Firstly, welcome to your new life in Oz! You’ve just moved into an apartment in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Perth or Canberra, you’ve decorated it as best you can and you’re here for the long haul – or at least for a couple of weeks. But something’s still not quite right, because no matter what you do, your serviced apartment still doesn’t feel like home. If so, maybe it’s because you haven’t spent enough time here? Moving to a new city is often exciting, but to really make your apartment feel like home – you have to treat it like a home! Here are some suggestions that will hopefully get you on the right track: 

Have a Movie Night – Haven’t done this a while? That’s probably because Australia is such an exciting place, with much to see and do, but spending a night indoors can be great for the mind, body and soul. It’s time to have a rest, so why not grab a DVD, put out the wine, beers, cheese and crackers and get under your favourite blanket for a night in front of movies. If you can’t manage to rent one, see if you can find something good on TV and just enjoy the couch time.

Cook dinner – Serviced apartments will always feature a decently equipped kitchen, the idea being that you’re meant to cook your own meals, since they don’t provide room service. So while you’re here, why not prepare some home cooked meals? Track down a local grocery store for your ingredients and make a point to have dinner at home at least a couple of nights a week. You’ll be surprised how easy (and cheap!) it is and you’ll start to settle into your apartment much more.

Have People Over – Know a few friends where you are? Why not invite them over! Having guests over for lunch, dinner or just a snack or a drink will undoubtedly help you settle in. Most serviced apartments will have a kitchen with a dining table included, which can be great for entertaining friends. If you’ve got a balcony, dragging a few chairs out there in the sunshine while you indulge in a drink and take in the views is great too! 

Take a Bath – Baths are wonderfully indulgent and if your room has one, you can always treat yourself to a relaxing soak after you’ve cooked dinner. Baths help you unwind tension and anxiety and can introduce a whole new level of enjoyment in serviced apartment living.  

Do Your Own Laundry – Ha! You say? As if! Serviced apartments usually come with a laundry … have you used yours yet? If you don’t feel very settled in your apartment, it could be because you’ve been out partying like you’re on holidays. Time to settle in – doing laundry can be bothersome, but at the same time, very therapeutic when it comes to home-based activities. Put some music on and go for life!

Get Local – You’re never going to settle into your apartment if you don’t get to know what’s around you. So, head out and about with your camera, take some photos and you can even indulge in a few more things to help liven up your pad and that you can also take with you to your next place.