Moving away from home and into student accommodation is a big step that can initially feel overwhelming. Most folks leaving home tend to feel this way, but worry not—we are right here to guide you through it. Your new place may feel plain and unfamiliar at first, but with just a few changes, you can make your student space feel warm, welcoming, and like your very own home.

Top Tips to Help You Settle in and Love Your New Space

1. Add Your Own Personal Touches

A room full of your memories and personality feels way more comfortable and will help you settle in more easily. Here are some tips: 

• Hang photos of your family, friends, or pets, as well as anything that you find memorable.
• Use your favorite posters, postcards, or artwork to decorate your room.
• Display souvenirs, drawings, or small decorations that remind you of home.

Spending some time decorating your space according to your tastes can make it feel more like your own. Familiar objects can help you get used to your accommodation more smoothly, while your student flat can also be a blank canvas you can fill out with your personal touches. 

2. Use Warm Lighting for your Room 

Harsh lighting can make your space feel more unwelcoming than it would be otherwise. Try soft lighting to make your student accommodation more lively and comfortable. Here are some tips: 

• Try hanging a string of lights with warm lighting to see how that makes you feel. 
• Use a bulb with good, warm lighting. 
• Add a small floor lamp to soften the ambience of the whole room.

Proper lighting can make your room feel like it’s your space and help you feel more at ease. Soft orange or gold lighting in the evenings can be much more calming than bright white or blue lighting. A reading lamp can create a cozy atmosphere that works better than harsh overhead lighting.

3. Keep It Clean and Tidy

A clean space is necessary for your student accommodation to turn into a home. It will also help you feel calmer and be able to focus. At home, you might not be in the habit of cleaning up regularly if you’re splitting chores with other family members. But in your own space, maintaining a standard of cleanliness can make all the difference in your experience living in a student flat. It gives you a sense of control, ownership, and pride in your space. A clean and tidy living space is also scientifically proven to contribute to a better state of mind. 

Here are some tips: 

• Make a habit of tidying up each day.
• Don’t let dishes or your laundry pile up.
• Keep a dustbin nearby and take out the trash often.

When your room is clean, it’s easier to think clearly and enjoy your space as well as feel more at home. 

4. Organize Your Stuff

When you first move out, it’s likely you will first be living in a small space with a student budget. This can get messy fast, but smart storage decisions early on will definitely help you in the long run. Here are some tips: 

• Use under-bed storage boxes or rolling drawers to utilize your space 
• Hang hooks or organizers on doors to use that space and keep track of your schedule. 
• Use baskets to keep small items grouped together.

The more organized your room is, the less stressed you’ll feel. You’ll be surprised how much hassle and time you can save yourself when you can find that spare charger or an umbrella exactly when you need it, rather than turning your whole room upside down.

5. Bring a Bit of Nature Inside

Plants can make your student accommodation feel more alive and fresh. If you feel like you don’t have a green thumb, getting a low-stakes plant that does not require much maintenance can make all the difference. Having a plant can keep you accountable and help you adjust to a routine. It can make your space more refreshing and personal. Here are some tips for you to incorporate nature into your room: 

• Start with low-maintenance plants like snake plants or succulents.
• Use a small vase for fresh flowers when you can.
• Try fake plants if you don’t have time to look after your plants. 

Greenery adds color and life to your room—even one little plant makes a difference.

6. Invest in Scents

Smell is a very powerful tool that can remind you of your home. Additionally, a nice scent can lift your mood. Citrusy scents, for example, are scientifically proven to have mood-boosting properties. Here are some tips for you to make your student accommodation smell nice and welcoming: 

• Try a diffuser with essential oils like lavender or eucalyptus.
• Use scented sachets in your drawers, closet, and washrooms. 
• Spray fabric freshener on your bedding now and then, as well as washing it regularly. 

Choose scents that make you feel happy, calm, or energized. A good-smelling room can make all the difference to your productivity and well-being. 

7. Create a Study Zone

Separating work and leisure helps you focus better and reach your goals more quickly. 

• Keep your desk clear of distractions.
• Set up your laptop, notebooks, and stationery nearby.
• Hang a small corkboard with reminders, goals, or quotes.

