How to make your rented room feel more homely

When you rent a room, it can easily feel a bit temporary and not fully ‘yours’. However, there’s a lot you can do to add your personal touch and make sure you feel completely at home and proud of your living space. Even if you plan to just stay for a couple of months, it’s important for our mental stability to feel settled for the time we are there. Here’s a few tips that are easy to implement on any budget:

1. Give your bed a make-over

Most likely the centre and main feature of your room, focus on the bed first and make it look nice and tidy. To cover it up during the day, buy a nice bedspread or throw in a neutral colour. Add a couple of decorative cushions to add some colour and different textures – and it will instantly make your room feel more premium. Make your bed each morning as you get ready – it will give you a sense of accomplishment and set you up for the day.

2. Get creative with pictures

Many people are worried about hanging pictures because their contract doesn’t allow them to put nails in the walls. It’s always worth discussing with your landlord if you just have a single frame to hang. Or simply prop your pictures against the wall on top of a chest of drawers or a nightstand, or use adhesive strips designed to leave no marks on the wall.

3. Enhance the lighting

Lighting can make all the difference. Even the most stylish room won’t look great under cold ceiling lights. Make sure you use light bulbs in a warm tone and add standing or floor lamps to add indirect light, making your room look cosy and inviting as days get shorter. You can also use mirrors to make the most of the natural light in your room.

4. Add some life with plants

An obvious one – but a plant or two will always brighten up your living space and quite literally add more life to it. Plants help clean the air and remove toxins, apart from looking good. Ikea is my go-to for indoor plants, they do a great range of affordable greenery in all sizes plus lots of stylish pots to go with.

5. Look for smart storage solutions

Especially when you have to fit most of your belongings into a single room, see if you can find some under-bed storage or buy nice-looking cardboard or textile boxes that can be stacked and stored either inside a wardrobe or as a stand-alone item.

These days there are lots of shops, like H&M Home, Zara Home and even most major supermarket chains that all offer stylish home accessories at an affordable price. Another favourite is Etsy for hand-made items from smaller businesses. In addition to styling up your room, remember to share your ideas with housemates and your live-in landlord – they might welcome your ideas and join you for a little make-over of the entire living space. Ultimately, it’s a shared living space and shared experience that will make us feel at home the most.

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