Making a Temporary House a Home

Making a Temporary House A Home By Krysta Murray

It’s that time of year again. Yes, summer, but it is also PCS season, or Permanent Change of Station season, which ironically, is still only temporary for many.

As a spouse to someone who has had five PCSs in the span of 17 years, I can say I have lived in many places that just felt like a stopover. Granted, some people are in one place an entire military career and others have moved many more times over, but I mostly know a transitory life. I forget most of the addresses I’ve lived at, in fact. We only ever actually owned one of them, but we didn’t get to spend a lot of time there.

How do you make a place you know you’ll leave after a few years feel like a home? Yes, having your own things definitely helps. But also, sometimes those things don’t fit well. I’m looking at my enormous couch that is so out of place in my current living room. My husband also likes to remind me how I insisted on painting a kitchen red and how much time and paint it took to repaint it when we left. We haven’t done that ever again. So I’ve become creative in personalizing space, trying not to make any permanent changes to any structure for less of a headache when I pack up next.

Container Garden

San Diego is a zone 10 on the USDA hardiness map, which provides a standard definition of climatic conditions relevant to plant growth and survival. That puts it in a zero freeze level which means things can grow year round. This allows quite a bit of gardening options, though it’s also a good idea to make sure the plants are hearty enough to grow well in the heat and sun.

Instead of tearing up a space in your yard to plant, only to tear it all out when you move, try a container garden. This might require buying various pots, some rather large, but you are likely able to keep them when you move. This makes it easier to transfer plants to someone else, or sell the plant and the pot together for a little money returned. We have been able to grow many vegetables in containers and they produce plenty of supply - sometimes even more than I need! I’ve even traded fresh produce with neighbors. I’ve also received some plants from others who have moved and find it fun to know the same plant that fed them, now feeds us. Sometimes I wish I could message them and give them a status update, but I haven’t always known the people I got them from...which leads me to my next idea.

Freecycle and Yard Sales

Many times there are pieces of furniture or decor that fits in one home but not in another. It often ends up going to someone else for free or for very little cost. That one shoe rack that fits snugly in that odd space by the back door is not likely going to find a perfect space in the next house.

Sometimes when you’re moving, it’s a good idea to see what people living in similar homes are getting rid of when

they move out. For instance, I gained a porch that my last place didn’t have, so I didn’t have anything for it. Neighbors moved out knowing their next place wouldn’t have a porch and sold me their porch furniture. I’ve since picked up lanterns, pots of flowers, and a bird feeder all for free or reused from yard sales. Now when I move, I don’t feel at a loss if I then have to resell or giveaway that stuff. But for now, it is a relaxing and inviting space I can utilize.

Contact Paper

Peel and stick has come a long way when it comes to decor. There are so many beautiful options these days. It doesn’t do any permanent change but makes a huge visual difference. It’s fairly easy to put in and remove, often without a trace. Perfect to customize your home, add textures or color, without requiring too much work to revert back. Consider using temporary solutions like this for accent walls or removable decals to decorate bedrooms and make them more personal. Other options for adding style that is easy to change up would be adding curtains, rugs, or lighting that don’t require any hardwiring.

Amplify The Positive

That sounds a bit like a motivational motto but by this I mean focus on the highlights of your home. Maybe one space feels a bit cramped; maybe it needs storage solutions or you have furniture that just doesn’t quite fit. However, there is the excellent yard, a beautiful view or maybe even a nice little entryway. Those spaces are the ones that you may want to highlight with the things you enjoy. It would be worth it to get that patio furniture to spend more time outside, or add some fun solar-powered lighting to your walkup. Very rarely is every room a room that’s efficient in a layout that matches exactly what you need. It may require vertical organization, adding shelving or even storing some things you can’t use right now. Make the space as functional as you can, look for creative ways to make it work, or decorate it to bring some joy. Then move on and focus on the good; spend more of your time in those areas that are a bonus or a “pro” to your current living situation.

Sometimes I am frustrated and just want my forever home, so it can even be nice to be able to say it’s all just temporary. Often times we laugh, remembering back to how tiny that apartment was, and how that one door always got stuck. Then there are the things we loved, the things we want to have when we settle down. (I really feel for my future realtor.)

Moving has also given me so many memories, experiences and taught me so much about the world. But for now, we do what we can to minimize the stress and make a house a home and these tips have really helped make that possible.