Making a Space Your Own

Hello fellow readers,

I am typing this post in the comfort of my bedroom. Why is this important? 

Because I made this room my own space and once I did that I felt like I had 

a safe haven, which is what I would like to discuss today: making a space your 

own.

I shared a room with my sister all the way until senior year of high school and 

we did our best to make our room personalized. We painted, got some dividers 

to assist in privacy when we got older, and I stuffed my half of the room with 

a bunch of sentimental stuff. At the time I thought the more stuff I had, the 

better I would feel, but as I got older, it got more overwhelming to be 

surrounded by so much. Eventually I got my own room, and when I did, I tried 

to get rid of/donate a lot of clothes, unnecessary stuffed animals, and 

sentimental items. However, the room still felt crowded with my giant white bed 

frame and matching dresser, so when my sister’s co-worker told her he was 

selling a more modern bed frame for a good price I jumped on the opportunity 

and thus began my long, tedious journey of bringing my room together.

My room in 2018

 

I spent endless hours on Pinterest (my favorite app to scroll through for ideas and 

inspiration). I watched YouTube videos on decluttering and cheap organization 

tips. I binged watched Marie Kondo's Tidying Up on Netflix, and slowly I tackled 

my room. I have always loved soft lighting and since my room does not come with 

any built in lights, I bought string lights and some candles for my room. I 

rearranged my furniture time and time again, put up and took down photos or 

memorabilia and found alternative uses for my items. For instance, I made my 

bookshelf into a dresser and put it in my closet, which opened up the room. 

Then, I moved the books onto a shelf in the closet. 

Finally, 6 years later - after many trial and errors - I got my room nearly perfect. 

I still have some decluttering/rearranging I would like to do, but I feel so happy 

when I’m in my room. I’ve realized how much more productive and at peace I am 

when I'm there. I spent a lot of late nights at my desk studying, lying on my bed 

journaling, or sitting on my hammock swing reading. The lighting is calming and 

with less items in the room, the less overwhelmed I became.

My room as of June 2019 

The same thing can be true about your desk, office, or even your car! Bring in items

 that Marie Kondo would say, "spark joy," because that stuff is no joke. Being a

 college student with a part time job during most of my room “renovations” money 

was definitely something I had to work around. I kept my eye out for clearance or 

sale items, explored various dollar stores, and found myself in Target’s $1-$5 section 

often. When I felt like “treating myself,” I invested in nice looking desk materials 

that made me feel happy when I sit there. I even bought a jasmine scented car 

freshener that reads “don’t follow your dreams, chase them” that makes me smile 

every time I’m in the car (though it has lost scent over time, sadly). Something I 

realized was that the more I explored, the more I found what I like or dislike when 

it comes to decorating. For example, I find that I enjoy having dark wood furniture 

and it didn’t have to be real wood to gain the same satisfaction.

My desk 

If you're not happy with your space, make it your own! Explore Pinterest or YouTube 

for inspiration and slowly find your style. You'd be surprised by what you'll find! 

Don’t be afraid to spend a little more money than you expect because it’ll help you 

feel better in the long run, and taking care of your happiness is very important.

Live every day to the fullest.

Love, Damaris

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