How to Live in a 230 Sq Ft Apartment

For those following me on the socials, you might know I moved out of NYC this past weekend. It's a temporary move and one I'm making only because working, eating, sleeping, ugly crying, etc. in the same room for an indefinite period of time is not great for one's mental health. But before I parted ways with the space I thought I'd offer some free advice on how to live in a 230 square foot apartment.

You avoid it at all costs. Unless you live in Manhattan and then, just like with everything else this city demands of you, you adapt.

In 2018, I was finally able to move into my own apartment in the West Village - a neighborhood on the west side of Manhattan. It's a beautiful neighborhood and one I had been dying to afford ever since I moved to NYC and realized that's where all the cool kids are. The stars finally aligned and I got my own place - my very own, teeny-tiny 230 sq. ft. studio apartment.

Lounge Love

If you've been following me for even a month, you probably know by now that I have a serious obsession with all things Crate & Barrel. I fell in love with one of their sofas a year and a half ago and knew back then that I had to have it. After working at Crate for six months to be able to afford it, I was finally able to purchase the Lounge II back in November. And then I had to wait three long months for this gorgeous lady to be made and delivered to me. You guys. This is the most expensive thing I've ever purchased but it was 100% worth every penny. I was totally composed literally jumping up and down when they were walking it through my door. 

In the market for a new sofa? I can definitely recommend the Lounge II. Most of my friends fall into the single and desperately alone category or the married with a litter of children category. I'm telling you, this will work for either. 

Forty. Eight. Inches. Deep. In case you can't do the math, that's four feet. AKA, 75% of my body. This is like a Yao Ming sized sofa. 

I live in a studio apartment so it was important to me that I purchase a sofa that can pull double-duty as a guest bed. I think that was accomplished. It was also important to me that I have clean lines. I have an aversion to slip-covered sofas for this very reason. This sofa struck the perfect balance between being able to sink into it without looking too casual. 

I had a hard time letting go of the woven fabric that came stock. In the end, I knew that because my cat is an asshole the fabric would inevitably pull and snag. I'm also a 12 year old living in a 26 year old's body so the high-performance fabric (think velvet, not microfiber) was just a more realistic option for me. That being said, I haven't yet felt confident enough to sip red wine on this thing without first laying down a tarp towel. 

So far, no complaints other than the fact that I have a job and can't lounge on this thing 24/7.

If you have any questions that I didn't answer here, let me know. Happy sofa hunting!

The One with the Chalk Paint

Can you guys tell I've been binging on Friends for the last 6 weeks? I. Can't. Stop. I'm basically dating my Netflix account. Yes, Yes, I finally broke down when the person who did not know I had their Netflix credentials refused to pay their bill on time. Alright, so there's a big fat elephant in the room. I haven't posted in quite some time. I was/am dealing with some personal issues that took a lot of energy out of me but I think I've gotten my groove back! Moving right along...

If you guys remember my Bedroom Design Tour post from October, you probably know that my style is a little rustic. Someone actually called it country the other day and I think I died a little inside. I'd say it's a fusion of industrial and rustic. Anyways.

So I have this leaning bookshelf I picked up from Craigslist this past summer for about $25. I'm really not into the whole leaning bookshelf thing - I'm not a fan of the lines and it's too modern for my look - but I didn't have enough money to purchase this beaut from CB2, so I made do. Which basically means every time I looked at it I got a little depressed.

So I tried out chalk paint for the first time. Okay, let me preface this with I have never painted a piece of furniture before. I've actually never really painted before, unless you count finger painting. So this was definitely an interesting experience. Alcohol was involved. So much alcohol. As well as a lot of cursing. And at one point I just stopped caring about getting paint on my walls and floor (sayonara, security deposit!).

It wasn't that bad. Chalk painting really is as easy as they say it is. Let me just emphasize a few things for you though. Dark pieces of furniture will definitely require more than one coat of paint. Also, different materials respond differently to the paint. My bookcase was as black as Donald Trump's soul, so I think I lost count of how many coats it took. My chair on the other hand, was a dark brown and yet it only took one coat. Riddle me that one. Also, when you've reached the point where you are getting ready to sand your piece of furniture and you're thinking to yourself, "how much dust could there possibly be?", slap yourself and then take your piece of furniture outside unless you also planned on whitewashing your wood floors.

