NYC Movers decided to share a few simple tips on how to make a temporary living feel like home. There truly is no place like home, and most people are at their most comfortable when they are surrounded by their favorite things in their own established living space. Unfortunately, a great many people find themselves displaced and in the position of living in a temporary apartment at some point in their lives.
In the worst case scenario, you may find yourself without a home due to some natural disaster that makes your current home uninhabitable until such time as it can be repaired. You may also be scrambling to find any place to live after losing a home to an unexpected foreclosure or a serious rental issue. More common reasons for ending up in a temporary apartment include a sudden job transfer to a different state, a lack of available dorm rooms at your college or the unexpected quick sale of your home.
Whatever the reason that you find yourself in a temporary apartment, chances are good that the move has left you feeling out of place and out of sorts. You might be tempted to just live out of your suitcases and count down the days of your temporary stay, but life is way too short to give up on any of it. The good news is that there are several simple things that you can do to make yourself feel more secure, comfortable and at home in your temporary apartment.
Great Ways to Make Your Temporary Apartment Feel Like Home
Hang Up Your Family Photos: It may seem like a lot of work to unpack those boxes and find your family photos, but you will feel so much better when those familiar faces are smiling back at you from the walls of your temporary home. You don't have to hang up every single photo, but you should put up the most special ones that remind you of home.
Bring Your Favorite Items: A lot of temporary apartments can seem even more alien because they come furnished. You're bound to miss your regular things that are packed away in storage, but you should bring a few familiar things with you. If you have a favorite chair, then most apartment managers will let you trade it out for the one that comes with the apartment. Bringing along items such as favorite quilts, special mementos to display and your comfy sofa pillows will all help you to feel more at home.
Liven Up the Place With Living Things: Plant enthusiasts can add instant life to their temporary accommodations by filling the place with a variety of thriving plants. You may also put up window-boxes full of colorful flowers, and you can even add a lovely assortment of flowering plants if your apartment happens to have a balcony or a patio. If you have pets, then you should do your best to find a place that will allow you to bring them along. If it's allowed, a caged singing bird can really brighten up the place as well.
Meet Your Neighbors: Even though your living accommodations are only temporary, that doesn't mean you can't make some new friendships that may last forever. Make it a point to meet your neighbors, and invite those over that you make a good connection with. Nothing can make your apartment feel more like home than some fun times with visiting friends.
Add Scents and Sounds: Candles and automatic air fresheners that dispense your favorite scent are a sure way to make you feel cozy and at home. Keeping your favorite music playing throughout the apartment is another great way to enhance your living experience.
Make Meals in Your Own Kitchen: It's way too easy to give into the temptation of picking up fast food every night, but you'll feel a lot more at home when you create a nice meal in your own kitchen. If you have time, bake a cake or some bread to add those wonderful homey smells to your apartment. Invite people over to have dinner with you, and you are sure to feel better about your surroundings.
Pack a Box of Your Feel-Good Books and Movies: Everyone has books that they read over and over and movies that always leave them feeling great, so be sure to take these to your temporary residence. If you start to feel a little depressed, then you can soon feel better by having a good read or getting a good laugh from one of those great DVDs.
Put Your Smartphone to Work: You can bring your family and best friends along with you to your new residence with the help of your smartphone. Use video to show off your new apartment, get help with your decorating and give your loved ones an audio-visual tour of your new neighborhood. You'll feel much better when you involve the people who mean the most to you in your temporary move.
Make the Most of Your Stay
Moving is never really fun, and the prospect of living in a temporary apartment may seem to be an unwelcome event. However, you can make this a new and interesting life experience, and these simple tips can help you to actually enjoy your time in your temporary apartment. Add your own great ideas to enhance these tips, and you can just plan to have fun with it.