life in a tiny apartment.

February 26, 2014
goodbye5584

Tip #94: Look around.

I guess it’s time to drop the two fifty from these apartment posts. It was never really the right title anyway: more careful measurements revealed that the apartment was only 240 square feet, not 250. And my dad is still convinced that we should never have included the loft space as usable square footage since we couldn’t actually walk around in it. But regardless of the measurement, the apartment that launched this series is no longer ours. We’ve emptied our stuff, swept it clean, and we’re delivering our keys to the landlord this afternoon.

Have no fear: I’ll continue regaling you with tiny apartment tips. But they’re just coming from a slightly different vantage point.

We’ve moved into a space that hovers somewhere closer to 400 square feet. Still tiny by many standards, but it’s feeling downright palatial to us. At the time of writing, I’m typing feverishly on the love seat and James is lounging on our bed. In another room. It’s like we’ve moved into some kind of spacious fantasy realm.

Next week I’ll begin doling out some practical unpacking tips for tiny apartment dwellers, but for now, here’s one weepy sentimental tip for bidding a tiny apartment adieu.

Take a good look around.

And not just to find the earring you’ve been missing for two years. Empty apartments look pretty bleak. Stripped of all our things, our beloved studio felt dingy and sad. After grumbling so much about how dirty our new place was when we moved in, I realized that without all of our things to block the view, our apartment was also in need of a good scrub and a fresh coat of paint.

Forgive me the sentimentality, but emptying the apartment of our things really just made me realize how much we’d brought to the space just by virtue of living there. In the same way that it’s hard to envision (over and over and over again) your life in a new apartment while you’re searching, it’s equally hard to imagine your life in a place once you’ve stripped it of the things that made it yours. Which is a comfort, I think; and a reminder—bear with me—that it’s people who make a house a home.

Tiny apartment survival tips #1-93 right here.
Moving bins.

 

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14 Comments

  • Reply Karen - Quilts...etc. February 26, 2014 at 1:59 pm

    looking forward to seeing what you do with the new place 🙂

  • Reply snapdragonstudios February 26, 2014 at 2:04 pm

    Being a little house dweller myself, I always enjoy your tiny apartment posts. I can't wait to see how this new home shapes up! Best of luck to you! 🙂 -Elizabeth

  • Reply beina February 26, 2014 at 3:28 pm

    I think that this house will be stuck in your mind forever! You started your family there…no matter the feet…
    But it's so exciting that you change your house because of the baby!!!
    So…good luck!!! 🙂

  • Reply Amy@OldSweetSong February 26, 2014 at 3:47 pm

    End of an era. Good luck, my friend!

  • Reply Fey February 26, 2014 at 4:38 pm

    I can relate to this. I was all weepy when we first move just thinking of all the memories – starting our married life there, our baby's first home, etc. It makes me wish it was a move to a place that is more permanent.

  • Reply Caramel Latte Kiss February 26, 2014 at 4:56 pm

    Congratulations on the move. I hope your little family is very happy in your new home.

  • Reply bostongemmie February 26, 2014 at 5:56 pm

    Cant wait to see pictures and blogs about the new place 🙂 and I have no idea why I thought the door near the window was to outside lol.

    So excited for all your new adventures esp. the one with the new bundle!

  • Reply AliB February 26, 2014 at 6:18 pm

    Oh wow. I thought I knew tiny. We're a family of 3 in 550 sq ft in buenos aires about to move to the west coast USA and I'm actually semi considered that I won't be able to find something small enough.

  • Reply Gloria February 26, 2014 at 6:29 pm

    Wishing you luck with the new transition 🙂

  • Reply theshoozeveryday February 26, 2014 at 6:45 pm

    Such lovely sentiments, indeed! Excited to see more pictures of your new place in the next few weeks. Happy moving!

  • Reply Debs February 26, 2014 at 7:57 pm

    Closing the door on the old (place — sad) but opening the door (on the new place – exciting)!

  • Reply Janelle Kibbe February 26, 2014 at 11:21 pm

    I'm somewhat new to following your blog, but it's so lovely. I can't wait to read more about what you do with your new place.

  • Reply Sophie February 27, 2014 at 9:52 am

    Lovely words. It wasn't weepy, don't worry. Good luck in the new place, we await lots of pictures!

    Sophie x

    http://your-girl-is-lovely.blogspot.co.uk

  • Reply Ashley M. [at] (never)homemaker February 28, 2014 at 2:29 am

    I can imagine it's a conflicted feeling — but I'm so excited to see your new place and how you make 400 sq feet work with a baby. I live out in the suburbs to nowhere and our home is around 1200 sq feet, which out here might as well be 200 with the looks I get and the questions of how 1 bathroom works, etc. — ridiculous. Anyway, I love your blog and this was a beautiful farewell post <3

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