Owning Your Space
I've always envisioned that I would be able to afford my own place after I graduated college. I would be free to decorate however I'd like. I can sing my heart out in the shower. My cat can run around like a dog and no one would care. Then I moved to San Francisco, where housing can easily cost an arm and a leg. My vision was shattered instantly. However, I've found out having roommates is a blessing and making my little room a sanctuary was fun. I wanted to share three tips that I learned along the way.
FYI, I ordered all my furniture before visiting the space in person. The first time I saw it with my own eyes was the day I moved in. All I had were photos and one video to judge the space on. If I can make it work, so can you!
Do not compromise what you want.
Create a space that suits your needs. If you need a desk to be able to do work, do not forgo it simply because you think you do not have room. Now, don't go out and buy a gigantic desk that takes up half your room. Be smart about your decisions. Even if you have a small room, it can work. Invest in a collapsible table or one that takes up less footprint. That's what I did!
At the time of moving, I did not own a laptop and I had my gigantic iMac to accommodate for. It took me so much effort to move that huge thing across the country that I was determined to have a home for it (aka a nice big desk). I was worried about fitting one in my room so I sacrificed depth and bought a longer desk instead. My decision paid off because my bed would have definitely not fit if my desk was any larger. My desk currently doubles as my vanity and work table. I can do my make up and watch Netflix so I count that as a win-win situation. Another thing that I did not compromise on was my bed. There was no way I would settle for a twin size bed again. I had one all throughout college and I would occasionally fall off because I roll around a lot. Imagine waking up in the middle of the night because your butt hit the floor. Plus, my cat sleeps right in the middle of the bed, forcing me to contort my body in weird ways to catch some Z's. Another tip: keeping the floor line visible gives the illusion of a bigger space.
Double the functions.
Similar to how my desk doubles as a work space and a vanity, my storage ottoman serves multiple purposes. It functions as storage, a bench for guests, and my cat's 3rd bed. (She never uses her actual bed by the way; classic cat move). It's also a nice place to lay my backpack down or to sit on when I don't feel like doing a thing. Plus, it's cute. I added a faux fur rug and throw on it for some extra texture.
Because I am highly selective about what I want in my room (aka broke), I also don't have a nightstand. But fear not! Since I buy too many shoes and am a hoarder of boxes, I've re-purposed them as my nightstand. They hold my chargers, some vitamins, and stack up to maximize storage. Double the shoes, double the boxes, double the win. Now I have more incentive to buy more shoes. ;)
Add your unique touch.
A room is just four (or more) walls enclosing a space in the X, Y, and Z direction. Your room is much more than that. It is what you choose to do with each square inch that makes it yours. If you like neon colors, go for it. If you want to plaster the walls with cat photos, you do you. Make your space a place where you want to be by adding your own flare.
For me, I've decided to use my drawings from my last year of college as decor. Not only did I spend a lot of money printing those gigantic drawings out, but I also spent a lot of time and effort on them. Plus, it saved me some extra cash because there was no need to go out and buy extra decor. Architecture school played a huge role for me so I was happy to have my work lying around in my room. Some might say my closet is another indicating factor that is unique to me. I have a colorful array of clothing to choose from: white, gray, and black with a sprinkle of green and blue. I never close the closet door because it provides an incentive to have a mess that can be behind doors. Instead, I showcase my clothes and organize them by color.
My room still needs some work. For instance, I should actually get a bed frame. But for now, it is a space that I like to call my own. Every item was carefully selected and put in their place. My bed calls my name every time I go home and that's all I ever wanted.
Despite not having my own place, I've been able to make my room a safe haven for myself. I rewind from my day at work and attempt to do productive things, but I really just binge watch YouTube videos all night. Regardless, I can do whatever I want in my own space. Also, having roommates is fun! We hang out, cook together, have deep conversations, and most importantly, split the utilities bill. Haha just kidding, but I do appreciate being able to spend time with other people and getting to know them better. Plus they all like my cat!
If you have any other tips or relate to organizing your room or creating a space that you are proud to call your own, like or comment below!