During the era of COVID-19, people have rightfully been spending a majority of their time indoors. Sometimes it can get boring, repetitive, or even lonely, and staying in so much can take an unprecedented toll on our mental health. I’ve found that decorating your dorm or apartment to feel like home can really make a difference—it makes the whole new “quarantine” life not as uncomfortable and inconvenient as it usually is. Here are some decorations that can spice up a bland apartment even though they are small.
- A Tapestry
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First, you can’t go wrong with a tapestry. There are so many options to choose from, which is evident just from a quick search on Amazon! This is the one I bought for a total of $10.99 with free shipping. If you don’t want to support Amazon, there are plenty of other stores to get one from, including Target, Redbubble, Etsy, and more. There are even websites where you can upload your own photo to customize it, although the price may be higher.
- Plants or Succulents
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Another item that really brings life (literally) to any apartment is a plant or succulent of some kind! I’ve never owned plants before, so I had to do my own research for this because each type of succulent requires its own special care. Be prepared before you buy one! I bought both a cactus and zebra haworthia for my windowsill because they require minimal watering and sunlight. They are great options for beginners according to many sources, so if you don’t know where to start this could be a good option for you! There are various plant shops around Boston to choose from, but sometimes they can be overpriced, so if you’re on a tighter budget those may not be the best places to go to. Stores like Economy True Value in Brookline have great plants to offer for less than half the price of other stores!
- Fairy Lights
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One must-have for me when it comes to decorating has always been fairy lights. This year I put them as a kind of outline around the tapestry hanging above my bed, and I’ve found that they’re convenient to have at night when you don’t want any bright lights on. Once again, Amazon offers a variety of options, and some are even color-changing. These specifically are just $7.99 with free shipping from Prime.
- Fake Vines
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Similar to the plants, something else I’ve added to my room this year is artificial vines. You can hang these anywhere, whether it’s above your bed, around your window, or just randomly on your walls. It’s been proven that having some green in your personal space (both fake and real) can improve your mood, especially during the wintertime when there isn’t much green outdoors. These will truly bring some nature into your room and look nice overall no matter where they are placed! You can buy some here from Amazon for $9.65 with free shipping from Prime, but there are plenty of other cheap options.
- Grid Photo Hanger
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If you’re not sure where to put your photos or small souvenirs you’ve gathered, such as tickets and postcards, I highly recommend buying a grid photo hanger, like the one here. They vary in sizes, but I started out by getting a medium sized one where I could hang up my photos of friends and family with the clips it came with. It has a simple look to it, but it’s a clean and organized way of decorating with your personal photos if you don’t feel like finding the time to tape them to the wall.
- A Felt Letterboard
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Finally, I recently have loved having a felt letterboard, like the one here, hung up on my wall. Again, these vary in size and price depending on how many words you want written on it, but even a small one can be nice to have in your room. You can put whatever you want on it, though I find having some kind of inspirational quote to look at every now and then helps motivate me to get through the day!
With these small additions to your space, you’ll find that your dorm or apartment is much more homey than it was before!
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