Making Your Room a Home

Living with us is, of course, amazing. What more could you possibly want? We’re not saying that our rooms need changing. Far from it. What we are saying is that now that we’ve had you all here for a while, we know you’re all very different people. We think that’s great, and we want to help you show it.

Here are a few tips on how you can make your already awesome room your very own brand of awesome:

1. Display your memories! Be proud of that family photo from 1998 where you look a little bit like a potato, or that snapshot of you and your friends aged 13 in your goth phase. Picture frames can really add a little something to your room, and will always remind you that there are people back home you can depend on seeing.

The longer you stay with us, the more new memories you can create. With fun websites for printing your Instagram and Facebook pics cropping up everywhere, it’s now easier than ever to embarrass yourself and your mates. Other great ways of showing off your past – and getting a conversation going – include covering your pin-boards with gig tickets, posters, sporting memorabilia or holiday souvenirs.

2. Student living pretty much always means that there are limitations to how much you can change the look of your flat, but don’t give up before you’ve even started. A great way to get around this is by using accessories to inject colour and personality into a room.

Did you know that different colours are said to invoke different feelings and moods? Colour psychology in interior design suggests blue has a calming effect and opens up communication (just look at Facebook), whereas yellow promotes confidence and positivity – both of which might come in handy when the exam period starts.

3. We don’t really fancy calling the fire brigade, so that means candles are ruled out – sorry! But there are other creative ways to lighten your room and set the same kind of ambiance. Fairy lights are a quick way to get your room sparkling, or go a little bit retro and get your hands on a lava lamp or disco ball?

4. Good news – not everything has to cost a bomb. Charity shops, EBay and craft stores are perfect for doing up your room on a budget. Vintage is all the rage these days, so gathering kitsch decor from obscure shops will make you an interior design inspiration to your fellow flatmates. Plus, you can breathe a sigh of relief that you won’t be having an awkward Mean Girls-esque moment.

Lee knows what I’m talking about. Huge Mean Girls fan.

5. At the risk of sounding like your parents, keep your room clean. Funnily enough, the best way to feel more at home is to replicate everything you’ve been used to. You can argue until you’re blue in the face that your individual style requires a certain level of messy-chic, but trust me, it’s no fun when that “little bit” suddenly becomes a whole lot.

Before you know it, those plates by your bed have stacked up, and you don’t even want to think about the dirty laundry that’s spiralled out of control. Your room is a reflection of you, so keep it in a way that will do you proud. Sadly, there are no fairy godmothers here – and no mums and dads either – so take pride in what is probably the very first place you can call your own.

The floor is all yours – quite literally. Just remember to check your tenancy agreement before you make any permanent changes. If you install something crazy like a playpark in your room, we can’t let it slide.

I’ll stop now.