Making your new room your home

With results day nearly here new students are starting to think about getting ready to start uni, and current students will soon be back again. If you are planning to live away at uni for the next year then one of the most important things to help you settle in is feeling at home in your new room, whether that’s in halls or in a house with friends.

Many of you know I’m a big fan of 5 top tips posts, and sticking to this tradition I’m going to let you know my five top tips for making your room homely and practical for living in:

• Lighting – this is really important for me. Having several lights in a room helps you change the light in the room to suit what you’re doing. I have fairy lights dotted around my room which can make it very cosy (they are also a great alternative to candles if you aren’t allowed these in your accommodation). I also have a bedside light which is a less bright way to light the room than the main light. Recently I also took a trip to Ikea to buy a lightshade for the main light just to reduce the brightness of just the bulb. Good lighting really improves my mood and it’s also good to have it if you happen to have another room opposite you, which might mean you don’t always want your curtains open.

• Have some house plants – I’m love plants and I have a collection of cacti and succulents. I think having some nature inside makes me feel more positive, especially if you don’t have much of a garden where you are living.
• Get a nice patterned bedding set – You’re bed takes up a big area of your room, so the pattern and colour of the bedding can really change the look of a room. Try to stick to a rough colour theme when buying bedding and cushions, then you can have a couple of different sets of bedding which will all look good! I was also really recommend getting a mattress protector, just because it makes the thought of sleeping in a bed which lots of other people have slept in before you a little less gross.

• Storage – This is where you have to be a bit practical and work with what is already in the room. In my new room I have a red set of drawers, which are the perfect size for A4 paper. I don’t like them and they don’t match the rest of my stuff, but they are really useful for storing notebooks, paper and other stationary. So I have them in the corner next to my desk and they don’t look that bad.
• Photos – Having some photos of friends, family and pets will help you feel more like the room is yours straight away. Just make sure you hang them up with something that won’t damage the wall paint, or use stands on you desk.

So those are my 5 top tips for making your room feel like home when you move in. It’s completely normal to be nervous about moving away from home and although you can make it easier with things like decorating your room, if you are feeling down at any point make sure you talk to someone about it. And remember everyone is in the same boat, you will find your place in your new city or university!

B x