Hey Cobbers! Have you ever thought about what the word ‘home’ means to you? What does your home look like? What objects or smells make you feel like you’re at home? For me, I feel at home when I am warm and surrounded by pillows. For some people, it might be the smell of fresh-baked bread or cut grass! Either way, each of us has a unique sense of what home is.
Here is a list of 8 things you can do to make your living space feel homier. Enjoy!
- Go out and get a throw pillow! Or five! Having a few plush, comforting objects in your space or your bed can help your space feel more welcoming. Pillows can be ridiculously expensive, so I recommend checking out Goodwill, Savers, or your favorite Thrift Store for a pillow or two. Just make sure you wash them!
- Invest in a warm colored lamp. Yellow light is naturally comforting and soothing and can help warm up your space. My freshman year, I used fairy lights and a lava lamp for my dorm room. In my current apartment, I have a salt lamp, fairy lights, and warm lamps around my living room and bedroom!
- Try a new candle or wax melt scent. I currently am using a Teakwood and Pine candle, and it feels like a warm hug on Christmas day. I also recommend using scents like vanilla, waterfall, or lavender.
- Don’t underestimate the power of a quilt. While having a quilt might seem like something for your Grandma, try having one (or a warm blanket) on your bed! It’s always nice to tuck yourself into a tight and fuzzy blanket. It’s one of my favorite ways to end the day!
- Plan out a meal from start to finish. When living away from home, it’s hard to make time to cook yourself a meal. If you are able to, grab a few groceries and try cooking for yourself. You can do this with friends or by yourself, but it’s a great way to feel independent in your space.
- Try a rug! Rugs are one of the most underestimated pieces of decoration. Adding a rug in your living space can really help pull everything together and soften up your space. My roommate and I recently added a rug in our living room, and it changed the space entirely!
- Never underestimate the power of a good accent chair. Whether it’s for your living room or your bedroom, an accent chair can help make your space feel more at home by adding additional seating and filling your space. A live-in space is a homey space.
- Add artwork to your walls! If you picked up something from the poster sale, stick it up on your walls! Plan a painting night with your friends to create unique and special pieces to add to your walls. Blank walls are sad walls. Try spicing them up with your favorite photograph, a poster, or a cute note from a friend. If you don’t have anything, support your fellow student artists and ask them to commission something for you! Or, you can always talk to me and we can plan an arts and crafts night!
Although most of these things are materialistic, your space deserves to feel like your space. Try giving it a little TLC or HGTV love and start feeling the difference! Aim to make Bobby from Queer Eye or the Property Brothers extremely proud!
See you next week,
Hannah
