Top 10 essentials for d ecorating your pad

Everything you need to make your living space a home you’re happy to come back to

WRITING BY HAYA PANJWANI

Whether you’ve spent your entire day working from your sofa, or you spent the whole day out and are looking to crash on that same, exact sofa, having a welcoming home is crucial to keeping yourself sane — especially when it feels like we keep living through “unprecedented times.”

Every new home or room is the perfect blank canvas to unleash your creativity onto, and there’s a few essentials that may make that new space all the more inviting.

1. Throw blankets : These are great, since they stay true to their name. All you have to do is “throw” them onto your sofa, bed or chair and they will look casually, yet decoratively placed, elevating your space to a whole other level. Plus, they are right where you may need them when you feel the need to bundle up.

2. Rugs: Rugs are not everyone’s forte, but buying one definitely makes some people feel more adult. These are great for people who like sitting on floors, but don’t necessarily have a comfortable enough floor to lounge on without feeling like their rear ends will simply stiffen into rocks. Rugs are also best

BY AUTUMN RENDALL

accompanied with a coffee table...

3. A coffee table: Oh would you look at that, something that goes great with a rug! Recommending a coffee table because you are reading a college/ young adult magazine, and a good number of college/young adults don’t have dining tables or high countertops to dine at, which is why coffee tables are a great alternative. Position this right in front of your TV at dinner time and slurp up some TikTok feta and cherry tomato pasta. Be sure not to drop any on that rug!

4. Something personal: This one is also up to people’s personal preference, but there is value in decorating your home with pictures of loved ones, or souvenirs and memorabilia from valuable moments in your life. You could make a wall of postcards from different cities you’ve visited, or pictures of your friends and family lined artfully on a wall. Or even just a personal artifact that you’ve kept for a while that’s worth displaying. That personal touch will make your home feel more like yours.

5. Inviting bedding: Nothing is more comforting than a bed that is perpetually cozy. Investing in some good, inviting bedding that innately says “come to me” when you see it can make your bedroom your haven. Whether you’ve done everything or absolutely nothing all day, you will not regret having great bedsheets to wrap yourself in. One extra recommendation with bedding; since your bed is the centerpiece of your room, consider buying your bedding first. This way, you can purchase the rest of your decorations to compliment your choice in bedding.

6. Mirror: This is a home essential to live by. Some places come with a built-in mirror in a bathroom or closet. A decorative mirror in the main living area though? A game changer! When you are in a rush and need to double-check your mascara or hair before heading out of the house, having a decorative mirror in a spot like right next to your door or an open living space makes catching unsettled flyaway hairs and mascara goop all the more easier.

9. Floor or Table Lamps: Light is a tricky thing, because sometimes, the light that comes with your home does not always reflect the mood you may be feeling or the ambiance you are trying to set. Lamps, both floor and table, help adjust the ambiance or vibes you may be going for in your home at any time you’d like. If your home only comes with white light, consider a yellow light lamp-- or vice versa.

10. Plants: Fake or real, rain or shine, green or rainbow — plants can bring a space from a 0 to100. Some people prefer succulents because they require less maintenance and have a great effect on brightening up your home. Although, if you have even less of a desire for maintaining a plant, fake plants can look just as great in your home.

7. Organizational baskets or shelves : If you are someone who tends to leave stuff around or has a lot of knick-knacks with nowhere to put them, consider stylish shelving and baskets. If you have too many books to count on one finger, a bookshelf with baskets or boxes could be a great storage solution, and it can make a cute decoration.

8. Candles: Another convenient and decorative item! If you are spending the time in your new home experimenting with new recipes, a candle may help mask the scent of burnt garlic or overcooked brownies. Also, nowadays, candles can be found almost anywhere, so it’s a super effective, cheap and easy way to fill an empty space with a tall, round brick of decorative wax.

Playlist: Cleaning jams

Playlist: Cleaning jams

Sometimes the hardest part of cleaning your space is just GETTING yourself to decide to clean your space. When the ordeal of tidying up is just too overwhelming to even consider, try out this playlist of upbeat, danceable songs to get you up and moving.

9 to 5 - Dolly Parton

I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves

Me) - Whitney Houston

Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go - Wham!

No Scrubs - TLC

Uptown Girl - Billy Joel

Love Shack - The B-52s

Macho Man - Village People

Sunny - Boney M.

Girls on Film - Duran Duran

Walk Like an Egyptian - The Bangles

I Wish - Skee-Lo

When Did Your Heart Go Missing? - Rooney

Material Girl - Madonna

Jump (Original Mix) - The Pointer Sisters

Tenderness - General Public

Take A Chance On Me - ABBA