You’ve finally moved into your new apartment, and have your boxes nearly unpacked. It’s time to settle into your new space, and make yourself a home. But where to start?

Moving can be a hassle, but setting up your new living space, and making your home your own doesn’t have to be. After all, we all need a sacred space to come to at the end of a long day or week to reconnect and recharge.

With a little creative thinking and some elbow grease, any space can become your favorite in no time. We’ve come up with 8 Simple Ways to Make Your Apartment Your Own to give your home and heart the love it needs. Check it out!

1. Light up your life. Changing your lighting is one of the most inexpensive and simplest ways to improve your space and give you big results fast. Add dimmer switches to rooms that need a little cozying up, change out fixtures that seem dull or not quite your style and place lamps strategically in rooms that need more light and brightness. You’ll be amazed how far good lighting will take you.
2. Liven it up. Bring life into your apartment by placing live plants into rooms that need a little greenery and color. Plants improve air quality indoors, and they go a long way to bringing warmth and energy into a room that once felt flat. 
3. Get sentimental. Display sentimental items like photos, artwork and other chotchkes around your home that have special meaning to you to remind you of the people, places and experiences that have given you most joy. Fill your space with your life experiences, and you’ll instantly feel more at home.
4. Texturize. Purchase cozy throw pillows and blankets to toss over furniture to charm up your space. Adding texture to a room is inexpensive and easily moved in the future.
5. Make yourself a special space. Carve out a cozy reading nook, a craft corner or a space to store your athletic equipment or bikes, and bring your favorite hobbies and interests directly into your space. Making a space for what you love will immediately having you feeling more connected.
6. Cut down on clutter. Household chores are rarely our favorite things about home, but coming home to a clean, organized space is an instant refresher. Make a point to leave your rooms as tidy as possible when you leave them, and don’t skimp on making your bed (it makes a big difference!). Cutting down on clutter in your home will support you in cutting down on clutter in your life, and that means more happiness all around.
7. Get rid of what you don’t need. Clear up space for the present and the future by getting rid of items you no longer need. Donate, sell or throw out any items that are weighing down both you and your space.
8. Create rituals at home. Whether it’s spending every Saturday morning at your breakfast nook with a cup of coffee and a paper, or enjoying a glass of wine on your couch on a Friday evening, after a long week, set up rituals that have you using your space for comfort and peace, and make that time sacred. Living into your home is the BEST way to make it your own, so start now by creating time for yourself that truly counts.