MAKING HALLS YOUR HOME

Packing and moving everything out of your student accommodation at the end of your tenancy is a hassle, so you shouldn’t bring everything you’ve ever owned to uni. But that doesn’t mean you can’t have things that will make your room more ‘you’ during your studies.

Storage, storage, storage!

When choosing your halls, investigate the storage options in the room. You might be lucky in getting a room with built-in storage, but if your room doesn’t come with any you should think about other options. This will also help with moving when your lease is up! Plastic storage towers aren’t the most glamorous or Instagram-worthy storage solutions, but they are cheap and most come with wheels making them easy to move. Under-the-bed boxes are also great for things like university work, and books that you need to keep but want put away. Wardrobe organisers also help if you have limited space, so you can separate your clothes, pyjamas, and undies!

If you need ‘proper’ storage solutions like a chest of drawers, check out local selling sites such as Facebook Marketplace or Gumtree, where people are always selling second-hand furniture for cheap (or even giving away for free!)

Okay, so fairy lights are a first-year university meme, but they’re cheap, light, easy to move and store, and jazz up any space! Everyone should own at least one string of fairy lights to brighten up their halls bedroom. If your room doesn’t come with a lamp for bedtime reading, consider purchasing one. Reading before bed helps calm the brain and body in preparation for sleep, which is often thought of as unimportant in the first year, but it’s not!

House plants

Indoor house plants freshen the air and make your room look great. Studies also show that house plants can increase concentration. Seeing greenery and nature is calming to most (unless you hate the outside!) which can improve your mood and mental health. Pick a house plant that’s easy to maintain like succulents or a dracaena, and look out for plant sales at the student union.

Frame it

Student halls are usually super strict on decoration, but one thing that’s allowed in most contracts are temporary, removable hanging strips. These stick to the wall with Velcro technology and allow you to hang picture frames, canvases and artwork without causing damage to the surfaces. Everyone loves a good poster or two, but cheap frames from Ikea can add a touch of class.

Pillows, blankets and throws

This one isn’t for everyone but having decorative pillows and a blanket on your bed not only looks cute, but gives a sense of comfort and homeliness, especially when first year halls are often very fit-for-purpose and utilitarian. Pillows and blankets go from very cheap to incredibly expensive, but student-friendly Primark sells cute, cosy and cheap soft furnishings to suit anybody’s tastes!