Moving Out: Maximize the Space in Your First Apartment

Hello, dear internet! I’m back again after a lengthy amount of business! I’ve been occupied with work and other projects such as designing sprites for a game that should be out early next year. I have also been taking on website design work when possible. I’m always open to new projects, so if you need a new website designed and/or coded, feel free to contact me!

I also moved to a new apartment last week! It’s very small, but fits within my budget and provides me with a great challenge: how do I fill 275 sq ft of space without feeling cramped? I decided to go with red, white, and black as my theme. Incidentally, the very Swiss, incredibly popular designer colors (even used in the designer-focused Helveticards, of course!) have always been my favorite colors. Perhaps I was always meant to design.

Here are a few items I’ve bought for my tiny box apartment to help beautify and maximize the space.

From left to right, top to bottom:

● Brooklyn Bakery Jet Black Leather Floor Mat

Lovely and about 20x20in, this mat is soft to the touch and won’t wear easily. I love to add texture with mats, pictures, and flowers, so this rug was a must-buy. It was about $50, right in my budget range. It’s normally $80! It was still a tad expensive, but I’m hoping to have it for a long time.

● Cardini Due Red Sofa Bed

Despite living in a tiny space, I believe a couch is necessary for guests and sleepovers. This sofa is under 50 inches wide and slides out to be ~70 inches long. Amazingly, it fits in my alcove according to the measuring tape! It was $480, and totally worth it.

● IKEA RITVA Chair Cushion in Red

I did receive a few folding chairs from my mom and decided to outfit them with these. No one wants to sit on hard plastic, and these are really cute. I love the tufted look, and at $7 each it was totally acceptable.

● IKEA ANTONIUS Frame & Wire Basket

I have a loft bed that lifts 1 meter off the ground, so I decided to buy 2 of these and put them under the bed. It works perfectly for storing all the shirts that won’t fit into my single closet, and each was only $20!

● Target Over-The-Door Mirror

This mirror looks quite lovely and only cost about $50. It’s functioned well for the past 3 years and didn’t even break when I moved it with minimal bubble wrap and cardboard.

● Target Home™ Grayson Grommet Panels in White

My apartment gets a lovely amount of natural light, so I installed white curtains (as opaque as possible, of course) to amplify the light. It looks lovely and hides the window guards. I was originally going to go with black, but it’s pretty obvious that black curtains aren’t the best idea for a small space (unless you live in Alaska).

● Umbra Skinny Can in Black

This thin can fits into the smallest of corners, yet fits a ton of stuff. It’s $7~8 and worth every penny. I think I’m going to get another for the bathroom. 

● Target Home Microplush Blanket in Gray

My boyfriend recommended this blanket and I’m beyond satisfied with it. It does leave a little fuzz on the sheets, but that’s an okay tradeoff for the heat it provides. My cat leaves a little fuzz everywhere, but I like him, so it’s no big deal. At $30, this incredibly warm blanket is definitely worth considering and comes in several colors.

Remember that a tiny apartment looks best when tidy and filled with light. Keeping it empty is never a good idea — fill your space with furniture that accommodates its small stature. Mirrors reflect light a ton and make the apartment look bigger, so have a blast with those too. I’m not sure what I’ll do regarding a dining table — the one in my mom’s house hardly ever got used. I might stick to using the couch as the dining area.

Good luck to all those out there who have left the nest! It’s a liberating feeling, but a bit scary at the same time. I thought I’d never move out in this economy, but even I found a nice, clean, quiet space for me and my adorably handsome  cat.

Clean your dishes, sweep, and keep your heads up! 

Your friendly neighborhood Graphic & Web Designer, Catt