Whether you’re experiencing America on our Summer Work and Travel program for a few months or our Advanced Professional Training program for a year, it can be hard to make short-term housing feel like home. Participants live in a variety of housings – from AirBnB to hotel rooms to apartments. All these housing share a common factor for our participants – they’re all temporary. With the excitement of arriving to the United States and the busy lives that quickly follow with American work experience and cultural activities, you may skip taking the time to settle in and make your home your home. Your housing is your safe space, your sanctuary, and your place to decompress from the rollercoaster of the exchange experience. It’s important to create your space, so we’re sharing easy, budget-friendly tips to add personality and character to your home.

Display personal photos

The first way to easily make your room feel uniquely yours is to display personal photos. These can be photos of your friends and family, places you have been, or even cut-outs from magazines of things you adore. Seeing photos with meaning is a quick pick-me-up, especially if you’re ever experiencing homesickness. You can bring a small collection of framed photos from home, or you can create a massive wall-collage, or anything in-between. We recommend having these photos ready when you arrive because printing photos may be the last thing on your mind once all the USA fun begins! Remember to be respectful of your walls and your lease – many places will not allow you to make holes in your walls. We recommend using a temporary adhesive that won’t leave a mark, like BluTack. If you’re staying in a hotel, you can move the pamphlets and informational items for travelers to a drawer, and you can use this space for your photos. 

Create a memory wall

A great way to dress up your common space and bond with your roommates is to create a memory wall. You can do this with a big poster board or with individual post-it notes. Whenever a memorable event happens at your apartment or with your roommates, write it on your memory wall. These memories can be anything from a joke someone told that made you laugh until you cried to visiting a cultural attraction together that you’ve always dreamed about. They can be big moments or small moments. Throughout your program, you’ll continue to add to the wall, which will decorate the space and will make you smile every time you recall the memories. 

Light candles

Candles instantly add a personal, inviting vibe to your housing. Not only will it make your housing smell delicious, but it can also set the tone for your experience. If your program is in the USA’s summer season, you can choose a bright scent like citrus and sea salt. If your program is in the USA’s winter season, you can choose a cozy scent like evergreen trees. Scent is scientifically proven to be linked to memory recall, so when you’re home, you can light a similar candle and reminisce about your exchange program.

Build a homey bed

Sleeping is a really important part of your day, although we don’t encourage sleeping more than is needed while on your program – there’s so much to do and see! Building a bed that’s inviting and comforting to you is an important part of creating a space that feels homey. When choosing a bedding set, select one that you love and will look forward to seeing each day. You can even bring these items from home for added comfort. If you’re in a hotel, it might seem frivolous to bring bedding when it’s already provided, but all you need is one pillowcase to transform the bedding to be more personal. In terms of packing space, it’s so minimal! 

Decorate a corkboard

Corkboards are the perfect way to display photos and collect your program memories. A corkboard can be purchased from most major stores, and they come in many varieties – classic rectangle, geometric pieces, or simple strips. Pay attention to the installation directions, as you want to choose a corkboard that won’t permanently damage the wall. You can further personalize your corkboard with decorative push pins, like emojis, summer icons, or paper planes. As time passes during your program, you’ll be able to add tokens, like airplane boarding passes, theme park tickets, and employee recognition, to your corkboard.

Add magnets or coffee cups to your kitchen

Customize your kitchen space with magnets or mugs – or both! Magnets are a lively way to embellish your refrigerator. Magnets are sold at virtually every cultural attraction, and they range in styles from understated to wildly funky. They’re a marvelous way to add color and personality to your kitchen while also documenting your cultural experiences. Plus, they’re a keepsake that you can take home with you. Another way to add a personal touch to the kitchen is to have a special mug. There are many designs at local stores, or you can wait to pick one up at a tourist spot. When you go to make your morning cup of coffee or bedtime tea, you’ll know there’s a cup just for you. Alternatively, you and your roommates can share mugs so you can carousel through all the designs.       

Unpack your suitcase

Nothing says “temporary living” like an unpacked suitcase. Based on experience, it’s also an effective way to create a messy environment – not good. When you arrive, take the time to fully unpack all of your belongings and find their designated spot in your room. If you share a room, avoid a storage battle by equally diving all furniture and spaces. If you need extra storage, there are many affordable items such as rolling racks for hanging items, door pockets for shoes, and command hooks for bags, towels, and more. For suitcases, try keeping them under the bed or stacking suitcases like a Russian Doll to stash away in closets.