Moving into a new apartment can sometimes be just as sad as it is exciting. Sure, there’s always a thrill as you take up residence somewhere new. And hey, if you like the location and the building, not to mention your own unit, you might be downright thrilled! But even in a perfect setup like that, there can be a certain loneliness to it. At some point you’re looking around, probably at a little more empty space than you’re used to, and you’re wondering how long it will take to feel completely comfortable.
To an extent, that’s really just a time thing. In a matter of weeks you’ll start to feel comfortable, in months you’ll stop thinking of the space as new, and in a year it’ll probably feel like you’ve lived there for five. But in the interest of comfort and general satisfaction, there are certainly some things you can do to liven things up a little bit, and make the apartment feel like home.
My first piece of advice would be to look for cheap deals – not on furniture or kitchen appliances specifically, not on new bedding or blinds, but on absolutely anything. Coupon To Pay can be a nice place to start, as they have categories ranging from clothing to electronics, and everything in between. There’s never a guarantee you’ll find a deal that interests you, but look through the related categories – kitchen supplies, office supplies, home improvement, TV, etc. – and you might just be able to snag a few new things for your apartment without exceeding your budget. Chances are you’re not in the mood to spend too much money right after signing for a new apartment, but with this sort of tactic you can begin to affordably fill your new space.
Next, I’d completely counter my point about not exceeding your budget and tell you to splurge – but only on one thing. Go out and find the mattress of your dreams. A great night’s sleep in a comfortable bed can make just about any place feel like home. It’s why you sometimes almost don’t want to leave a basic roadside hotel if it happens to have a nice bed! As you may have noticed, there happens to be a trend toward custom mattresses that can be ordered online, and if you pay attention you can probably get a discount at one of the providers by finding an advertisement on a popular podcast. For whatever reason Leesa seems to advertise on a lot of them, and some of its competitors have as well.
After you find a mattress you like, I’d recommend you focus on filling the walls. And don’t just rely on old photographs or cheap prints. Do some real research to find some art that speaks to you, and which you think you’ll enjoy in your new apartment. These days you can find convincing reproductions of popular paintings online at places list 1st-art-gallery, which is worth considering if you want something on the high end. Alternatively, however, you can usually track down an independent artist and commission a piece as well. They’re pretty active on social media and most of them appreciate the opportunity to work. In short, there are endless options out there, so take a little bit of time. But try to fill up the wall space a little bit. It’ll almost certainly make the place feel more uniquely your own.
That about covers most logical advice. We could keep going with tips like “find comfortable furniture” or “display pictures of loved ones,” but those are things you probably learned way back in your college dorm. The ideas above are more about providing a lasting sense of comfort and crafting an environment to suit your own preferences.
