8 Ways To Make Your Student Room Feel More Homely

Moving into student accommodation is very much a defining moment in the lives of many new students. Whether you move an hour away from your hometown, or even halfway across the globe to a new continent – the thought of settling into a new location full of unfamiliar places and faces can still be a pretty scary thought. Leaving home is never easy, and this fact is especially true if it’s your first ever time away from home for an extended period of time. The dreaded feeling of homesickness suddenly becomes a reality.

Generally, most student accommodations are pretty standard, mostly bare, and aren’t exactly the most inviting living spaces. As such, they can make even the most independent student feel a little bit on edge and long for the comforts of home. Though all hope is not lost, as thankfully there are a ton of ways you can make your brand new living space much more comfortable to live in, and you can actually transform it into your “home away from home”. Ultimately, you have the power to kick homesickness to the curb before it even has the chance to drag you down.

From giving your new room a good ol’ clean when you arrive, to altering the lighting, to adding a few personal touches here and there – here are a few (surprisingly easy) ways to make your student room feel more homely right from the get go…

1. Unpack

Although it seems like an obvious point to make, sometimes it’s just all too easy to avoid the dreaded task of unpacking when you arrive at your new student accommodation – and so many students are guilty of this. It could mean that you live out of a suitcase for months on end – which certainly isn’t a great habit to adopt.

By not unpacking your belongings and organising them where you want them to go, it becomes that much more challenging to feel settled in your new environment. Everything will always feel temporary – which, technically it is when you’re living in student accommodation – but you can make the effort to create an illusion of permanency.. Create a real sense of ownership by getting yourself organised, and you’ll instantly start to feel much more comfortable in your living space.

2. Get rearranging

Don’t be afraid to put your own spin on the room by rearranging the furniture in a way that feels best for you. Many student accommodations will come ready-made with a bed, a desk, and other basic, essential items of furniture – and many will be laid out in the same way. Even if you simply want to move your bed so that it faces a different direction – don’t hesitate to rearrange the furniture in whatever way makes the room feel most inviting to you.

3. Adjust the lighting

Adjusting the lighting is one of the most effective ways to completely transform the feeling of a room. When you play around with lighting, it becomes super easy to create a warm and inviting space – somewhere that you’ll feel comfortable to both study and relax in. Fairy lights are the perfect, traditional choice to give your room a warm, charming glow. You could even mix it up by adding a string of paper lanterns, or find other ways to get creative with your mood lighting. There are a ton possibilities.

4. Add personal touches

When considering what to take to university, don’t forget to include some personal items that can truly tailor your new room to you. Your room will likely be a blank canvas when you arrive, so you have the freedom to add anything from snaps of you and your loved ones, to posters, to sentimental items – adding things that are much more ‘you’ will make you room that much more enticing, and will stop you from dwelling on your longings for the comforts of home.

5. Add some homely aromas

Your sense of smell is a pretty powerful thing, and is often a direct link to memories. So, consider the aromas that remind you of home and add them to your new room for that sense of comfort – be it with candles, room sprays or reed diffusers.

6. Add warmth

Adding the feeling of warmth to your room gives it that cosy feeling, and as such you’ll find it much easier to relax. There are a ton of ways you can add warmth to a room, such as laying down a soft rug, adding warm blankets and throws, layering cushions, and so much more.

7. Never underestimate the power of plants

Believe it or not, plants can really help to spruce up a space. Adding some greenery instantly gives life to a room – it adds subtle pops of colour as well as texture. They also play a part in providing a calmer environment – which is a huge yes for any student. You might opt for a beautiful house-plant (just don’t forget to water it!) as it’ll do its job in purifying the air. Or, you could always choose something that requires a little less maintenance, such as a small cactus or succulent.

8. Invest in comfortable duvets and bedding

One of the greatest luxuries of living at home is sinking into your own comfortable bed at night. Although bedding might be provided for you upon arrival at your student accommodation, oftentimes these can feel a little lifeless. By investing in some comfortable bedding, as well as bed linen, you can make your bed feel just as comfortable as yours back home – you may not even miss it.

Written by Katy Mairs, blog editor for UniBaggage.com – The No.1 Student Shipping Company.