Create a Cozy, Chic Look in Your Bedroom With These Simple Steps

To improve your sleep, create a relaxing atmosphere, and add a chic look to your bedroom, all it takes are a few smart upgrades. From incorporating plush textures to changing up the color scheme, these simple tips will show you exactly what to do.

  • Replace your current bedding with crisp, white bedding. If your current sheets and duvet feel drab and outdated, upgrading to chic white bedding will give your bed a timeless look that's just like a four-star hotel.
  • Create storage for every loose item and stray article of clothing. If you constantly find yourself tripping over clutter, head to the home goods store and invest in additional drawers, bins and other storage items.
  • Frame some art to dress up your walls. Choose soothing nature scenes, neutral abstract prints or framed family photos that will make you feel calm and relaxed.
  • Add throw pillows and blankets that will add additional depth to your bedding. Choose one statement pop of color or something in a fun faux fur for some soft, eye-catching texture.
  • Update the lighting by replacing the current bulbs with muted lights or bulbs that imitate natural sunlight.

Working From Home? Add These Essentials to Your Home Office

In an era when working from home is becomingly increasingly common, there's a great chance that at least one member of your household occasionally works remotely. That means there's probably a home office (or, at least, a desk and chair) tucked away somewhere in your apartment. If you want to make your work-from-home space a more pleasant workplace, here are four components you should add.

  1. An office chair that's both chic and comfy. Any chair that you'll be sitting in all day long should be equal parts aesthetically pleasing and comfortable. So when you search for your home office chair, don't prize form over function, or vice versa—they're both important. Test drive as many chairs as it takes to find the one that keeps you comfy and jives with your office style.
  2. A lamp emitting warm light. When you work in a standard office, you're forced to make do with whatever the lighting situation is there. But when you work from home, you have the final say over the atmosphere in which you spend your day. So instead of accepting harsh overhead lights as an unavoidable reality, find a cute lamp that cloaks the room in a warm, glowing light to make working more enjoyable.
  3. A set of floating shelves. If you're running out of room in your desk drawers to stow those stacks of post-it notes, improvise more storage space by adding floating shelves. They're not only functional pieces, but also a design statement—plus, the display will force you to keep the office supplies organized.
  4. A coffee maker. Okay, so a coffee maker isn't a design element first and foremost, but it can be if you choose the right one. Find a coffee maker with a four-cup pot in a hue that suits your space, and fire it up as soon as you start working in the morning. It might help you dive into the day a little bit easier. You can also opt for a an espresso machine or electric tea kettle, depending on your caffeinated beverage of choice.

Essentials for a Home Office [The Every Girl]
17 Surprising Home Office Ideas [Real Simple]
5 Mistakes Everybody Makes Decorating Their Home Office [Apartment Therapy]

Dependable Virtual Destinations for Apartment Decor and Accessories

It’s no secret that shopping online often yields affordable results, and the same goes if you’re looking for home décor items and accessories for your apartment. Any renter on a budget will love to browse those finishing touches that really make a house a home, and these are some of the best places to find them.

Urban Outfitters
While you may already shop at the trendy clothing retailer for all of your favorite T-shirts, Urban Outfitters also offers a great selection of stylish home goods. From eclectic art prints to colorful duvet covers and even mid-century modern inspired furnishings, you’ll find a number of great items on the convenient website.

Wayfair
If your home décor style is classic with a touch of modern, Wayfair is just the place to shop online. Here you’ll find chevron print area rugs, gold metallic picture frames, and antique-inspired clocks to hang on the wall.

CB2
For those who prefer sleek, minimal décor and bold pops of color, CB2 is a great option. Discover things like low-profile sofas, interesting throw pillows, and industrial bar stools, or browse the limited edition art selection to find affordable pieces from some of the biggest up-and-coming artists in the art world today.

Keep or Toss? Decluttering Rules to Live By

You’re not exactly a pack rat, but you definitely have more than a few items in the back of your closet that you haven’t looked at in a few years. Most people would say that their homes could benefit from a bit of de-cluttering, and these helpful tips will show you just how to do it.

  • Keep papers within reach. By keeping papers within eyesight, you’ll be more likely to deal with your paper mess before it accumulates into something much more difficult to manage.
  • Ask a few questions. When you’re going through the items in your home, ask yourself questions like: Have I used this in the past year? Does this benefit my life? Is it broken? If, so can I fix it? If you say no to most of these questions, put it in the donation pile.
  • Create a donation pile. Speaking of that donation pile, start one! You’ll feel a lot less guilty about getting rid of your unused items if you know they’re going to someone who will really appreciate them.
  • Clear off surfaces. After you clean out hidden spaces like closets and under the bed, make a rule that you’ll always keep surfaces like counters and desks free of clutter. Not only will your home feel more organized, this will ensure that it looks more organized, as well.

18 Five-Minute Decluttering Tips to Start Conquering Your Mess [Zen Habits]
25 Ways to Clean Out the Clutter [Good Housekeeping]
Keep or Toss: Questions & Tips to Help You Declutter [Apartment Therapy]

Pin It on Pinterest