When you’re done studying, step away from the desk to relax and keep a good work-life balance. Differentiating your space for study and rest can help your brain switch between the two modes more easily than trying to get work done in bed.

8. Add Fun Elements

To make your student dorm feel more like home, it should have some fun elements too. You might be planning to move out after a semester or a year, and wonder whether investing in the space makes sense. However, low-cost additions to your room, which you can carry with you when you move out, can boost your mood and make the space feel more like your own. Here are some tips for you: 

• Put up posters of your favorite movie or band.
• Keep a small Bluetooth speaker for music or podcasts.
• Set up a shelf with books, games, or collectibles.

Your room should reflect you, so let it show your interests and make you feel good! Being able to see or do things that you like, enjoy, or are passionate about can be the mood boost you need during stressful days as a university student. 

9. Cook or Eat Foods You Love

Food brings comfort, especially when it reminds you of home. Here are some tips for you involving your favourite food: 

• Make a simple dish that your family always eats and reminds you of home. 
• Invite your roommates to cook together and share meals if you can. 
• Keep snacks or drinks that make you feel good.

Cooking can also be a great way to bond with others and feel less homesick. If you’re living abroad, you can consider putting aside a portion of your budget every month to try out an eatery offering your local cuisine. You might discover a favourite spot to default to for special treats and celebrations that becomes its own sort of comfort as a student away from home. 

10. Stick to a Routine

A good routine gives your day structure and keeps you balanced. It becomes essential for you as you move to a new place to maintain discipline and order in your life. 

• Try waking up and sleeping at the same time each day.

• Schedule meals, study time, and breaks.
• Plan time for rest, fun, and self-care.

When life gets busy, stressful or overwhelming, a routine helps you feel more grounded.

11. Get Involved in Your Community

Your student accommodation will become more homely if you involve yourself in the community near you and try to strike up some friendships. Here are some top tips for you: 

• Join clubs, teams, or campus events.
• Introduce yourself to your neighbors or flatmates.
• Attend orientation/welcome weeks or movie nights and try to talk to people there.

Making new friends might take time, but it helps you feel part of something bigger and helps you feel more comfortable and safe. 

12. Talk About Your Feelings

Feeling homesick or overwhelmed is normal, especially students moving out of home for the first time. Don’t keep it all inside. Here are a few things you can do: 

• Call a parent, sibling, or friend for a chat.
• Write your thoughts in a journal or express them through art.
• Use campus support services, like counselors or peer support.
• Seek the help of counselors and therapists if it’s too overwhelming 

13. Celebrate Milestones

Celebrate your small wins and turn them into souvenirs for you to remember them. Reminders of good times and achievements you’re proud of can motivate you when you’re feeling low. 

• Decorate your room for your birthday or holidays.
• Treat yourself after finishing an assignment.
• Keep a jar of “good things”, like the stubs of movie and concert tickets, to look back on later.

Celebrating little things helps you stay positive and proud of how far you’ve come.

14. Use Curtains or Room Dividers

Sometimes, student rooms feel a little too plain, and the lack of privacy might make things difficult. Use dividers to separate the personal space between you and your roommates so you can carve out your space in the apartment. 

• Add your own curtains or hang a tapestry to block light.
• Use a folding screen or curtain to divide the space if you have a roommate.
• Hang a sheet or fabric behind your bed as a headboard.

Creating boundaries can make your space feel more private and peaceful.

15. Display a Vision Board or Goals

Seeing your dreams and goals in front of you is inspiring and can be key to keeping your motivation up while you work. 

• Use a corkboard, poster, or notebook to make a vision board.
• Add pictures of places you want to go, quotes you love, or goals you have.
• Update it each term to manage your motivation.

This reminds you why you’re here and gives you a push when times get tough.

Concluding Remarks 

Turning your student accommodation into a home isn’t about spending lots of money or making big changes. It’s about making the space feel like yours—a place where you feel safe, relaxed, and proud. Add things that reflect your personality. Keep it clean, cozy, and organized. Most of all, be patient with yourself. It might take a few weeks or even months to feel fully settled in. But every little step from making your bed to sharing a meal brings you closer to feeling truly at home.