So here is the end product. It's still not my favorite piece of furniture. I'm still not a fan of the whole idea of a leaning bookcase. But I like it a hell of a lot more than what it looked like before. I'd say it was a good test of my chalk painting skills and I'll be less terrified to try it again next time. 

Excuse the mess of wires! What do you guys think? Do you like it better than the original? Any chalk painting pros out there?

P.S. Man, it feels good to be back! I plan on posting on the regular again (crossing my fingers and toes) so make sure you check back soon! Thank you to those who reached out to me telling me how much they missed my blog posts. There aren't words to express how much it means. It sounds silly, but this blog is really an extension of me and my passion for words so anytime someone applauds it, it's just the best. ;) Love you all so very much!

Bedroom Design Tour

Ever since I was a little girl, I have been mildly obsessed with home decor. I would rearrange my room every couple of months and would surprise my mom with a rearranged living room as well (reactions varied). Now that I have a place of my own, I find even more joy in personalizing my space. I am by no means a professional. I am more like an assistant junior novice low-budget hobby designer. The only people who have let me "design" their spaces have been my mother and sister. Both of them mostly begrudgingly. I actually tell both of them they aren't allowed to make design purchases without my prior approval (HA!). No but really...please don't guys.

So, this week I'm taking you on a short tour of my bedroom. This is really the only space in my apartment that I am mostly content with (if you have the design bug like me, you know what I mean). You guys, let me just tell you how much I am obsessed with Craigslist. It. Is. Everything. I troll that site like most people troll Facebook. Everyone in my neighborhood (except me) is pretty well-off so there is an abundance of quality treasures to be found. Almost everything in my apartment was bought from Craigslist. Mainly because I am so unbelievably poor (thanks Navient!). But also because some of these items are antiques and you can't buy them in stores. Let's get this thing started!

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Let me just tell you that my bed never looks like this. I used to make it every day before I left for work. Nowadays, I'm lucky if I wash my hair and walk out the door wearing the same shoe on both feet. Anyways, this space is my jam. I'm actually in the market for some new bedding and a new rug but until I marry someone rich can afford it, these will have to do.

Nightstands: Craigslist - $20 for the pair (originally Ikea - $70 each); Bedframe: Ikea - $180; Table lamps: HomeGoods (a.k.a. heaven on earth) - $40 each (similar here); Duvet: CB2 - $70 (similar here); Quilt: Target - $60 (similar here and here); Faux fur throw: Pottery Barn - purchased on sale for $80; Rug: Ikea - $20 (similar here); Antique bench: Craigslist - $15 (similar here); Antique mantelpiece: Craigslist (Surrendered Goods) - $90; Wreath: Target - $20

 

Here's a closeup of one of my most favorite Craigslist finds (it's a tie between the bench and the mantelpiece). Regardless of the fact that this thing is usually the keeper of all the clothes I've worn for the week and haven't hung back up or put in the laundry, I love it dearly. Just look at it - so pretty.

Also, can we talk for a minute about how to style a shelf? I don't care if it's a bookshelf, a nightstand, or the back of your toilet. For the love, will you please take five extra minutes and color coordinate the damn thing?! Thanks. I needed to get that off my chest. 

Let me tell you a not-so-funny funny story about this mantelpiece. It is being held up by screws that I hammered (yeah, you read that right) into the wall. Hey, I never claimed to be a handywoman (side rant: why does spellcheck recognize "handyman" but not "handywoman"??? #girlpower). 

I could just stare at this thing all day. You can bet your bum that I'll be throwing up a seasonal appropriate wreath on this thing for every season from now until forever. I have my eye on this magnolia wreath for the warmer months. 

 And here is my favorite home decor accessory, Mr. Pip. 

I'll be doing more tours once I am happy with my other rooms. The living room is almost there. Just waiting on my sofa :) Happy Monday, everyone! May your coffee be strong and your anxiety level low!