Moving? How to Make Your New Apartment Feel Like Home

When the boxes are in the moving van and everything is ready to go, you might feel a little sad leaving your old life behind. It’s exciting to start fresh, of course, and you’re likely looking forward to arriving at your new place to unpack and settle in. However, the transition is often tough if you’re carrying extra luggage.

Expectations, anxieties, doubts and fears … these are extra luggage. It’s important to take the next step with optimism and positivity, confident in your decision and hopeful for the future. While this is easier said than done, you’ll find it’s not so difficult with just a few simple adjustments.

You can make your new apartment feel like home with these seven tips and basic strategies to make the space your own:

1. Pack an “Essentials” Box

After a long day of moving, you’ll likely feel exhausted and ready to sleep. If you don’t know where your toothbrush, soap, shampoo and other toiletries are, though, you’ll have to do extra work when you’re already tired. Pack an essentials box with everything you’ll need the first night to simplify things.

1. Ditch the Boxes ASAP

As soon as you’ve brought the last of your belongings up to your new place, don’t pause. Move from room to room, unpacking items as you discard empty boxes. Your possessions might end up a bit more jumbled than you’d like, but it’s better than spending the first night in what feels like a storage locker.

3. Stock the Bathroom First

When you first move into your apartment, you’re likely going to use the bathroom the most out of all the rooms in your unit. Make sure to stock it with the toiletries from your essentials box and, if you have the time, purchase one or two aromatic candles and light decor.

4. Buy a Few Houseplants

With the simple addition of a few houseplants, you’ll enjoy a long list of benefits for your physical and mental health. They reduce stress levels, boost your mood, and even improve concentration and productivity by up to 15 percent. Whether you purchase a peace lily, philodendron or begonia, it’s a wise investment.

5. Roll Out a Cozy Rug

An empty room with bare hardwood flooring can feel a bit too spacious. Roll out a cozy rug and you’ll find you’re much more comfortable. It adds warmth, lending the area a lived-in look. Even if your unit has carpeting instead of hardwood, it’s OK to layer a rug on top.

6. Don’t Sleep on the Floor

While it’s easy to lay your mattress on the floor for the first night, you should set aside some time to build your bedframe. It’s a small but effective way to bring structure to your space. After you’ve folded your sheets, managed your pillows and organized the rest of the room, it’ll look a lot less temporary.

7. Focus on Your Lighting

The key to opening up your space is filling it with light. Natural light is ideal, but your apartment will still benefit from a few soft white lightbulbs. You should also consider placing floor lamps in different rooms, which is a relatively inexpensive upgrade and preferable to harsh pre-existing fixtures.

No Reason to Rush

Moving to a new place is a big commitment, and it’s perfectly natural to be a little overwhelmed at first. Most people take a while to acclimate to their surroundings before they’re fully comfortable. Everyone needs time to situate themselves, and you have no reason to rush that process.

You can take steps to make your living space warmer and more accommodating. With the purchase of one or two houseplants, a cozy rug, floor lamps and other items, you’ll sidestep some of those initial feelings of discomfort and loneliness.

You might have left your old life behind, but you have so much to look forward to.

This post was written by Adrienne from Rainmaker Collective.