5 Ways to Make Your Flat Feel Like Home
1. Bedding
Most likely your new room will consist of white walls, white ceiling and white doors, so avoid feeling like you live in a hospital by bringing your own bedding. Either bring your usual bedding from home (if you want some familiarity) or, for a fresh start, buy patterned or brightly coloured bedding. A patterned duvet stops the mundaneness of the four plain walls, whilst colour will brighten your mood, hence reducing homesickness.
2. Teddies
No, you don’t admit it, but of course you still have your favourite teddy at home – bring it with you! It will provide comfort and feel like home – and the more items you put in your room, the more character it gains. And yes, you can cover its eyes for those post-Drapers moments.
3. Lighting
To accompany your white cell (sorry, I meant room!), you will be given one bright light. Let’s face it, the majority of your reading will be done last thing at night. You don’t want to be reading under the bright bulb provided. Instead, bring a lovely lamp with a coloured shade to make reading easier and cosier. Continuing with cosy lighting, nothing beats fairy-lights! These complete a homely room by creating your own little grotto. They’ll also make your room the hall’s favourite at Christmas!
4. Photographs
It’s likely you won’t see people from home for months at a time, so bring lots of pictures of them to make you feel relaxed and less alone. Make sure you include pictures with you in, as having these up really makes you feel like you own the room.
5. Drawing Pins
Seriously, just pin everything (or use white tack so you don’t make marks on the walls)! This is not only a great way to bring part of your home life to uni, but by pinning every leaflet you pick up, every ticket for the shows you go to, every loyalty card and every letter you receive, you end up creating a story of what you’ve done whilst living in your new room. This also acts as a great replacement for wallpaper, as you are not allowed to paint/alter the walls.
Photo credits to George Rex.