The 5 Commandments of Small Space Living
I thought that for my first launch into the blogging sphere I'd share some advice on something I know a lot about: small space living.
Not sure how many square-feet my apartment is, but I can tell you it's about the same size as my damn cubicle. And on top of its pint-size, I share this tiny unit with my boyfriend, Jesse. So, yeah, the quarters are quite tight.
But we adore it! We make it work. Whenever new people come over they ask how we do it. How do you fit your life in here? How do you not trip over each other all the time? How have you not killed each other? (At a glance, our answers: We don't; we do; and we almost have, MANY TIMES.)
So, my fellow sardines, if you're interested — here are my secrets to surviving and thriving in a teeny-tiny home.
Not sure how many square-feet my apartment is, but I can tell you it's about the same size as my damn cubicle. And on top of its pint-size, I share this tiny unit with my boyfriend, Jesse. So, yeah, the quarters are quite tight.
But we adore it! We make it work. Whenever new people come over they ask how we do it. How do you fit your life in here? How do you not trip over each other all the time? How have you not killed each other? (At a glance, our answers: We don't; we do; and we almost have, MANY TIMES.)
So, my fellow sardines, if you're interested — here are my secrets to surviving and thriving in a teeny-tiny home.
ONE: Invest in multi-use furniture. My top recommendation: a couch like this one from Ikea. It pulls out into a king-size bed, which makes sleepovers a cinch, and it contains a huge secret storage unit for whatever you need to stow out of sight. A piece like this makes life in a small unit way easier.
We also use a vintage chest as our "coffee table" (in fact, it's our only table, L O L). Inside we store all our ~official~ paperwork and such. Some other amazeballs ideas are a bench like this, a table like this and a cool "headboard" like this.
TWO: Maximize closet space with tiered hangers. I wish I had a cute picture of these, but trust me, they've been an absolute blessing. Our closet isn't the biggest, and since it's split between the two of us, things can get REAL aggressive when trying to share space on that damn rod. (That's what she said?)
I bought these from Bed, Bath & Beyond a few years ago and they saved my actual life. I'll be honest, they're a bit of a bitch to work with — you have to wrestle with your clothes to get them on these things, especially in a nice, orderly fashion, but the struggle is 1,000 per cent worth it. I've chopped my closet space use in half.
THREE: Establish the rule that no resident leaves the home in disarray. If you're following the "clean as you go" rule (which we all should be, regardless of home size), this concept should be second nature. And trust me, the benefits of never leaving the house in a mess are worth it! Small spaces get dirty and disorganized so easily, and this keeps that in check. Plus, who doesn't love coming home after a jog or a crazy night out to a pristine home — and nothing to trip over?
FOUR: Prioritize monthly "deep cleans." Yassssssss. And I mean DEEP cleans. Tiny apartments always seem to grime up quicker than regular-sized ones, so these monthly wash-downs are v. necessary, especially if you live in the city. A cleaner apartment feels more spacious, too!
Here, borrow my checklist:
DEN & BEDROOM:
- Sweep and mop (even under the couch and tables)
- Dust all surfaces (even on top of the PS4)
- Vacuum or beat out the carpets (in the summer I like to hang these out on the patio for a few hours)
- "Purge" your closet (donate, sell or trade anything you haven't worn in the last six months, I MEAN IT)
KITCHEN:
- Clean out the fridge and freezer (and refill the damn ice while you're at it)
- Scrub the stove/oven
- Rinse the sink with sanitizing solution (bye, fruit flies)
- Wash the inside of the garbage bin (bye again, fruit flies)
BATHROOM:
- Sweep and mop (even behind the toilet)
- Scrub the toilet inside and out
- Rinse the sink with sanitizing solution
- Clean whatever container holds your toothbrushes
- Spray down the mirror and all surfaces
- Scrub the tub (and check for mould and mildew)
- Polish all metal (handles, taps)
... And then, wherever you have windows and baseboards — SCRUB THOSE, TOO. Feels so goooooood, guys.
FIVE: Accept and embrace that patience is a virtue. Living in a small space comes with daily frustrations, from running out of cooking space in the kitchen to struggling to access something you very meticulously stored layers beneath other things. Once you accept that you'll have to devote a bit of extra time for the sake of keeping things in order, you'll be much more at peace at home.
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