9 Ways To Make Your First London Flat A Home 

Congratulations! You’re finally doing it and moving to London! And while even the thought of living in the big city can be very daunting, this is also very exciting! You’re starting a new life! You’ll undergo a lot of changes, form new friendships, find a new favourite cafe, make new memories, and most importantly, settle into a new home. And that last one, despite it probably being the most obvious one, can be tough when you’re uncomfortable in your flat. 

Luckily, there are a few ways to help yourself become comfortable, settled, and at home in your new London flat. Here are some ideas on how you can do just that:

1.Add A Splash Of Colour

First of all, check with your landlord if painting if your walls is something you can do. If you get the okay, go crazy and start painting your walls to your heart’s desire! Studies have shown that a change in wall colours can immediately change the feel of your home. So, grab a friend (or make a new one) who can help you turn the walls into your favourite colour, or paint a cool mural in the living room! If your lease doesn’t allow you to paint your walls, try using removable wallpaper. Either way, you’re surely going to have some fun while making your new space all yours! 

2. Let Some Light In

More often than not, bare flats always come with not-so-decent lighting, and that’s always one way to make you feel uncomfortable in your own space. The best way to change up that vibe is by choosing the right shade for the light bulb, lighting some candles, adding some fairy lights, or simply adding some lamps around the flat. Lighting always sets the mood, and with the right kind of lighting, you’ll be feeling at home in no time!

3. Get Cleaning

To make your flat really feel like home, you’ll have to make sure everything is clean and sparkly. Start dusting your flat from top to bottom, and make sure you’ve cleaned every nook and cranny. Use a vacuum cleaner if you have to. What’s important is that by the time that you’ve finished, your place is spotless and fresh! 

Another tip: If you’re living in a carpeted flat, it is best to call in the local carpet cleaner to help you make your flat clean and spotless.  

4. Buy Furniture That You Like

A great way to ensure that you’re feeling at home and comfortable in your flat is by buying the furniture that you like. It doesn’t matter if you’re only renting your place. Whatever you buy will end up coming with you when you move, anyway. Don’t settle for something ugly and cheap, something you don’t like, or something that’s a combination of all three. Otherwise, you’ll only find yourself unhappy with what you own, and you’ll probably hate spending any time in your flat at all. So, go ahead and get nice furniture! You won’t regret it!

Another tip: Moving Home can always be stressful and finding room for everything can sometimes be impossible. Always look to consider self-storage units as they are a great place to store your goods temporarily at a cheap rate. If you would like more information on storage units, have a look at Self storage in Buckingham.

5. Decorate

Another way to make your flat cosy and homey is by decorating it the way you want to. Get some art pieces to spice up your place. Adding some photos of your friends, family, and loved ones also wouldn’t hurt. You may also opt to get some throw pillows on the couch to make your place look liveable. A few knickknacks and small items will also bring in some life to your flat. Lastly, bring in some plants and some flowers to brighten your home!

6. Stock Up

Any place wouldn’t feel like a home if you didn’t do any kind of living in it. At the very least, help yourself feel like you’re living in it. Drop by the store and stock up on some necessities. It doesn’t matter if you eat out or order in every night. Grab some food staples and buy some toiletries. Just keep a stock of the things you might need, and soon you’ll be driving away the sad, empty feeling in your flat. 

7. Get Some Curtains

Hanging up some curtains will instantly make any room feel warmer and inviting. It also makes any place feel much more cosy and private, and that’s something you’ll want to feel in your home. You don’t even have to hang up anything colourful or expensive. Even something simple like these top down shades will do!

8. Make A Meal

Nothing will make you feel more at home than hanging out in and making use of your kitchen. There’s just something about being able to move about your kitchen and making your food that makes you feel very relaxed and comfortable in a particular space. So familiarize yourself with your kitchen and make something!  

9. Unpack

Lastly, unpack. Living off of boxes for weeks won’t help you achieve that “homey” vibe at all. And yes, you will want to put it off for as long as you could, but doing so would only give you more reason to feel like a stranger in your own space. So bite the bullet and do it already, because the sooner you’re all settled in, the sooner you’ll feel like you belong.

This is a collaborative post.