Moving away from your family home will always be an uncomfortable feeling. You are stepping away from the warm comfort blanket of familiarity and towards the cold embrace of the student bedroom with its white walls, hideous curtains, and suspicious mattress stains. Now, don’t get me wrong, I appreciate that some people are simply not attached to their living spaces and will quite happily sit in an empty shell of a room for a year, but I am not one of those people. For me, my room is my safe space to relax, unwind, and escape from my flatmates who, despite my nagging, don’t seem to understand that dishes are meant to be washed and put away after use, not just left on the side as a crusty, stinking reminder of their last meal. Anyway, I digress, what I was trying to say is that I think there is a fundamental difference between somewhere that is simply a house and somewhere that is a home.

In my mind, a house is functional, it’s a building with four walls and a door where you sleep, eat, and store your possessions. A home on the other hand is somewhere you love, somewhere you are proud of, and somewhere that you look forward to going at the end of a long day. Although this seems such a fundamental difference, I would argue that making a house into a home isn’t a particularly taxing task. If you are willing to put a bit of time and energy into making your space feel special and unique, then I think you can easily transform your space into a brilliant home away from home.

Tip number one: posters galore.

That’s right kids, my advice is to fill your wall space. It doesn’t matter what you put up, but you need to make it your mission to brighten up those bland walls with some colour. Do you have a favourite author or film star? Bang a picture of them up on the wall. Have some cute pictures of friends and family? Get them up. Do anything to add some colour and life to that hideous magnolia.

Tip number two: be a plant mum.

Plants are a fabulous was to bring some texture and colour into your space. Popping a bit of greenery into your décor can truly breathe some life into a dull room and make it a more inviting space for you and any guests you might want to invite round to show off your new and improved room. If like me, however, you struggle to keep even the hardiest plants alive, feel free to go plastic, no one will notice.

Tip number three: oooo it smells lovely in here!

Think back to a time when you felt relaxed and at home, do you have any specific smells attached to those memories? If so, buy candles, incense, diffusers, or anything that reminds you of those times. If you’re struggling to think of a specific memory, just go for florals or citrus scents, they’re always a safe bet and will guarantee you get the reputation for having a nice smelling room, something I have achieved and am sure you all aspire to.

Tip number four: textures, textures, textures.

I would say, for me, the minimum number of cushions I want on my bed at any given time is five. This may be a prime example of me being excessive (which happens regularly), but I do think adding texture to your bed can really elevate your space from student digs to a respectable home. Whilst you’re tinkering, I would also look at your carpet and ask yourself do you need a rug. The answer, nine times out of ten, is yes. Get yourself a cozy runner or rug for your space and improve those horrible, hardened carpets.

Tip number five: get your mementoes out.

My fifth and final tip is to go through your knickknacks and mementoes and display the ones that make you proud and bring you joy. Make your space one filled with happy memories and surround yourself with your prized positions which make you smile when you see them, don’t just keep them hidden away, make a feature of them, and treat them with the love and affection they deserve.

Featured Image: Ksenia Chernaya on Pexels with Licence.