balance of the five elements (water, earth, metal, fire, and wood). { Image Credit: Ijekah Bodywork and Feng Shui}

6. (BONUS) Add fresh flowers, it immediately makes any space happier.

Here’s how to enter our Pin-to-WIN contest:

1. Follow Luna Bazaar on Pinterest & Instagram
2. Pin ten of your favorite accessories directly from lunabazaarshop.com on your board
3. When your board is complete, leave a comment on this blog post and email [email protected] with a link to your Pinterest board so we can check it out!  A favorite will be chosen, and the winner will receive a $100 Shopping Spree at Luna Bazaar!
4. Contest runs Friday, September 25th through Monday, October 5th 2015.  A winner will be chosen and announced by Wednesday, October 7th 2015.

Pinterest doesn’t endorse or sponsor this contest. Happy pinning! Angelina Carrera is the founder of Gypsea Free. You can follow her on Instagram or Twitter at GypseaFree.