There’s no artwork, no photos, no decoration. Nothing.

I get that everyone is different, and not everyone cares as much about `*~self expression~*’ as I do. But when you’re living in an apartment or dorm and you can’t alter the walls in any way, hanging artwork or photos of loved ones or pictures drawn in crayons by your little cousins is a great way to invest some loving energy into your space. (With command strips, natch; don’t get fined by your college ‘cuz of me, thanks.)

If you’re wondering how to make your room feel like home, this is the #1 thing you can do.

The nice thing about artwork is that it doesn’t have to cost you an arm and a leg. (See my post on How to Acquire Art on a College Budget for full details!)

In short, check out local flea markets, art fairs, maker’s markets or just the local option on Etsy if you want to support local artists; prints from places like Society6 and redbubble are generally pretty reasonable, too. Lastly, you could also try DIY-ing something on your own for something extra special.

Smelly Things

Nothing makes a place feel home-y quite like a familiar, lovely scent; especially if you’re inheriting a dorm room that still smells vaguely like the last resident’s feet.

You may not be able to burn candles in your dorm room, but you normally can diffuse essential oils; some diffusers, like the marble print one below, run pretty cheap – just be sure you ask your roommate before you diffuse eucalyptus oil, or whatever.

If you live in an apartment or a home, obvi, candles, incense, oil diffusers and scented plug-ins are all lovely choices for making your home smell however you want to make it smell.

You already know what you love, but I’m always a big fan of scents that reflect either the mood you want to have or your surroundings. So for summer, I like lilac, blackberry, and herby scents.