The summer before I moved into my first house I spent hours browsing interior design ideas and searching for the perfect pieces to match my vision. Having my own place was really exciting for me, and I wanted it to be a place I could call home in Bloomington. I love my little place, and it didn’t cost a lot of money or time and effort.
These are my 10 tips for personalizing your new space.
There have been many people before you who have been faced with decorating their first place. Luckily Pinterest is around to document their efforts for you to draw inspiration and advice from. Search around and see what has worked for other people.
Communicate with roommates
Those first home lists on the internet are overwhelmingly packed with items, and all you can see are dollar signs. Save everyone money and time by splitting up the shopping list.
Budget shop first
You don’t have to sacrifice style and quality for your budget — you just have to know where to look. Start first by asking your family and friends if they have unwanted furniture. My parents were begging for an excuse to get new couches, so guess who got the old ones for free? Next best is garage sales. Spring and summer are usually peak time for garage sales, but sometimes there are big indoor ones as well. Next places are thrift stores and consignment stores. Both resell furniture and decor typically at low prices. Antique stores can also be cool for statement decoration pieces. After that, big department stores can fill in the rest but sometimes at higher prices.
Say no to blank walls
Blank walls makes a room feel cold and bare. Add a tapestry as a colorful statement piece. Posters are great to show off your personality. I recommend grouping posters together in combinations of horizontal and vertical and also in complimenting colors. None of these require nails, so your landlord or resident assistant will approve.
My favorite part of my room is the listening nook. The record player has its own corner and is flanked by extra seating for its audience. There’s a crate of records for friends to sift through and choose what they want. It’s a fun way to spend time and a good conversation starter, too. You don’t have to go that far, but keep in mind your potential guests as you decorate. Just a central place to gather and extra seating will do.
Hide the ugly stuff
We all have clothes, shoes, school work, electric cords and other stuff that just isn’t that pretty. Use your closet space wisely, and pack in those extra items you want out of sight. Run electric cords against baseboards and behind furniture. Display school supplies in neat containers and books on a shelf. Even everyday items can be used as decoration when not in use.
Mood lighting
Don’t rely on the overhead lighting to suit your needs. Strings of lights and candles make for good soft lighting. Lamps allow you to control the amount of light in the room.
What’s that smell?
Any place you move into will come with its own smell. You can clip car air fresheners to vents and the air will circulate your scent of choice. There’re also electric plug-in air fresheners and free-standing ones. I use an essential oil diffuser, a humidifier that puffs out scented water vapor. It’s a plus when the air is dry, and essential oils can be used for aromatherapy.
Add some life
A recent trend is using plants as decoration. I have a few little cacti because I can’t keep real plants alive. However, I also bring home bouquets of wild flowers from the farmers market and use them to decorate the kitchen table or my desk.
In the end it doesn’t matter if you have the trendiest decor or luxurious brandname goods. It just matters that you enjoy living in your place. You have to come back from class every day to this place so you better make that bed comfy for all the Netflix binge watching you’ll be doing as recovery.
