Making your apartment feel like a home can be a challenge, especially because you haven’t cleaned anything since you moved in over a year ago and the garbage continues to pile up. Still, a girl can dream! Here are some cute decorating tips to help spruce things up, even though no one will really notice under the piles of old takeout and used Kleenex.

Paint the walls white!

Even in a rented unit where you can’t change much, a new coat of white paint can make a big difference. It won’t be noticeable once you stack up several bags of garbage along the wall that you’re “gonna get to soon,” (of course you will, sweetie) but it’s something? You should probably hire someone for this unless you’re planning on upping your ADHD meds soon.

Add some lighting.

An extra table or floor lamp can really warm up a space, especially as an alternative to harsh overhead lighting. Of course, people will still see the sticky trail of slime from the beverages you let slosh onto your side table and didn’t wipe up, because “Whatever, it’s been a long day.” That’s been happening for 467 days now. Baby steps for you.

Buy a plant.

A little greenery can really make a space feel warm and inviting. Of course, you’ve been rinsing your toothpaste out every morning with water from a repurposed Diet Coke can that was already there, so we can’t really expect you to water a plant, can we? Buy a fake one and try not to throw dirty clothes on it.

Clean.

We’re sorry, but a little cleaning will go a long way to making your home not feel like an actual dump. It’s just the truth. Try clearing off even just one surface. Just one. Please.

A little can go a long way when it comes to home décor (provided your space isn’t a huge pile of ever-expanding trash). So try some of these tips and maybe buy a sponge?