The WoW Style

If you recently moved into your first college apartment, you’re in for some fun. It’s sure to be one of the most exciting experiences of your life.

For the first time, you finally have true freedom!

It can be daunting, sure. But the good news is this newfound freedom allows you to make your apartment into a home sweet home.

Since you’ll probably be spending a lot of time at home studying, you should take the time to boost the mood of your apartment.

Science tells us that where and how we live can impact our mood, which thus affects our happiness, memory, and creativity. Your surroundings can also improve your energy levels and help you perform better in school.

Luckily, a few simple changes can help you create a positive, uplifting environment in your living space. Here are seven ways you can start boosting the mood in your apartment today.

1. Stock Up on Your Favorite Things

Since you’ll likely spend a lot of time studying at home, you should include elements that make you happy.

Consider implementing items like soft rugs, comfy pillows, and warm, cozy blankets. You should also surround yourself with things that’ll evoke feelings of warmth and comfort.

Place some gifts from friends and family on your desk and shelves. Anything that reminds you of your comfort zones will make your place feel cozier.

Keep these items where you can see them for an instant mood booster.

Whenever you glance around at your collection of personal belongings, you’ll be transported to a happy place that makes you smile. Sometimes, that’s all you need to push forward and keep studying during a long night.

2. Implement Different Scents

Scents carry a lot of power, especially at home.

Studies show that our memories and emotions strongly tied to our sense of smell.

Smelling cinnamon or hot chocolate, for example, reminds a lot of people of the holiday season.

Lavender might trigger memories of fresh sheets and happy days spent with your family.

And we all know how happy the scent of coffee makes us each morning!

Most people correlate different scents to specific emotions and memories. Some fragrances can put you in a good mood, leading to higher productivity and happiness.

Many people use aromatherapy to create a sense of tranquility in their apartment. During your college years, you will need all of the order and relaxation you can get. So, it’s not a bad idea to diffuse some oils around your place when you need to relax.

Or, if you’re feeling overly anxious during finals, add a few drops of your favorite oil to a bath and soak in your favorite scent for a few hours.

Oils aren’t the only way to add scents to your space, either. Try burning a candle or spraying your bed sheets with a smell that you love. It’ll wash away any anxiety you have and fill your space with the scent of warm, happy memories.

3. Surround Yourself with Your Favorite Colors

The colors in your apartment can drastically affect your mood. Certain colors trigger different emotional reactions.

Blue and green, for example, are very calming. We associate them with nature, which is constantly present in our lives. Therefore, the human brain thinks of greens and blues as stable, trustworthy colors because they’re always around.

Orange is considered a mood-boosting color, mostly because it’s warm and vibrant.

Red, on the other hand, is sometimes associated with wounds or blood. Under the wrong circumstances, red is known to make people feel very anxious.

When painting your apartment, it’s important to understand which colors evoke calmness and which make you feel agitated. Consider painting study room or bedroom blue, green, or even white if you want a calm, serene space.

If you can’t paint the walls in your apartment due to apartment rules, utilize color in other ways. You can add some life to your space using a variety of elements such as artwork, pillows, and other accents.

4. Work on Mood Lighting

Overhead fluorescent lights are annoying. The glaring light that comes from CFL and LED bulbs can make you nervous and on edge.

If you have these harsh lights, you should swap them out for softer bulbs. Energy-efficient lightbulbs will invoke a more relaxed, cozy feeling in your space.

If you don’t want to replace your overhead bulbs, you can flick them off from time to time and turn on a different light. Twinkly lights, candles, and salt lamps are all calm, soothing alternatives.

During the day, you can open your curtains and enjoy natural light, which has significant mental health benefits.

Studies link darkness to depression, which is why you should lighten up your space with natural light, soothing bulbs, or candles. Whenever you’re feeling down, change the lighting and watch how it lifts your spirits!

5. Fill Your Apartment with Photos of People You Love

It’s easy to feel lonely during your college years, especially as a freshman or sophomore.

To combat feelings of isolation, fill your home with favorite photos of friends and family. Having pictures of friends and family will remind you of those special moments.

Select photos from the happiest times in your life. They might be from weddings, graduations, or a fun day you spend with your friends at the county fair.

Displaying a few photos on your shelf will make you feel closer to loved ones, even if they live far away.

6. Get Rid of the Clutter

It’s never fun to trip over a random Amazon box or loose shoe that didn’t get put back in the closet. Now, where is that other shoe, exactly?

Having a messy apartment can negatively impact your mood. Seeing a bunch of clutter can stress you out and impair your ability to be creative.

But the good news is you can change that. Do yourself a favor and clean up the mess in front of you.

If it’s overwhelming, start small. Eventually, you’ll make a dent in the mess. You’ll have a functional, decluttered closet before you know it.

Going forward, put things back as soon as you’re done using them. Keep your kitchen, closets, and entryways devoid of junk.

For example, put your shoes back in the shoe closet instead of at a random place in the middle of your bedroom floor.

Trust me:

It’ll make your apartment a much nicer place to live.

7. Place Some Plants Around

Are you a fan of plants?

If your answer is yes, then you’ll be excited to learn that plants are an excellent way to brighten up space! They bring energy and life into any interior.

A recently published study from the Journal of Environment Psychology explains that keeping plants in your home has positive mood benefits.

While you’re busy cramming away for exams, your plants will inject some oxygen into the air. As you breathe it in, you’ll feel less anxious and a bit more awake.

So, think about displaying some flowers on top of your desk or adding a few potted plants to your living room. Not only will they look nice, but they’ll make you happier too.

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As you can see, there are many ways to brighten up your apartment. Most of them don’t take much time or energy, either!

So if you find yourself getting depressed, maybe it’s time to soften up the lighting in your room. Or, you might want to give aromatherapy a shot!

Think outside the box and decorate your home with things that make you happy. Adding a few elements, such as twinkle lights or a big family photo on the wall can make all the difference in the world.

There are many other ways to improve your mood beyond this list. Take the time to write down what helps keep you calm and relaxed. By incorporating those things into your living space, you’ll carve out a little safe haven that’ll help you stay sane for the next four years!

Author Bio:

Jennica Stevens is the Business Manager at Meridian. With over three years of
experience in the industry, she begins and ends each day loving what she
does. She finds joy in helping others and makes Meridian a place everyone
loves to call home.