I've lived in a few apartments during my stay at college and the inevitable move for work, move back to the parentals, and finally marriage. I've lived in a townhouse, a 400-square footer, a two bedroom, and now I live in approximately 700 square feet. Some people may choke at the small size of my home, but let me tell you something: I prefer living small. It's a recent phenomenon brought about by tiny houses across the US, and the drive for efficiency in life. Also, it's cheaper. People are choosing to let go of the hustle brought on by living large, and it not only saves in the wallet, but it also saves time because cleaning is much more streamlined. You don't spend as much on filling up the large space, either. Who doesn't need more time and money these days, ay?

However, it can be difficult to make a little place feel like home when you're in your early 20s. Millenials are waiting to make the big purchase of a house because the job market isn't steady, and moving every few years is more common amongst my friends than staying bound to one location, one job, one opportunity. More moving means more things to buy, shove around, and haul. It also means relying on hand-me-down items because couches are a huge investment when you're just starting out. So, how do you make a lot of little things, a few hand-me-downs, and patched-together temporary leases feel homey? When I walk into my little apartment after work, I want to feel at rest. A home should be a place of rest. Let's look to see how you can create one for yourself.

1. KonMari your life, AKA toss the clutter.

Mari Kondo wrote a famous book called The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up, and it took the US by storm. She offers not only a few tips to make your room organized, but your life, too! Her method is to categorize all of your things and go through each item and discard anything that doesn't bring you joy. I translate "joy" into purposefulness and sentimental value. If your living space is cluttered, your mind is cluttered. Creative minds tend to clutter because we are full of ideas and always working, but imagine the creative energy your little home will provide when your mind is overloaded and you can find your socks! I'll say this again: streamlining your home means it takes less time to do everyday things, and more time to dedicate to your life goals. A great start to a new year!

2. Decorate.

Decorating, even if it is posters from a magazine tacked onto a wall, goes a long way in personalizing your space. When I would visit a friend who did not have decor, the home would feel sterile and incomplete. A place that lacks the visual mindset of the one occupying it is merely a space in which that person lives. A home is a display of your life, your personality. and character.

3. Clean it regularly, and make it smell good.

That handy checklist is something I (mostly) live by. Y'all. The Sensi sensation is driven by the idea that a home that smells nice is clean and inviting. The Febreeze phenomena created in our minds an earnest sense of accomplishment when your home is clean, and it smells amazing. Our biology revolts at the idea of messiness, and so if your house smells like you haven't taken the trash out in a week, then no one (even yourself) will desire to visit your home. If you don't even want to be there, what makes you think that anyone else will?

4. Have a functional living room.

The living room in any home is the place where people will gather, even yourself. If you confine yourself to your room in your apartment, then you know that your home is not inviting. Make it a gathering place for friends, family, and you. Have a couch (even if it is not the best couch, or newest) and an area rug. A coffee table, some side tables, a chair that sits to the side of the couch. Imagine you're with a group of friends relaxing and talking. That is the atmosphere your living room should produce, and situate the furniture (no matter how much or little you have!) in a way that works to naturally bring people together.

5. Make your living space somewhere you enjoy being.

Again, if you don't want to be there, what makes you think that your apartment portrays homeyness? If you get off of work and think, "ugh, now I have to go home!" Then your apartment is not a home. If you particularly enjoy something, include it in your living space. My husband really likes large clocks because the house he grew up in had them all over the walls. So, when we got married, we put clocks on the registry. We got a few! He feels more at home because the apartment we share reminds him of what home looks like. I really like candles and low lighting, so we have ambient light and candles in every room. Make that space meaningful to you, and make 2017 a year of newfound hospitality.

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