In our last post we hooked you up with some of Manchester’s coolest independent interior stores and you lot seemed to like it, so we’re sticking to a similar theme this week. With lots of University courses kicking off in the next couple of weeks we thought we’d give you some easy-to-follow advice to level up your student digs and make it feel, and look, more like home. It may sound simple, but if you’ve never lived away from home before, and are constricted about what you’re allowed to do with your student place, then you need to read on…

Lighting

Often met with a single ceiling light or maybe a spotlight in the kitchen, changing up the lighting in your space will make a huge difference to how it feels, as well as how you use each area of your accommodation. For example, consider fairy lights around the bed where you want to chill, but maybe more of a directional lamp at a desk area where you need to work. Lighting is great for setting a mood, so really think about what you want before making any impulse buys.

Plants

If you want somewhere to feel more homely and you aren’t allowed pets, what could be the next best thing than your own collection of house plants. Choose your plant babies carefully depending on your commitment to their care. If you’re going to be home regularly, then maybe choose something hardy like an aloe vera or swiss cheese plant. However, if you are already a green fingered pro, then maybe you could keep a fiddle leaf fig or orchid alive.

Personalise the Space

Sounds obvious but this is key to your room or apartment feeling like yours. Add these touches as soon as you can so the room feels more to your taste and less ‘the-same-as-everyone-else student chic’. Photos of friends and family, framed prints that you love (get yourself some command strips for this and thank us later!) and splash out on some bedding that will enhance the vibe you’re going for. You might not be able to start throwing paint or wallpaper up but that’s no reason to not try and pimp your place in other ways.

Invest in Good Quality Soft Furnishings

You can’t usually choose your furniture in student accommodation, but you can make it more your style by adding the cherries to the cake, as it were. Rugs, cushions, throws and towels are all worth spending a decent amount on, as they can come with you wherever you go next and will really make your mark and cosy up the space. Surrounding yourself with items you have chosen instead of what has to be there will speed up the settling in process too.

Choose Your Signature Scent

Scent is a pretty powerful addition, and when it’s done right it can evoke a whole host of emotions. If you are a real homebody, why not pick up the same diffuser, candle, and air freshener scents as you’ve gotten used to at home. If you want to choose your own and lose the fusty smell of students of freshers’ past, then hit up your nearest supermarkets or department stores to see what you like. As with the lighting recommendations, consider what scents work for different areas of your new home.

Hopefully, this has helped you create a space that is a little less functional and a lot more comfortable. Sprucing up your environment will not only improve your productivity but also make a huge difference to your mental wellbeing and happiness too. We’d love to see what you do with your accommodation, so please do get in touch via our socials.