By Anastasia Burton
It can be quite terrifying, moving away from home and having to leave the bedroom you more than likely grew up in. It’s hard when you step inside your new “home” and find fresh walls, while at home you probably had posters, pictures, fairy lights, and other such decorations, hiding that freshness. The first night in a room which has yet to become familiar can cause the worst kind of sleep and increase your levels of anxiety… But don’t you worry! Aunty Ana has you covered!
I will give you a few helpful tips as to how you can make your new room resemble your old, in a brand-new way.
Step 1: Do not overpack your things while moving from one place to another! Take only things which add the most character to the room.
Step 2: If your walls are terrifyingly white, take some photographs of family and friends from home and stick them around the room in whatever fashion you prefer.
Step 3: Bring your favorite set of bedsheets and put them on as soon as you start unpacking to add that bit of familiarity to the room.
Step 4: Go to Penneys and browse the reduction section of the home décor section. You can find all sorts of things there! From cheap pillows you can place on your bed, to adorable fairy lights you can hang up somewhere in the room. Always check reduction sections for the best deals; we are all students and we’re all struggling financially.
Step 5: Something I started doing in my own bedroom away from home is sticking up seashells around the room in random areas. I would get these seashells either from the beach or buy fake ones and clean them out. Then I would blu tack them to my wall. My bedroom now has an ocean theme, and I’m digging it, so you might too!
Step 6: As corny as it sounds, bring your favorite teddy. This might be a silly suggestion to most, but it is a nice touch to bring something from your childhood along to the journey of your adulthood. It will make you feel more at ease at your new place since you will have a familiar face waiting for you back home (even if that face is made up of faux fur and fluff)!
Step 7: Bring your own cup, plate, bowl, and possibly even cutlery (one of each should do you fine, 1 spoon, 1 knife, and such). This might also seem like a quirky and odd thing to add to the list, but it is useful. Having your own cutlery from home will make you feel like you’re having your meal with family, which could make you feel more at ease with the new setting.
Step 8: Buy a plant from the weekend market on Shop Street! At the market, there is a gentleman selling home–grown cacti and other funky little plants, and at €3 for small plants and €5 for bigger ones, they won’t break the bank! The reason I’m suggesting this is because plants can really brighten up a room and add a sense of hospitality to the premises, which would be a beautiful little touch to your new environment.
There are many things you could do to make your transition to your new home a smooth one. However, you will have to see what your options are before you start decorating. I hope my advice has helped you a little bit! Good luck!