What Makes Temporary Housing Feel Like Home?

If you travel a lot for work or if you’re in a temporary living situation, the phrase “there’s no place like home” from the beloved movie, the Wizard of Oz, doesn’t ring truer. Home is where you’re most comfortable and relaxed. It is a place you can escape to and sleep well at night.

While home swap and rental sites are big these days, you’re going into someone else’s living environment with their personal décor, photos, knickknacks, etc. reminding you that you’re in a “borrowed space” where you’re simply another guest no matter how long the stay may be.

Extended stay hotels, no matter how fancy they are and how many amenities they offer, can’t quite capture that cozy home-like feeling.

Hotels, while they may be decorated and clean, aren’t always decorated according to your style and taste. There is also the daily housekeeping which seems to always come at the most inconvenient of times. It can also be unnerving knowing that someone is in your room each day, seeing the mess you left behind.

Few extended stay hotels have full kitchens for you to use, making you reliant on microwavable meals instead of one that is homemade. You are also stuck using plastic cutlery, paper plates and plastic cups; a great reminder that you indeed, aren’t at home.

So, what makes temporary housing really feel like home?

• A full kitchen. While you’re away from home for a long period of time, you’ll get tired of eating out all the time. Temporary housing in TX with Residology offers a full kitchen equipped with full-sized appliances such as refrigerator, freezer, stove, and oven which means you’ll be able to buy your own food and prepare your own favorite meals.
• Real eating utensils. Plastic utensils and plates and paper coffee cups aren’t glamorous nor are they very homey. Throwing out your paper plates, plastic cups and eating utensils is wasteful and requires daily replenishing by the cleaning staff. You’ll feel more at home if you have real, sturdy utensils, glass plates and glass cups and glasses. A dishwasher also means you can reuse your utensils, plates and glasses.
• Cookware, bakeware and kitchen appliances. How many extended stay hotels have full sets of pots, pans, strainers, mixing bowls, oven mitts, blenders and mixers? Not many. Many of these essential appliances you have at home and are needed to make your own favorite dishes. Being able to cook your own food will help make you feel like you’re at home.
• Cleaning supplies. Unless you have a large home and lots of money, you likely don’t have a housekeeper coming to clean your home on a weekly or daily basis. Hotels have such cleaning services which are nice when you leave, but can be inconvenient during your stay. If you don’t put the placard on your door, someone will come in and clean up after you. While this can be nice for a short length of time, having the freedom to clean when you want to use your own cleaning supplies will better instill a sense of ownership of your temporary housing space, making it feel more like home.
• Choice of beds. You make your hotel reservations based on the number and size of beds. Once you’ve made your decision, its final. A temporary housing unit that feels like home will price out units based on size and bedroom count, not on the number and size of the beds. Such temporary housing allows you to substitute bed sizes including downgrading from the standard Queen size or upgrading to a King size. You’ll be able to select the appropriate bed sizes for you or your family’s needs.
• Beyond cable. Watching your favorite TV show is a common way to relax, especially after a long day at work in an unfamiliar city. However, you’re into shows that are only available on Netflix or HBO. Residology provides you with an Amazon Firestick, where you can access all your favorite streaming services. You’ll get more than just the handful of basic cable channels, which may not carry your favorite shows, which means you can fully relax and enjoy your down time.
• Covered (free) parking. You make your hotel reservation and go park the car. Your parking options are severely limited to free, first-come, first-serve parking in a parking lot. Some hotels aren’t secure or well-lit making it scary getting back in after dark. Some hotels offer covered parking at an additional cost. A temporary housing complex with gated, secure, lit and free, covered parking adds to the safe feeling of being home.
• Pet friendly. Relocating for a job and you have a pet? If you’re staying at a regular hotel, you’ll be told to keep your furry friend in the car. Being separated from your best friend isn’t a way to feel at home.
• Community amenities. A community park, dog park, swimming pool, clubhouse and BBQ will give the feel of an apartment complex, not like that of a hotel, which will give you the feeling of being at home.

Whether you’re relocating or traveling for business, Residology offers fully furnished apartments in San Antonio, TX, McAllen, Austin and other great cities. We’ll provide you with temporary home options that help make you comfortably feel like you’re in a home away from home. Contact us today to learn about our process, availability and locations.