How to Make a Temporary Living Space Homely - Top Tips

Regular housesitters more than any other type of traveller knows the advantage of how to make a temporary living space homely. In this article we leverage the house sitter’s expert knowledge on how to bring and place essential portable items in the new and temporary home to make the space more personal and to feel more welcoming. Read on to learn these top tips.

How To Make Your Temporary Living Space Homely

Photo by Vlada Karpovich

Most people have experienced living in temporary housing for work, school, or extended holidays. Although some enjoy staying in different places for months at a time, others can’t help but feel homesick as their temporary accommodations lack the cosy, familiar feel of their abode.

According to a survey by World Travel Protection, nearly one-fifth of all business travellers feel homesick, while 18 percent say that they feel anxious whenever they’re away from home. Meanwhile, about 94 percent of college students experience homesickness at some point during the first 10 weeks of college. But how can you make a temporary living space homely to avoid this sense of homesickness?

Being away from your loved ones and all of the things that give you comfort can be difficult. But with a few well-chosen items and some simple decorating hacks, you can transform an apartment, dorm room, hotel room, or AirBnB into a place that looks and feels like home. Whether you’re a house sitter, a business traveller, a tourist, or a student, here’s how to make your temporary living spaces feel more home-like and comfortable.

Fill Spaces With Meaningful Items

One reason why people feel homesick is because they’re always reminded that the room or home that they’re staying in isn’t really their own. It’s alright to leave things as they are if you’ll only be there for a couple of days or a week. But if you’ll be living in the apartment or room for a month or more and you keep getting hit by waves of homesickness, it may be time to change your environment to feel less anxious or sad about being far from home.

Think about easy, no-fuss ways to spruce up your space to give it some personality and make it feel less sterile or bland.

Photos – Display your favourite family photos or artwork in ready made picture frames, then place the frames on highly visible spots, such as the bedside table, on a floating shelf beside or below the TV, or on a sideboard in the kitchen.
Add Your Pillow Covers – To make the living room feel more “you,” replace the throw pillow covers with ones in your favourite colours or patterns, and add a soft throw.
Add Your Books – Plan on bringing a few books to your temporary housing too– seeing a stack of your favourite reads on the coffee table can make your living space feel more homey and familiar.

Add Small and Easy to Care for Plants

Adding a few potted plants to your temporary accommodations is another way to incorporate some life and colour to your space. Choose small plants since they won’t take up much space, they’re easy to move around, and you can give them away before returning home. Consider mini succulents, or leafy plants that grow well in low-light such as a snake plant, pothos, or a lucky bamboo. Place them in matching plant holders for a cohesive look.

Try Aromatherapy to Make a Temporary Living Space Homely

It has been scientifically proven that certain scents can bring up forgotten memories, but did you know that some odours or aromas can also make you feel better when you’re feeling low or homesick? According to Rachel Hertz, a neuroscientist at Brown University, scents “can instantly trigger an emotional response along with a memory, and our emotional states have a very strong effect on our physical well-being.”

To uplift your spirits and make your temporary housing feel like your own, fill your spaces with scents that you associate with happy times in your life.

Add Easy Scents in the Home

For instance, maybe your mum used to bake cookies when you were younger, so why not burn a vanilla-scented candle to evoke this carefree part of your life? Or perhaps you always loved using a lavender-scented fabric softener since it gives your sheets a comforting smell and it helps you get better sleep.

If you can’t find the same brand in the place that you’re staying, buy some lavender essential oil and mix a few drops with a cup of water and two tablespoons of rubbing alcohol or vodka. Pour the mixture into a spray bottle, and give your sheets a few spritzes before bedtime to help you relax and fall asleep.

dog at a laptop with a homeowner at the keyboard — Housesitters often find they are working in a new home, so personal items can make a temporary living space homely

Photo by RDNE Stock project

Final Thoughts on How to Make a Temporary Living Space Homely

Everyone will experience feeling homesick at some point in their lives. If you’re a homesitter or a person who travels for business on a regular basis, consider these tips to make your temporary living space homely, and transform your room or apartment into a place that somehow feels, looks, and smells like you.

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