Of course with design, many designers have there own principles which they follow. Remember firstly to think outside of the paper and take some risks!
Less is more – may sound like a cliche but it really is true. Remove the noise and stick to the basics. If you cram too much content, then it can look messy.
Typography is extremely important when it comes to design also. A font can change the appeal and the message your design is trying to put across. There are plenty of websites which allow you to test out fonts, so check them out and see how your design comes across.