How to Make an Apartment Feel Like a Home After Moving – 7 Creative Ideas

Saying bye to friends and family after hiring a long-distance moving company is not the easiest thing to do, especially if you are moving for the first time. Everything you’re used to will be far away, and you’ll be left with the feeling of unfamiliarity. One of the ways to keep depression after moving at bay is to turn your new space into a cozy and comfortable area. And when you find yourself asking How can I make my home feel like home, know that we have a few ideas to get you thinking. And don’t worry – even if you move out of state on a budget you’ll be able to bring them to life. Let’s start!

Purging as a Precondition to a Cozy Condo

When wondering how to make an apartment feel like a home, you must consider that apartments usually don’t bring extensive square footage. So if you are moving from a house to an apartment, prepare for some serious downsizing for a move. If not, your condo will end up with items and furniture pieces that don’t fit in well, physically and aesthetically. Remember – decluttering is necessary for your new space to seem more comfortable and homey.

It’s a practical, not a creative idea, but it’s the one that will provide you with much less work around your future condo. So before cross-country movers come and help you with their packing services, decide about what not to pack and look for places where you can donate unwanted items. And after the relocation is finished and unpacking after the move is done, it’s time to start a decorating spree!

#1 Choose Decorative Pieces That Suit Your Style

Your new condo will probably need a lot more stuff than you brought, which means a lot of shopping awaits in the future. First of all, know that shopping for your space shouldn’t be part of your moving to-do list. People who go on a shopping spree before the move tend to buy more unnecessary things. It means spending more money on items that may not go well with everything else in the condo. That is why this task should be one of the things to do after the move.

It should go without saying, but the decoration you choose should be in line with the style you favor. Do you prefer industrial, electric, or traditional style? Or do you see yourself as more of a Scandinavian type? Think it through, look for some fresh ideas on websites such as Pinterest, and match them with what you already have.

On the other hand, when looking for things you need for your first apartment (or second or third), keep in mind that you don’t have to buy everything at once. If you hire an auto transport company to transport your car to another state, you can visit Ikea, Target, or local thrift shops weekly after the move without losing too much time.

Sentimental Items Are Crucial in Making an Apartment a Home, so Scatter Them Everywhere

Sentimental belongings are those that evoke positive feelings by triggering a particular memory or making you think about your loved ones. When moving to a city alone, ensure to arrange them all over the new place. Think about the photographs of family and friends that you’ll frame and hang on the wall, artwork from your favorite artist, favorite books, travel souvenirs, and alike. If you have positive memories of the last place you lived, you can also decorate some areas of your new condo to remind you of it. Decorating your office area similar to the way it looked at your old house is one of the ways to relocate your home with you.

#2 Play With Colors and Personalize the Space

Nothing will personalize your condo more than changing the color of the walls. However, firstly you must read carefully through your lease or talk with your landlord – not all rental owners allow such changes in their rentals. And if you get a green light, go for it!

Did you know that there are such things as the psychological effects of room colors? For example, purple is bound to spike your creativity up, and yellow is usually associated with joy. Think about your favorite colors and the effect you want to achieve, and roll up your sleeves. Just be careful – you don’t want to overdo it with the same bold color on every wall.

On the other hand, if you don’t want to repaint the walls, there are other ways to bring in color and life to your condo. Think about rugs, cushions, artwork, or curtains. Try introducing a color pattern in the condo through smaller details.

Look for Non-Permanent Solutions for Each Room

You can change colors in your space even if your landlord doesn’t allow paintwork or any similar change. Let us present to you the wonders of removable wallpapers and peel-and-stick tiles. They are excellent DIY projects that will help each living room and bedroom, and even bathroom and kitchen, look different and more suitable to your taste in no time. And the best part? After your lease has ended and you decide to move again, you can just peel them off, and walls and tiles will look as they did the first time you walked in.

If You Aren’t Allowed to Paint the Walls of the Condo, Paint the Furniture

So your walls are white and dull, and you hate them? And your lease explicitly forbids you from changing any wall in any way? There is no need to be upset about it – just think outside of the box. Remember that no one can stop you from changing items that are yours. If you want to add some more color to your condo and provide it with a more eccentric and chic vibe, painting your furniture is the way to go. And if you want to know how it’s done, take a look at the video below:

#3 Adjust the Lighting to Your Wishes

One of the most important things to look at in a condo is lighting, and that includes both natural and artificial light. And while, in some cases, you can’t affect the amount of light you get from the outside, you can always add lamps and change the lighting scheme in the condo. Nothing is stopping you from adding a decorative piece on your nightstand or buying a floor lamp and a reading chair for the living room. With the right light, your flat is bound to seem more cozy and intimate.

But how to make your apartment feel like home if there are ugly and bulky chandeliers hanging around? Learn how to remove a chandelier, store them away, and buy pieces that you’ll love. And when your lease expires, put the old ones back on and bring yours with you.

#4 Find Ways to Separate Different Areas

After you move from a big house to a small condo, you will probably trade divided rooms for an open-concept space. But there is a solution! If you are looking for the coziness of a house, you just need to be a little more creative. Consider the following:

• Use shelves as a room divider – when you are not allowed to add a wall between your bedroom and living room, a large shelf may serve as one. And all the storage space they bring is always a plus in small apartments.
• Use different rugs to define different spaces.
• Chic curtains can be excellent modern and easily changeable dividers.
• Set your furniture pieces strategically – no one says that a sofa needs to go up to the wall. Find a spot for it so that it becomes a visible divider between the living and dining area.
• Don’t forget the nooks – you need a special area where you’ll enjoy whatever it is that you love. Are you a bookworm? A reading nook will become your answer to how to make an apartment homey. And if you are moving with pets, don’t forget they need a nook of their own.

#5 Use Furniture and Decorations to Hide What You Don’t Like

Does your condo have some areas or details you are not especially fond of but can’t do anything to change? There is an easy fix for it, too. Hide whatever you don’t want to keep seeing. Out of sight, out of mind! If an ugly bundle of cords makes you love your condo less, cover it with something you actually like looking at. Remember that loving how your place looks is crucial for you to start enjoying it.

#6 Choose a Scent That You Love

Did you know that certain fragrances can trigger positive emotions? Some specific scents can even reduce stress levels and improve general mental health. So a job for you when you move to another state is to get candles or environment-friendly room spray that will emit the scents you love. It would be best to choose fragrances that remind you of the old house and bring happy memories. Imagine how fast your condo will start feeling homey if you experience positive emotions each time you walk in!

#7 Add More Life to the Condo With a Couple of Plants

Your condo won’t seem cozy and warm without a plant (or dozen) in it. If you’re only now getting organized to move and plan to get long-distance moving services, keep in mind that plants are usually among the items long-distance movers won’t move. So if you are a plant lover and want to transport your potted friends across the country, find some tips for relocating plants. And when you’re done, pick a proper place for each one and witness your condo becoming more vivid and bright.

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One Last Piece of Advice on How to Make an Apartment Feel Like Home – Spend Time in It

There is no point in decorating your condo and making it more intimate and cozy if you will not be in it. That doesn’t mean that you can’t go out and make friends in the new city, just that you should take some time to bond with the flat. And when you finally start feeling that homey atmosphere, you can truly begin to enjoy all the benefits of moving. After all, nothing will help you realize that you’ve made the right choice better than the feeling of safety and happiness in the comfort of your place.