How to Make Corporate Housing Feel Like Home

If your job requires you to travel often, spending long periods of time away from home, the thought of yet another stay in drab, generic, short-term housing can be depressing. You're there long enough to figure out where the best dry cleaners are but not long enough to do any serious redecorating. Painting and remodeling are out of the question, and buying new furniture doesn't make sense financially. If you're like George Clooney's character Ryan Bingham in the movie, "Up In the Air," maybe bare walls and a sterile environment don't matter. However, for most people, bringing a little bit of home wherever you go can make a big difference. After all, coming home to somewhere utterly devoid of warmth isn't relaxing and certainly won't help you unwind and rejuvenate for the next workday. The good news is that many extended-stay apartment suites and other forms of corporate housing do allow a certain amount of freedom when it comes to making the place feel like home. Even a few small touches can help give your temporary digs a little personality. Read on for simple and easy tips on how to make corporate housing feel like home.

• Bring a few key personal items. Maybe you packed your favorite pair of slippers, but did you pack your favorite coffee mug? It only takes a few special items to make a place feel much more like home. Bring your favorite pillow from home for a more comfortable night's sleep, and bring a few framed photos of family and friends to brighten up the living room.
• Inhabit the place. If you're only spending a night or two somewhere, it's understandable if you don't unpack. However, if you're spending at least a week or more, you might as well unpack, put your things away and make yourself at home. If you don't, you'll never fully relax and the place will never feel homey.
• Get some fresh air. Buying a couple of green plants freshens up the air and brings some life into your temporary home. Just make sure the plants you buy are low-maintenance - unless, of course, taking care of them helps you unwind. Consider buying some herbs that can serve double duty as room decor and fresh flavoring for home cooked meals.
• Cook in the kitchen. Speaking of, there's nothing like buying some groceries and cooking a real meal in the kitchen to feel like you're at home. It can be tempting to go to a mega-mart and stock up on microwavable meals but don't make that your sole form of sustenance. Find a local market or, even better, a farmer's market and enjoy a fresh, farm-to-table meal. You don't have to be a gourmet chef. Even if cooking isn't really your thing, you can still make something simple like a salad and pasta.
• Use aromatherapy. Your sense of smell and emotions are closely linked. If you have a favorite room spray, candle or incense, bring it along to help your

Suite Accommodations smell more like home. If you happen to be inclined to bake, there's nothing like the smell of fresh baked cookies to summon the feeling of home.

• Rearrange the furniture. You might not be allowed to paint the walls but you can rearrange the furniture. If you walk into your accommodations and the feng shui is all wrong, move things around until they feel right. Even just moving a writing desk over to a window can completely change the feel of a room.

About the Author: Thomas M. Bird is a frequent traveler and contributing writer who enjoys helping businesspeople feel more at home, wherever they may be.

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