When you get your first apartment, you are usually very excited. That excitement is focused on the intoxicating feeling of liberation, freedom, and independence. You are a grown-up now. But after the reality of being responsible for yourself, your bills, and everything else sinks in, the excitement may begin to fade. You might look around your apartment and see the cheap, shabby, mismatching furniture and the bare walls. When you realize that your apartment looks just like every other college student’s apartment, a little messy and threadbare, you might feel a little less grown-up.
But once you have that realization, there are many things you can do to improve the situation, redecorate, and feel like the true grown-up that you are well on the way to becoming. Read on for some tips on making your apartment more grown-up!
Get Matching Furniture
One of the first things you can try in your efforts to make your apartment more grown-up is to get matching furniture. Generally, college students take what they can get. They take hand me down furniture from their family and friends, comb thrift stores and garage sales, or buy stuff for cheap from fellow students. This generally means the furniture they buy is worn down, shabby, and almost none of it ever matches.
Make the change. Upgrade your game. Get rid of that worn, mismatching furniture and get furniture that is new AND matches. How can you do that? You can buy a full set new from a store, but that can be pretty pricey. You might also be able to find someone selling a complete set, used, online somewhere. But what might be the best and most affordable option is to rent your furniture. That way you get to choose exactly what kind of furniture you want, it is in good condition, it is way more affordable to pay for than buying outright, and you can return it or trade-in the furniture at any time. If this option appeals to you, then you should definitely check out CORT Furniture Rental while trying to make your apartment more grown-up.
Get Comfy
The next strategy to try and make your apartment more grown-up is to make it comfy. How exactly does making your apartment cozy make it more grown-up? It means that you respect and appreciate comfort over aesthetics, which is a very grown-up thing to do. Have you ever noticed that while freshmen start off their college career by putting time and effort into how they look, even showing up to 8 am classes with a full face of makeup, the upperclassmen, by contrast, are the ones wearing sweats and comfy clothes to class? That is because comfort is king.
Instead of having that uncomfortable couch in the living room that you got just because it was cheap and available when you needed it, get one you find comfortable. Instead of that lamp whose light is way too bright and blinding and is an eyesore with the light turned on or off, get one whose style matches your taste and your needs. Whatever comfy means to you, do that. Get that kind of furniture. Make those kinds of changes to your home. Prioritize your comfort over everything else. Just like an adult would.
Paint Your Walls
Another strategy you can attempt is to paint your walls. Most apartments come with the standard blank, boring white walls. That is not interesting. That is not sophisticated. It is boring and it is what most college students have. Set yourself apart by painting the walls! You can paint just one wall as an accent wall with a color you like and that complements the furniture you have in your apartment. Or you can paint all the walls so that you never have to see a plain white wall again. You can use painters tape to create patterns and designs with your painting to make your apartment more creative, sophisticated, chic, and grown-up.
Redecorating your apartment to be more grown-up can make you feel more at peace in your own home. Obviously, you need to stay within normal limits and not spend all your student loan money on your redecorating endeavor. But there is nothing wrong with investing time, money, and care into the space that you live in—that might also be considered a sign of being more grown-up.
*Note from the writer: Please make sure that you are allowed to paint the walls in your apartment before doing so as not all complexes allow you to do so. You do not want to lose your deposit or get in trouble with your apartment complex over it. Always check first!
Written by Danielle Wirsansky, ULoop Contributor // Photo Credit: Pexels, Daria Shevtsova
