Tips for levelling up your student accommodation

Way back in April we did an article on how to decorate your student accommodation on a budget. If you followed our advice you have no doubt been living in a cute and comfortable space all year, but with this year almost over it’s time to think about making next year even better and the main way to do this is to level up your accommodation to make it more comfortable, more homely and more in tune with what you need to study more effectively. Here are our tips for taking your accommodation to the next level.

Make it smell like home

All accommodation that isn’t actually the house you grew up in, is going to smell different. Despite being clean and fresh, there is something you will miss about home no matter where you live and recreating a little of that smell will go a long way to you feeling comfortable. Your sense of smell is more powerful than you think and dictates how everything from food to comfort can feel and now you need to make it happen again. Ask the people you grew up with just what fabric softeners they use on clothes, or what their favourite herbs are to cook with, what plant flowers outside your bedroom window every spring and even what spray they use in the bathroom. Wherever possible try to bring a few of these things into your apartment, and when that small summertime jasmine bursts into bloom, or mom’s muffins start baking in the oven you will be transported right back to one of your favourite places.

Air-conditioning/ Heating

While it’s far cheaper to put on a jersey or take a cold shower an air-conditioner in summer and heater in winter can change the entire feel of a room and just make it more pleasant to be in. You don’t have to go industrial sized on the thing, but consider a small unit, or even a fan if you want to make sure you think of your room as the ideal place to study, no matter the time of year. The best part will be when you notice how well you are sleeping and the increased energy levels that go with that.

Buy a luxury pillow

Speaking of sleep, your second year is the time to upgrade your simple, budget bedding to more luxurious ones. While a cosier duvet or silkier sheet is a nice-to-have, getting the pillows that suit you perfectly will actually make a huge difference on how you experience your bed. A good pillow leads to a better night’s rest, which in turn leads to you feeling better every single day. Surely, that’s an upgrade worth looking into?

Get a TV

Yes it’s okay to watch your shows on your laptop. Sure you can see what’s going on and it’s nice to have it in bed with you, but if you are honest with yourself that computer isn’t quite the same as a TV. If you haven’t done it before, you may have underestimated the weight that comes off your shoulders when you put your laptop away in your bag. That’s where your work is and having to try relax with it means you never really get to switch off or disconnect completely. Having the ability to lie back on your bed or on a comfy couch and switch on the TV is vastly more relaxing than balancing the computer on your knees and you will be grateful you took the step, particularly now that small smart TVs are getting so cheap.

Upgrade your flat

Of course the best way to make yourself feel more comfortable is to upgrade your whole flat. By this stage of the year you will know exactly what you liked and did not like about the place you are living. If you are staying at The Fields you will have loved the close amenities, the always on WiFi and the ability to get around Pretoria, but no matter where you have lived there will have been aspects you loved. 

There may also have been downsides. Now is the time to look at those cons, be honest with yourself and ask just how you would like to improve your space. Maybe you shared a flat with someone this year and found that actually you don’t get as lonely as you thought you would, or you like to keep to your schedule more? Maybe you just need a little more space to do your push-ups in? Well then why not look at options for an upgrade? 

Whether you want more space, more privacy or simply a different view out of your window there has never been a better time to look at a new apartment in The Fields. With the cost of securing a flat for 2023 currently on special and slashed by a massive 50%, perhaps you can even afford that flat of your dreams? Enquire now!