Make Your Apartment Feel Like Home

Whether you just moved in or you’ve lived in your apartment for a while, these are our ideas to help you feel more at home.

Scent – Coming in your front door and being greeted by a delicious scent will heighten your mood in seconds.  With candles, incense, or even a homemade room spray you can have a space that smells great.

Decorating – Hang up your artwork and enjoy it!  If you don’t own a Maude Lewis or a Graham Noble Norwell then paint or photograph something yourself. This will more than personalize your home and create a conversation piece for years to come.

Lighting – Ask your landlord to install dimmers on dining room and livingroom lights. Lighting can truly create a coziness in a room and dimmers and lamps will contribute. You might even ask for a light fixture you’ve provided to be installed.

Fireplace – If you are lucky enough to live in a historic property with original fireplaces, place candles at the opening and recreate the effect of Victorian times. When moving into a home without this feature there is still the option to purchase an electric fireplace to add a warm feeling.

Houseplants – Plants literally add life to your apartment.  A dwarf citrus tree can fill up an empty corner and really soften a space. Flowering plants like Christmas cactus not only provide natural beauty but are fun to nurture into bloom. And if you don’t have time to cater to them, many cacti take little to no care, and still give much character to a room.

Meet a neighbour – Knowing someone next door can alleviate feelings of isolation you may experience in a new home. Making a point of introducing yourself could mean you’ve suddenly got someone to borrow a tool from, someone who would check on your cat if you have to leave town for a weekend, or could even lead to a lifelong friendship if you have similar interests.

Join a community group – Feeling at home in your apartment also comes from feeling like you’re part of a community. One way to attain this is to join other citizens with whom you have some common concerns. You’ll be surprised how this brings you a sense of belonging.

Walk instead of driving – It seems like a small thing but you WILL notice so much more about your area when you are walking than you do from inside your car. Next time you need a jug of milk or just to get the exercise, walk it and look around for things to appreciate in the scenery, architecture and natural features near your home.