7 Editors on How They Made Their First Apartments Feel Like Home

This story is part of Home School, our complete guide to making your first home your own, where we share our first-hand and expert advice on everything you need to know to make your first home your best home. To learn more tips for settling into a new space, check out our full guide here.

Moving out on your own for the first time is a mixture of emotions: excitement about having your own space—whether shared with roommates or not—and naturally, a bit of apprehension.

But one of the best ways to manage those emotions is to make sure your new place is a reflection of you and makes you feel comfortable and at home.

From making sure you're surrounded by decor that reminds you of friends and family, to adding a bit of your favorite paint color, there are plenty of things you can do to make your space feel like home—and our editors are here to share their own experience and best tips to make it easier for you.

Add Lighting

"Most apartments get the landlord special, and that includes the cheapest, most commonly available light fixtures, therefore, your light fixtures won't match and your lightbulbs will come in an array of types—think LED, soft white, daylight. I like to tackle this early on in the moving process. I collected all my light bulbs, tested them and replaced all the generic flush mount fixtures for easy keeping. This investment made all the difference, and I made sure to add two additional sources of light in each room via lamps. Ambient lighting is everything—from cold to cozy with the flick of your switch!" —Jamie Abarca, Senior Editorial Project Manager

Decorate Your Walls

"There wasn't even an extra inch of space in the living room, a.k.a. my bedroom (there were three of us in a two-bedroom apartment), so I went all-out decorating on the walls. I hung shelves to display travel souvenirs and favorite books, and I made a massive gallery wall above my bed with postcards, polaroids, $5 vintage prints, and collages." —Jenny Hughes, Associate Editorial Director

Pay Homage to Your Roots

"I care about my past just as much as my present, and so I included homages to both my roots and my partner's roots. I indulged my inner child by decorating the bookshelf of her dreams, added in photos of our respective families as well as the family we've created together, and hung up an art print of the country my partner grew up in. My first apartment was also very gray, so I added as many pops of color as possible to really make the place feel vibrant and like home." —Aliyah Rodriguez, Associate Editor

Paint and Personalize With Color

"I'm a firm believer that paint can really change the feeling of a space. If your landlord okays it, I highly recommend personalizing your walls with color. I've painted many apartments over the years and it really has the power to transform them into a home. Definitely do your research beforehand with swatches and samples before committing." —Candace Madonna, Senior Visual Editor

Head to Thrift Stores

"Moving costs so much already so I had a limited budget to buy furniture and home accessories to spruce up my new apartment. I started to visit estate sales as far as an hour away by car and would find unique pieces that I still have in my current apartment. If I could fit a thrifted or estate sale find in my car at a great price, it was coming home with me! This helped me curate a cozy, totally 'me' look." —Sara Brown, Social Media Editor

Add Personal Touches

"My first apartment was a tiny box in an old Art Deco-era apartment building, but I made it feel like home fast by hanging things on the wall early on. I got a lot of free art prints from my first job and the rest I slowly collected from travels and family. Adding some personal touches to the walls made it feel like a more permanent space." —Caroline Utz, Editorial and Strategy Director

Hang Photos of Friends and Family

"My first apartment was in a completely new-to-me city, far from family and friends, and even further from my now-husband. Before I moved, I printed out a bunch of my favorite photos: memories from trips, photos of my partner and I together, and family pictures. I hung them up as soon as I got to my new place, and although I couldn't see my loved ones every day anymore, having those photos on display made me feel a lot less lonely." —Kate McKenna, Senior Editor